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Muggle Plants
Aconite
This plant also goes by the names of Monkshood and Wolfsbane, and is poisonous enough to kill humans if it is eaten. It is a tall flower belonging to the Buttercup family, and can bear blue, purple, yellow, pink or white flowers. Aconite is said to turn anyone who eats it into a werewolf, but kill any werewolf that eats it whilst in its transformed state. This is based on genuine Muggle folklore rather than Harry Potter folklore, however, as no information about the plant is given in the books. In reality, as stated above, Aconite is a deadly poison and will simply kill anyone who eats it.
Ash
A large deciduous tree related to the olive, whose wood is used in wandmaking. Ron Weasley's first wand and Cedric Diggory's wand were made of ash [JKR Website, GOF18].
Asphodel
A plant with yellow or white flowers, which is said (in Muggle folklore) to grown in the fields of Hades and to be the favourite food of the dead. It is an ingredient in the Draught of Living Death, the most powerful sleeping potion known to wizardkind [PS/SS8].
Beech
A large deciduous tree native to Europe and America. Its wood is used in wandmaking, although the beechwood and dragon heartstring wand that Harry tried in Mr Ollivander's shop didn't suit him too well [PS/SS5].
Belladonna
A highly-poisonous plant also known as Deadly Nightshade. Both the leaves and berries of this plant carry poison and can be fatal to humans if eaten. Belladonna forms part of the potion-making kit all Hogwarts students are required to have [GOF10].
Cabbage
A green leafy vegetable grown and eaten throughout the world. Hagrid once claimed that his cabbage patch at Hogwarts was being attacked by Flesh-Eating Slugs, and that he was in Knockturn Alley to buy some repellent [COS4]. It seems likely that Flesh-Eating Slugs would eat flesh rather than cabbages, however, and so Hagrid was quite possibly being a little economical with the truth. He probably does really have a cabbage patch though.
Cherry
A tree that grows attractive blossom and tasty fruit. Cherry wood is used in wandmaking, and the new wand that Neville was given following the battle at the Department of Mysteries was made of cherry and unicorn hair [HBP7]. Neville believed it to be one of the last wands that Mr Ollivander sold before his disappearance.
Daisy
A common European wildflower with white and yellow flowers. The roots are an ingredient used to make Shrinking Potion [POA7].
Dandelion
The Dandelion is a common yellow wildflower. Hagrid once offered Harry a cup of Dandelion juice when he went to visit him [OOTP38]. Dandelion juice is produced from the root of the plant and has some medicinal properties.
Dittany
Also known as Burning Bush (due to the fact that its sap is highly flammable), this is a herb with light purple flowers. In the past it was considered to have medicinal properties, although it is no longer used in that way now. Dittany is listed in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, and Harry was reading about it when Hagrid snuck into the library to get a book about dragons [PS/SS14]. Madame Pomfrey also gave Dittany to Draco Malfory after Harry attacked him with Sectumsempra, in order to reduce any potential scarring [HBP24].
Ebony
This is an evergreen tree native to India, famous for its rich dark wood. Ebony is used in wandmaking, and Harry tried out an ebony and unicorn hair wand in Mr Ollivander's shop, although it didn't choose him.
Elder
This is a shrub that produces dark red berries and white flowers. The flowers can be used to make wine, which the Weasleys drank with their meal the night before they headed off to the Quidditch World Cup [GOF5]. Presumably they enjoyed the wine rather more than they enjoyed listening to Percy burbling on about how important he was.
Fluxweed
Fluxweed, also known as False Pennyroyal, is member of the mint family and has blue flowers. It is relatively rare and considered to be an endangered species. Professor Snape keeps supplies of Fluxweed in his store cupboard, which Harry, Ron and Hermione had to raid to get ingredients for their Polyjuice Potion. Fluxweed has to be picked at full moon for its magical properties to be retained, however [COS10].
Ginger
Ginger isn't actually a plant in its own right - it is in fact the name given to the root of the Chinese plant Zingiber Officinale. Ginger is used in cooking as a highly-flavoured spice. It is also used to make Wit-Sharpening Potion [GOF27].
Hellebore
This is a rose-like plant often found in gardens. There are a number of different types of Hellebore, but even though some have names like "Christmas Rose" and "Lenten Rose", Hellebore is not actually a member of the rose family. The plant is reputed to have medicinal properties, and also has a general association with witchcraft. Syrup of Hellebore is an ingredient of Draught of Peace, which Snape set the class to make at the start of their fifth year [OOTP12]. Harry forgot to add the syrup to his cauldron, however, which allowed Snape to sneer at him. Again.
Henbane
This is a poisonous plant with greeny yellow leaves. Its name literally translates as "hen killer". It has been used medicinally at some points in history, as it has anaesthetic qualities, alongside a number of other unpleasant side-effects. An advertisement in the Daily Prophet once offered bouquets of henbane and belladonna, and potted mandrakes for sale.
Holly
Holly is a shrub native to a large number of countries. It has green spiky leaves and grows red berries, and has connections to Christmas in many cultures. The wood of the plant is used in wandmaking, and Harry has a Holly and phoenix feather wand [PS/SS5].
Hornbeam
The Hornbeam is a small tree of the birch family. Hornbeam wood is used for wandmaking, and Viktor Krum has a Hornbeam and dragon heartstring wand
Lovage
This is a plant similar to celery, whose fruit and seeds are used in cookery. According to one of Harry's school books, lovage is "most efficacious in the inflaming of the braine", and is used as an ingredient in Confusing and Befuddlement Draughts [OOTP18].
Mahogany
Mahogany is not the name of a plant in itself. It is actually the name given to the wood of a number of related trees: Swietenia Mahagoni, Swietenia Macrophylla, and Khaya. Mahogany is used in wandmaking, and James Potter had a Mahogany wand.
Maple
This is a deciduous tree whose wood is used in wandmaking. Harry tried out a maple and phoenix feather wand at Mr Ollivander's shop without success [PS/SS5].
Mistletoe
Mistletoe is a parasitic shrub with white berries. In many cultures it has connections with Christmas, where it is used as a decoration. By tradition, people who meet under the mistletoe are meant to kiss each other. This appears to be the case in the Wizarding world as well, as Cho and Harry used it as a convenient excuse to have their first kiss. The only difference between Muggle Mistletoe and Wizarding Mistletoe is that the Wizarding kind might be infested with Nargles. That's what Luna Lovegood thinks, anyway.
Monkshood
See Aconite.
Nettle
The most common type of Nettle is the Stinging Nettle, although there are a number of other types, some of which sting and some of which don't. Aside from their ability to sting, Nettles actually have a number of useful medical properties. Gertie Keddle's diary revealed that she went Nettle-picking on Queerditch Marsh and served Nettle tea to her friend Gwenog [QA]. Dried Nettles are also an ingredient in Boil-Cure Potion [PS/SS8].
Oak
There are a wide variety of different species of Oak tree, all of which are indigenous to the northern hemisphere, and all of which produce acorns. Oak is a wood used in wandmaking, and Hagrid's wand was made of oak. It was broken in half when he was expelled from Hogwarts, although he secretly retained the pieces and hid them inside a pink umbrella [PS/SS5].
Pineapple
A large tropical fruit. Horace Slughorn is particularly fond of crystallised pineapple, a fact not lost on the young Tom Riddle when he wanted to get into Slughorn's good books [HBP17].
Pumpkin
Pumpkin seems to be a favourite food of the wizarding world: you can pick up a Pumpkin pasty on the Hogwarts Express [PS/SS6], have a nice drink of Pumpkin juice on the train or at Hogwarts itself [PS/SS6], or if you fancy nipping into Hogsmeade you can try out a glass of Pumpkin Fizz [POA13]. This all suggests that wizarding Pumpkins are rather nicer than Muggle Pumpkins, which are pretty horrible, all things considered. Hagrid has a sizeable Pumpkin patch outside his hut, where he grows Pumpkins that are large enough to walk into, for use as decorations in the Great Hall for the Halloween feast [COS8].
Rosewood
Nothing to do with roses, Rosewood is actually the wood of the species Dalbergia Nigra. It is called Rosewood because of its sweet aroma. Rosewood is used in wandmaking, and Fleur Delacour has a wand made out of this material, with a Veela hair core [GOF18].
Rue
This is a very highly-scented shrub with yellow flowers, indigenous to Asia. Madam Pomfrey made Ron take Essence of Rue to aid his recovery after he had been poisoned by Malfoy's mead [HBP19].
Sage
Sage is a herb commonly used in cooking to impart a peppery flavour to the food. Sage oil is also used in aromatherapy for soothing stress and treating sore throats. Centaurs burn sage in order to use shapes and symbols made by the smoke to predict the future [OOTP27].
Scurvy-Grass
This is a white-flowered shrub typically found in coastal regions. Its name comes from the fact that its leaves are very rich in vitamin C, and were often eaten by sailors to alleviate the effects of scurvy after long periods at sea. Like Lovage, Scurvy-Grass is considered to be "most efficacious in the inflaming of the braine", and is used as an ingredient in Confusing and Befuddlement Draughts [OOTP18].
Sneezewort
This plant is reputed to cause sneezing in those who smell it, which is where the name comes from. It is a daisy-like plant with white flowers. Like Lovage and Scurvy-Grass, it is used as an ingredient in Confusing and Befuddlement Draughts [OOTP18].
Vine
A Vine is any climbing plant, but the word is particularly used for those that grow grapes as their fruit. Such plants often have a hard, woody stem, and this wood is used in wandmaking. Hermione has a wand made of Vine wood and dragon heartstring [JKR Website].
Willow
The Willow is a deciduous tree mostly found in the northern hemisphere. There are many types of Willow, of which the Weeping Willow is the most famous. The wood of the Willow tree is used in wandmaking. Lily Potter had a (rather swishy, according to Mr Ollivander) wand made out of Willow [PS/SS5], whilst Ron's new wand (which replaced his hand-me-down that was broken, ironically enough by the Whomping Willow in the Hogwarts grounds) was also made from this wood [POA3].
Wolfsbane
See Aconite.
Wormwood
This is a common herb with a famously bitter smell and taste. It has some medicinal properties, and can be used as a tonic, or pick-me-up. It is also used to flavour a number of alcoholic drinks, the most notorious of which is Absinthe (a liquor that was banned in many countries due to alleged dangerous hallucinogenic side-effects: it is, in fact, no more dangerous than any other alcoholic drink of a similar strength, and its supposed side-effects are nothing more than a myth). Wormwood is one of the ingredients in the Draught of Living Death.
Yew
The Yew is a poisonous evergreen tree that can grow in most regions of the world. Yew trees are associated with both life and death, in that they are capable of living to a vast age, but can produce poison powerful enough to kill both animals and humans. Yew trees often grow in graveyards and churchyards, although it is likely that in many cases the trees pre-date the churches. Yews can live for several thousand years, and so many trees will pre-date Christianity by a considerable period. Christian churches were often built on existing Pagan sacred sites (as Christianity took over from Paganism as the popular religion), showing that the Yew was also associated with ancient religions as well as modern ones. The wood of the Yew tree is used in wandmaking, and Lord Voldemort has a wand made from Yew and Phoenix tail feather. Voldemort's association with the poisonous and incredibly long-lived wood of his wand is clear.
Wizarding Plants
Abyssinian Shrivelfig
Harry's class were taught how to prune these plants in a second-year Herbology class, where they removed withered stalks and put them on the compost heap [COS15]. Shrivelfigs are also an ingredient of Shrinking Solution, which Snape used to turn Neville's toad into a tadpole [POA7].
Alihotsy
Eating the leaves of this plant causes hysteria. The Glumbumble produces a fluid that acts as an antidote for this effect, however [FB].
Bouncing Bulb
A type of magical bulb that Harry's class once re-potted in a fourth-year Herbology class. One bulb wriggled out of Harry's hands and hit him in the face. The Hufflepuffs, who the Gryffindors shared their Herbology lessons with, laughed unpleasantly because they were upset that Harry had managed to get into the Triwizard tournament [GOF18].
Bubotuber
Harry thought these were the ugliest plants he'd ever seen. They look like thick black giant slugs. They squirm slightly, and are covered in big shiny boils, which have to be squeezed. This releases the contents, a thick yellowy-green liquid that smells of petrol [GOF13]. If undiluted pus comes into contact with the skin, it causes vast numbers of large yellow sores to appear [GOF28]. In its diluted form it is an excellent treatment for acne, however [GOF13].
Chinese Chomping Cabbage
Hermione copied out a diagram of this, when she was in the library with Ron and Harry looking up potion ingredients [OOTP16].
Devil's Snare
This is a plant with long creepers and snake-like tendrils that are used to trap animal prey, which is presumably then consumed in the same way a Venus Fly-Trap digests insects. Devils Snare detects the presence of prey when it is touched, and immediately sends out tendrils to trap it. The more the victim attempts to struggle, the faster the tendrils wrap round them [PS/SS16]. The plant is attracted to dark, damp conditions, and light and warmth can be used to make it release any trapped prey. First-years are taught about this plant in Herbology lessons, which came in useful for Ron and Harry, as Hermione remembered how to stop it attacking them when they went through the trapdoor to try to rescue the Philosopher's Stone. Devil's Snare is similar in appearance to the Flitterbloom, so much so that when Broderick Bode was given a pot plant when he was in hospital, it was assumed to be a Flitterbloom when it was actually Devil's Snare. Bode was strangled by the plant the moment he touched it [OOTP25].
Fanged Geranium
A plant that bit Harry during his Herbology OWL [OOTP31].
Flesh-Eating Tree
Hermione referred to a book called Flesh-Eating Trees of the World in a sixth-year Herbology class [HBP14]. They were studying Snargaluffs at the time, which must therefore be one type of Flesh-Eating Tree, but we can safely assume that there are others.
Flitterbloom
This plant looks like Devil's Snare, but importantly is not dangerous. When Broderick Bode was given the Devil's Snare plant that killed him whilst he was in St Mungo's Hospital, the Healer Miriam Strout thought it was a harmless Flitterbloom [OOTP23, 25].
Flutterby Bush
This is a quivering bush that the students pruned in a fourth-year Herbology class [GOF20].
Gillyweed
A plant that appears in Magical Mediterranean Water-Plants and Their Properties [GOF35]. It looks like a bunch of slimy, greyish-green rat tails, and has an unpleasant rubbery texture, but has very useful properties. When eaten, it causes a human to grow gills, allowing them to breathe underwater, and also webs the fingers and toes to improve swimming [GOF26]. When Harry used Gillyweed for the Second Task of the Triwizard Tournament, the effect lasted for around an hour, but eating greater quantities Gillyweed may make its effects last longer. Snape believed that Harry had stolen the Gillyweed from his private store cupboard, but it was actually Dobby who did that.
Gurdyroot
This is a plant that looks rather like a green onion. According to Luna Lovegood it's excellent for warding off Gulping Plimpies, although whether this is true or not (and indeed whether Gulping Plimpies actually exist or not) must be open to some doubt [HBP20].
Honking Daffodil
Professor Sprout had some Honking Daffodils during Harry's fifth year [OOTP27]. When Lavender and Parvati went to see Professor Trelawney to comfort her after she'd been sacked by Umbridge, they took her some daffoldils. Lavender didn't think Professor Sprout's Honking Daffodils were very nice, so they took normal ones.
Leaping Toadstool
These were studied in second-year Herbology classes [COS14]. Ernie Macmillan passed a bucket of them to Harry and did so politely, which was a relief for Harry, because up to this point Ernie had been showing strong signs of believing Harry was the Heir of Slytherin.
Mallowsweet
Centaurs burn this plant along with Sage in order to use shapes and symbols made by the smoke to predict the future [OOTP27].
Mandrake
The Mandrake is a tufty purplish-green plant - the young Mandrake is, at least. No description of the full-grown plant has been given. The above-ground parts of the Mandrake look entirely normal, but the roots are anything but. Instead of normal roots, the young Mandrake plant instead has a small, muddy and extremely ugly baby with mottled green skin, with the leaves of the plant growing directly out of its head [COS6]. Professor Sprout makes several references to Mandrakes growing up as the months pass during Harry's second year, and so it is reasonable to assume that as the plant matures, so does the underground baby. The cry of the full-grown Mandrake is fatal, and even the sound of the baby can knock a human unconscious for several hours. For this reason, Harry's class had to wear earmuffs when re-potting them at the start of the year [COS6]. The Mandrakes themselves didn't want to be re-potted and did everything in their power to prevent it, including squirming, kicking, punching and biting. The Mandrake has a number of important magical uses once it has been harvested, cut up and stewed [COS13]. It forms an essential part of most antidotes, and is also a powerful restorative, capable of returning those who have been Transfigured, cursed or petrified to their original state. Mandrake Restorative Draught was used by Madam Pomfrey to heal all the victims of the Basilisk when the Chamber of Secrets was opened in Harry's second year. The Mandrake also goes by the name of Mandragora.
Mimbulus Mimbletonia
According to Neville, this plant is very, very rare and comes from Assyria [OOTP10]. He was given one for his birthday by his Great Uncle Algie. The plant looks like a grey cactus, but it is covered in boils rather than spikes. The whole thing pulsates somewhat, and when it is prodded, the boils release a large quantity of Stinksap, which squirts in all directions [OOTP10]. The one Neville was given was a young seedling, and was small when he took it to school on the Hogwarts Express. By the end of the year it had grown a lot and had started to croon softly when it was touched [OOTP38].
Puffapod
The Puffapod has fat pink pods filled with beans. These instantly burst into flower when dropped [POA8].
Screechsnap
Harry's class worked with Screechsnap seedlings in a fifth-year Herbology class [OOTP25]. The lesson took place just after the mass escape of Death Eaters from Azkaban, and Susan Bones was feeling very unhappy about it, as the escapees had murdered several members of her family in the past. This distracted her from the task of putting dragon dung on the seedlings. She dumped far too much on, and the plants wriggled and squeaked in discomfort.
Snargaluff
Harry's class studied Snargaluffs in sixth-year Herbology classes. The plant looks like a harmless gnarled stump, but when attacked, it springs to life and sends out a large number of bramble-like vines to defend itself [HBP14]. These are used to ensnare and disable its assailant. Inside the stump are a number of pods. These are about the size of a grapefruit, are green in colour, and pulsate unpleasantly. The pods are crammed full of pale-green tubers that wriggle like worms. Harry's class had to take out the pods (which is not an easy task), and burst them to get the tubers out, although the reason for doing this is not clear.
Sopophorous
The shrivelled-looking bean of this plant is a potion ingredient, used in the Draught of Living Death, which was the first potion that Harry's NEWT Potions class made with Professor Slughorn. Harry had just been handed the Half-Blood Prince's Potions book, in which it was noted that it was better to crush the bean with the flat side of a silver dagger than to cut it. When Harry did so, it released so much juice he couldn't believe such a dry-looking bean could hold it all [HBP9].
Venomous Tentacula
Harry encountered this plant in the first Herbology lesson of his second year, which was the first time the class were allowed into Greenhouse Three, where all the interesting and dangerous plants were kept [COS6]. It is a spiky, dark red plant that has long feelers used to ensnare its prey. Professor Sprout reported that the Tentacula was teething at the time (and therefore in something of a bad mood), so it seems safe to assume that the mature plant has a full set of teeth used to devour whatever it has caught. The seeds of the plant look like shrivelled black pods and are a Class C Non-Tradeable Substance. Fred and George Weasley needed them for their Skiving Snackboxes, and had to buy them on the black market from Mundungus Fletcher [OOTP9]. A wizard called Derwent Shimpling once ate an entire Venomous Tentacula for a bet and survived, although he is now purple in hue.
Whomping Willow
This is a large and rather aggressive tree that attacks anybody and anything that comes within its reach [COS5]. A Whomping Willow was planted in the grounds of Hogwarts when Remus Lupin started to attend the school. Its purpose was to block the entrance to the secret tunnel that led to the Shrieking Shack in Hogsmeade, where Remus went to go through his monthly lycanthropic transformations [POAxx]. It is still there now, and Harry has fallen foul of it on more than one occasion: he crashed into it in a flying Ford Anglia in his second year [COS5], and it later smashed up his Nimbus 2000 broomstick when Harry fell off it during a game of Quidditch [POA10]. Hogwarts students are actually banned from going near the tree [POA10], and probably due to its violent nature, they seem to pretty much comply. The Hogwarts Whomping Willow has a knot on its trunk that, when pressed, stops the tree from attacking anything [POAxx]. It is unknown whether this is a standard feature of Whomping Willows or whether it is unique to the Hogwarts one.
Yellow Cabbage Flower
When Harry had fallen off his broom and lost the Gryffindor vs Hufflepuff Quidditch match in his third year, he was feeling rather sorry for himself in the hospital wing. Hagrid brought him some flowers that looked like yellow cabbages to cheer him up [POA10]. The Yellow Cabbage Flower is unlikely to be its real name, but there are no such plants in the Muggle world, and so whatever it is really called, it is undoubtedly a wizarding flower.
 marshjazz · Sun Jan 28, 2007 @ 12:04am · 0 Comments |
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