Leaf & Lore • Materia Magica and Medica

The Plants Are Calling!

One of the most fascinating ways to learn about the medicine, magic, and wisdom of the plants is to connect deeply to the plants themselves!

In this course we’ll be meeting 16 special herbs that bring their unique virtues and speak to the many needs of we human folk.

In each class we will explore three herbs in-depth by experiencing their:

  • Folk names and sacred name

  • Appearances in herbal texts

  • Charms and remedies

  • Connections to specific body systems and organs

  • Movements within and around the physical body

  • Links to parts of the soul

  • Connections to Gods, Goddesses, and Spirits

  • Appearances in folklore and myth

  • Practical ways they can be worked with for everyday wellness and healing

  • I will also introduce you to my favorite and most trusted ancient and modern materia medica texts and show you how to work with them in your own research of herbs, magic, medicine, ritual, and personal wisdom.

Join us as we learn from the greatest authority on plants… the plants themselves!

You’ll learn about these 18 special plants and more importantly you’ll learn how to learn about plants- directly from plants- while gaining confidence in your own green gnosis.

Our next session of Leaf & Lore begins…
February 12, 2026

Enrollement Opens November 3, 2025

Scroll down for details, syllabus, and registration

  • Line drawing of Mugwort

    The Roots of Wortcunning

    Connect with some of my favorite ancient and moderns texts of Wortcunning- several you won’t hear anyone else talk about openly! These manuscripts will suely become your new favorite sources for plant lore and wisdom as you journey down your own green path.

  • Line drawing of Fennel

    The Plants, Our Teachers

    Meet and engage with a curated selection of herbs that are cherished and revered in the ancient herbals. These plants represent a variety of medicinal, magical, and ritual virtues- by the end you’ll have friends in many domains and with many blessings to share!

  • Line drawing of Wood Betony

    Beyond the 'Good For'

    Through conversations and spiritual connections with these special plants, we’ll create a space where you can go beyond thinking of herbs as ‘good for’ specific issues and instead engage with them as arcane spirits with their own energies, personalities, and powers.

Line drawing of a flowering plant with broad leaves and tall, slender flower stalks.

Course Details

ONLINE LEARNING

The entire Leaf & Lore Course happens online, in community. Each class will take place via Zoom and will include discussion and lecture, demonstrations, slides & notes, handouts, and supportive materials. If you are unable to attend the live classes, you can watch replays at your convenience for one full year! Repetition is the key to learning, so we encourage all students to watch the classes as many times as they are able during their course year.

CLASSROOM & CONNECTIONS

Students will have access to a private classroom where they can chat, ask questions, share with one another, and be inspired by what everyone is up to.

JOURNEY & GOALS

Through the stories and spirits of 16 special herbs, we’ll learn about essential plant allies from the Wortcunning ways while also learning how to learn directly from the plants, the sacred texts, and some of Josh’s most cherished herbal materia medica.

By the end of the course you will have a personal connection to these important 16 plants and be inspired to add bioregional and personal plants to the list with confidence and expertise.

CLASS SCHEDULE

This is a 6-week course meeting one evening per week.
Each class happens live online with recordings being sent out shortly after the class ends. Recordings are available for one year from the start date of the program.
Scroll down to see the schedule for our upcoming cohort.

PREPARATION

A list of suggested books and materials will be sent out with your welcome packet. You are not required to purchase books or materials to take this course- but having them on-hand allows for you to have what you need for all reading and research prompts and hands-on experiences.

TUITION

The cost for the course is $125 - priced for accessibility
Established Tier 3 Patreon members receive 50% off on this class!
This price includes all classes and replays for one year, student chat, and supplemental digital materials.
Books and physical materials are not included in course cost.

2026 Schedule

Classes begin promptly at 6pm MST. Class lasts 1 hour with a 30 minute open discussion afterward.

Classes are on Thursday evenings at 6pm MST.
Recordings of each class will be sent out the following day.

February 12
February 26
March 12
March 26
April 9
April 23


  • Anyone who has a deep respect for the plants, their stories, and the traditions and cultures that preserve their wisdom can learn Wortcunning!

    Modern Wortcunning and our tradition of these Green Artes are rooted in the Anglo-Saxon, Germanic, Norse, Scandinavian, and Indo-European streams of plant lore. They are open practices (when done with dedication and respect) and are welcoming to all people from all places.

    Our school and courses are fiercely anti-racist, LGBTQIA+ affirming (and operated!), eager to create accessibility for disabled folks wherever possible, and invested in sharing animist inspiration to whoever will receive it.

  • Our Wortcunning program is truly one of a ind. It centers the ancestral wisdom handed down to use from our herbwise forebears while being truly relevant to the world we live in now. We focus on the plants, the charms, and the relationships we make with those plants and charms as a foundation for exceptional spiritual herbal practice.

  • If you’re new to attending live, online classes, we’ve got you!

    Our classes happen on Zoom and are backed by excellent audio and visual quality along with informative and engaging images, notes, and slides.

    We aim to make every class and course as engaging and entertaining as possible so that you can learn it all with joy. Online classes allow us to connect with people from across the world!

  • Certification happens after completing all three levels of the Wortcunning program.

    In the USA, herbalism is not a professionally regulated practice so our certification does not cover that. Rather, you are a certified member of The Green Arte Tradition of Wortcunning, have earned the right to use that name and title in your practice, and can show everyone how hard you’ve worked through all three levels!

    Please familiarize yourself with the laws surrounding herbal practice where you live.

  • We have answers!

    Reach out to us via the ‘contact’ page and we’ll get back to you shortly.