Alyssum

 Lobularia maritima

Virgo

Sense of Order, Resilience

Alyssum, also known as Sweet Alyssum, is a low-growing, fragrant flowering plant native to Europe. It forms soft mounds 3–9 inches (7–23 cm) tall and can spread 12–24 inches (30–60 cm) wide. The plant produces tiny, clustered flowers—most often white, though pink, purple and cream varieties are also available. Each tiny flower has four petals; flowers have a sweet scent. Plants bloom from spring through fall, especially in cooler weather. 

The leaves are small, narrow, and gray-green. Alyssum is perennial in warm climates but is typically grown as an annual in colder regions. It thrives in full sun but also tolerates partial shade and prefers well-drained soil. Known for its resilience, Alyssum tolerates poor soils, light frost, salty air, and even sandy beaches, making it especially suitable for coastal gardens. High heat and humidity in mid-summer may temporarily stop plants from blooming. 

Alyssum symbolizes resilience - the ability to thrive in harsh or shifting conditions without losing perspective or balance. The plants stop blooming when conditions become too extreme. Just as the plants conserve energy during peak heat, we can withdraw until conditions, although possibly still harsh, are once again supportive. Alyssum reminds us that while we may endure chaos, we can also discern which environments are simply too “hot” for growth. 

Shallow-rooted, fast-growing and easy to cultivate from seed, Alyssum often self-sows in garden beds. It attracts pollinators such as bees and butterflies and makes an excellent companion plant in vegetable gardens. As a ground cover, it creates tidy borders and fills open spaces evenly, lending a sense of order to garden designs.

People drawn to Alyssum tend to bloom steadily through adversity, offering order and direction in times of disorder. Others may be naturally attracted to them—just as pollinators are to Alyssum—because of the stability and order they bring. Picture the person calmly directing traffic at a chaotic event, guiding cars into neat rows, or the greeter helping people find their way through a busy venue. Yet Alyssum also reminds us: if conditions become too overwhelming—like a crowd turning unruly—we can easily self-sow to begin again somewhere else. 

Physical plant characteristics also are guidelines to the spirit of Alyssum. Flowers have four petals: the number four symbolizes stability, security and direction, supporting Alyssum's themes of order and resilience. Flowers are primarily white which is associated with Archangel Gabriel, who symbolizes purity and has the role of messenger. Meditating or reflecting on the number four and/or asking for assistance from Archangel Gabriel may be helpful when exploring current challenges, especially when determining when your environment becomes too "hot" and next steps are needed.   

The plant contains compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. It has been used in folk remedies as an anti-inflammatory and diuretic, often given as a tea. In ancient Greek medicine, the name “Alyssum” (“a-lyssum”) meant “without madness,” and the plant was believed to calm emotional imbalances, especially anger.  In folk medicine, Alyssum was used to treat animal bites.

Jewelweed

Impatiens capensis

Libra 

Resiliency, Walking in Shadows

Jewelweed, also called Spotted Touch-Me-Not, is a native North American annual that thrives in moist, shaded spots like wetlands, forest edges and stream banks. Easily recognized by its striking orange or yellow trumpet-shaped flowers—often dotted with red or orange spots—this plant gets its name from the way its blossoms dangle on slender stalks, each featuring a curved spur that gives a jewel-like sparkle.

Growing 2 to 5 feet tall, Jewelweed blooms from late spring through early fall. Its light green, oval leaves have finely toothed edges and are arranged alternately along smooth stems. One of the plant’s most notable traits is its natural water repellency: rain and dew bead on the leaves, reflecting light and creating a silvery shimmer. This luminous quality speaks to spiritual clarity and the ability to reflect light even when surrounded by shadows—an apt symbol for those who walk among darkness without absorbing it. 

Jewelweed attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, relying on cross-pollination from these visitors. It also produces cleistogamous (self-fertilizing) flowers that never open, ensuring reproduction even in the absence of pollinators. This trait symbolizes quiet resilience—the inner strength to endure, adapt and continue. It mirrors the strength needed by those who navigate shadow realms, whether physical or spiritual. Jewelweed also exhibits resiliency in its growing environment; plants grow at marsh edges and creek sides and also in ditches and road cuts. 

The plant’s natural water-repelling leaves shimmer with rain, symbolizing clarity and the ability to reflect light even in shadowed places. This quality reminds us to maintain our own clarity and boundaries, repelling negativity and holding space for healing. People attracted to Jewelweed are those who can walk into shadows bringing light with them. Despite blooming on delicate stalks, the plant models the resilience required to work in shadow worlds: difficult, heavy or emotionally charged environments. Its presence can be symbolic of professions that enter the dark to bring light: police officers, firefighters, paramedics, therapists, and spiritual healers. These individuals may excel at leaving behind the burdens of what they witness, maintaining personal clarity and light in the face of darkness. 

Its nickname “Touch-Me-Not” comes from the ripe seed pods that burst explosively when disturbed. This can be taken as a reminder for people close to those in helping professions that they too have limits, and can be explosive when pushed to extremes.  

Jewelweed’s sap has been used as a folk remedy to soothe the itching, redness, and inflammation caused by poison ivy’s urushiol oil. Applying the juice from jewelweed’s stems and leaves can help neutralize the rash, reduce discomfort, and speed healing, making it a natural first aid companion wherever poison ivy grows. This relationship symbolizes balance and harmony between challenge (shadow worlds) and healing. Plants have also been used in folk medicine for anti-fungal properties.

Jewelweed is also known as Orange Jewelweed, Common Jewelweed, Spotted Jewelweed and Orange Balsam.