Botanicas

Botanicas are retail establishments that specialize in herbs, roots, powders, candles, statues, talismans, and other items used in traditional folk healing and spirituality. They are common in Latin American countries and among Latino communities in the United States and elsewhere. Stores typically stock dried botanicals, roots, resins, ceremonial candles in various colors, religious images, rosaries, sachets, oils, incenses, and herbal remedies. Many botanicas also carry cleansing and protective products such as sage, holy water, or items intended for spiritual baths, and some offer guidance on remedies or rituals.

Botanicas are often connected to syncretic religious and healing traditions, drawing on Indigenous, African diasporic, and Catholic influences. Practices associated with their use vary by community and may include curanderismo, espiritismo, Santería, or Palo, among others. Items are selected for purposes such as healing, protection, luck, love, or purification, and are used in daily life as well as in ceremonies.

The cultural role of botanicas extends beyond commerce; they frequently function as community spaces where people seek guidance, share knowledge, and access traditional medicines and ritual supplies. They operate within the broader framework of traditional medicine and religious practice, subject to general retail regulations. Some plant materials may raise safety or sustainability concerns, so buyers are advised to use reputable sources and consult healthcare professionals when needed.

See also: ethnobotany, traditional medicine, spiritual shop