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A green witch is typically a solitary and self guided practitioner whose workings involve a close connection with nature, most especially plants. A green witch is often a proficient herbalist, gardener and wild forager. Green witches are closely attuned to the energies of the plants they work and interact with, as well as those energies of the soil and land in which the plants they use grow. For some green witches the path begins with an interest in botany, gardening, herbalism, wild crafting or any other interest in plants, herbs and trees.
While all pagans are connected to the Earth and their world, a green witch has a deeper and more intimate connection with the plants, trees and wild places than most other traditions, not unlike the difference between a casual home gardener and a farmer. This is not to say that the connection other pagans have with the Earth and the life she shares with us is any less valid or real, just that it is different. A common misconception is that the term green witch is just another name for a kitchen witch or a hedge witch. While they are not un-similar in that they are each solitary and subjective practices, they are certainly not the same. A kitchen witch's focus is on hearth and home and making use of items that can be found in their kitchen in their workings, incorporating their energies into their daily life, home and meals they prepare. Both green and hedge witches focus on plants, trees and herbs but a hedge witch's practice is a more ecstatic practice like shamanism, tapping into the energies of nature, plants, minerals and the elements in divination, and connecting to other realms, whereas a green witch is often attuned to healing with their knowledge and use of herbs that they gather or grow and harvest.
According to Arin Murphy-Hiscock in her book The Way of The Green Witch: Rituals, Spells and Practices to Bring You Back to Nature, “Witchcraft is frequently confused with Wicca which is a modern, alternative, nature-based religion. While Wicca and Witchcraft possess many similarities, including reverence for nature, Wicca is a specific, formal religion. There are a wide variety of forms of Witchcraft, with varying degrees of structure.” Because there is no formalized body of knowledge in Witchcraft one cannot be initiated into a particular form or practice as in Wicca. A green Witch can certainly pass his or her knowledge on to others but it is not done in an initiatory way. Rather it is done more as an apprenticeship, in which a single apprentice learns the craft from a master. Once the learning process is completed, apprentices make the lessons their own, following their own intuitions and inspirations as well as incorporating their own bodies of knowledge and connections to nature to personalize their crafts.
There are many excellent resources to be found with further information about green Witchcraft and Green Wicca. Ann Moura has a number of books on the subject, and one can easily find many excellent and informative websites. As always, make sure the source of the website you turn to for information is reliable and trustworthy.
What is a Green Witch
By Nyx Whyteraven