First-Year HerbologyA Review

Romulus LupinRavenclaw

Lesson 12

What is Herbology?

• Herbology is the study and use of plants, both magical and non-magical.

• A “herbologist” is simply a person who has a working knowledge of plants, whether they are a professor of the subject or a recreational gardener.

• Though often looked down upon by many, the subject of Herbology is extremely important. It is particularly useful for individuals studying to become potioneers or healers, given the large role that plants play in these areas.

Lesson 13

Taking Precautions

• Many of the plants studied by herbologists can pose a potential threat to either the herbologist or the public in general.

• Several items of protective clothing are typically highly recommended: dragonhide gloves, earmuffs, closed toed shoes, an apron, and often a mask.

• Large quantities of dittany are helpful to have, as they can help heal many common injuries.

• Some plants are more dangerous than others; therefore, it is important to know the dangers associated with various fauna and how to deal with them. Often, a wand can be helpful in this, but the most important tool an herbologist can possess is a sharp mind.

Lesson 14

Basic Tools

• Two kinds of fertilizer are frequently used by herbologists:– Dragon dung is a highly nutrient matter that

is also odorless, making it extremely useful as a fertilizer and planting medium.

– Mooncalf dung is a gentler option to dragon dung. Although not full of nutrients, it is particularly well suited to sensitive plants that are located in soil that is already nutrient-rich.

Lesson 15

Basic Tools

• Centaur tears are an alternative to water for plant hydration. Though toxic to saltwater plants, they are full of nutrients and can revive even the most neglected of plants, provided that they can tolerate it.

• The collection of Centaur tears is an extremely delicate issue. Due to the protection that the Ministry of Magic grants Centaurs, the legal collection of their tears generally requires close ties to a Centaur community.

Lesson 26

Basic Care

• There are several elements of basic care that can influence whether or not a plant thrives. Several things must be taken into account when first planting:– Soil

• Plants hail from all over the world, and naturally thrive in various soils. Some soils may need to be “fluffier” than others, some may need to be compact, but particular care must be taken to make sure that plants are placed in soil with the correct pH balance.

• An important spell in the herbologist’s arsenal is Acidious Revealious" (ah-sid-EE-us rev-EE-lee-us). This spell will reveal the pH level of soil in the form of white mist.

Lesson 27

– Depth• The depth that a seed or cutting is planted

at is important. Failure to plant deep enough can result in a plant not growing as well as it should, or not at all.

– Light• As with soil, plants prefer different amounts

of light. Some plants prefer high levels of natural sunlight, while others prefer relative darkness.

– Space• Some plants require more room to grow

and flourish than others. For example, Bouncing Bulbs generally require a space the size of a bathtub when they are first planted. But more on that later!

Lesson 28

Repotting

• Repotting is an important stage in the life of a plant! When a plant outgrows its container, it needs to be transferred so that it has more space to grow and thrive.

• Repotting is perhaps one of the more dangerous activities in Herbology, as it requires close proximity to some dangerous plants.

• Repotting can also temporarily alter the habits of a plant. For instance, some plants will require more or less food and water during the repotting phase.

Lesson 29

Habitats

• As previously discussed, different plants thrive in different habitats and climates. Gillyweed, for instance, can only be found near the Mediterranean Sea. Thus, it is important to recreate these conditions if Gillyweed is to be cultivated.

• Plants can change habitats, adapting to new conditions. Since ecosystems can be delicate, the introduction of a new plant can interrupt this balance. Typically though, a plant can only adjust to conditions similar to those that it is native to.

Lesson 210

Use in Potions

• Perhaps the most common use for plants, both magical and non-magical, is as potion ingredients.

• Plants can serve a variety of purposes in potions; they can be used to transfer properties to the potion, such as the hypnotic quality of Starpuffs used in a Dreamless Sleep Potion. The majority of plants used in sleeping potions are plants.

• Plants can also be used for more basic qualities, such as scent or freshness. Typically, non-magical plants are preferred for this, as there is less of a concern that they will give unwanted qualities to the potion.

Lesson 211

Some plants commonly used in potionsMistletoe Berries

Peppermint

Rose thorns

Wolfsbane

Shrivelfig

Valerian roots/sprigs

Lesson 312

Basic Herbs and Fungi

• There are several key herbs and fungi that are necessary to any study of Herbology.

• Gillyweed, Valerian roots and sprigs, Knotgrass, and Dittany are all plants that any budding herbologist should be familiar with.

• Each has distinct properties and habitats, and show the diversity of plants that can be studied.

Lesson 313

Gillyweed

• Gillyweed, a rare herb native to the Mediterranean, prefers soil with a pH level of between 7.9 and 8.4.

• Growing in slimy, grey-green bushels, Gillyweed needs lots of water but very little sunlight to thrive.

Lesson 314

Gillyweed

• Consumption of Gillyweed by a human causes the taker to grow gills, and webbing between the fingers and toes.

• The time that this effect lasts can vary depending on whether or not the taker immerses themselves in fresh or salt water.

• Gillyweed can also be made into a drink known as Gillywater, which is known to have a refreshing effect on the drinker.

• As some fans of sports and magical history may remember, Gillyweed was used successfully by Harry Potter during the second task of the Triwizard Tournament held at Hogwarts during the 1994-95 school year.

Lesson 315

Valerian Roots and Sprigs

• Valerian root is found in Europe, Asia, and North America, although its presence in North America is a result of migration (see slide #7).

• Valerian root requires at least seven hours of sunlight a day, and prefers soils with a pH level between 4.5 and 5.

Lesson 316

Valerian Roots and Sprigs

• Valerian root is best harvested in the fall or spring.

• Much like catnip, a non-magical plant, cats are frequently attracted to Valerian.

• Valerian is regarded for it’s calming properties, and is frequently used in sleeping potions.

• Like many plants, Valerian has a degree of symbolism attached to it. Wizards, particularly in Europe, frequently wear sprigs of Valerian during their wedding.

Lesson 317

Knotgrass

• Knotgrass, native to Europe, grows in soils with a pH ranging from 6.1 to 7.3.

• It prefers large amounts of water; while it does not necessarily require lots of sunlight, more sunlight will result in more and faster growth.

Lesson 318

Knotgrass

• Like Valerian, Knotgrass is frequently worn at weddings. One reason for this is that Knotgrass represents the tying of two people together. It is also a common ingredient in many love potions.

• Knotgrass can also be used in a variety of other potions; used by Healers to cure a number of internal afflictions, it is also a key ingredient in Polyjuice Potion.

• Knotgrass should be kept from animals at all costs; its consumption can stunt their growth.

Lesson 319

Dittany

• Growing only on the mountainside of Crete, Greece, Dittany is transplanted in greenhouses all across the world.

• Dittany grows in soils with a pH level between 6.6 and 7.3. It prefers plenty of sunlight and a warm climate, and should be only watered when the soil around it is dry.

Lesson 320

Dittany

• Dittany is perhaps one of the most used plants in the world. Apart from being an ingredient in countless potions, if liquidized and diluted it can be used to treat minor injuries.

• Dittany is generally stored in large quantities by healers, herbologists, potioneers, parents, and people that are particularly clumsy or subject to accidents.

Lesson 421

Danger Ahead!

• As previously mentioned, a number of magical plants can pose quite a threat to an untrained witch or wizard.

• The key to dealing with these plants is in taking certain precautions, and knowing what to do should someone fall prey to their defensive mechanism.

• There are three dangerous plants discussed here:– Devil’s Snare– Bubotuber– The Mandrake

Lesson 422

“Devil’s Snare, Devil’s Snare, dark and damp you must

beware.”• Devil’s Snare, native to Scotland, is perhaps

one of the most dangerous plants that a witch or wizard (or muggle, for that matter) can encounter.

• Growing in dark and damp areas, Devil’s Snare forms large masses of vines and tendrils that will seize and attempt to strangle anyone that wanders into their reach.

• Devil’s Snare is useful for guarding places or objects, assassinations, and for providing a distraction against potential threats.

Lesson 423

Devil’s Snare

Lesson 424

Devil’s Snare

• Devil’s Snare can be combated in several ways. When first seized by the tentacle-like vines, one should resist the urge to struggle. Doing so will only cause the vines to constrict.

• Relaxing the body tricks the plant into believing that the person is dead or unconscious, and as a result they will drop it.

• Devil’s Snare also avoids heat and light. Therefore, the spells Incendio and Lumos (especially variants such as Lumos Maxima) can be used to beat back the plant.

• A victim of Devil’s Snare should be treated for strangulation or suffocation if the attack was prolonged enough to render them unconscious.

Lesson 425

Devil’s Snare

• Unlike most plants, there is no seed for Devil’s Snare. To plant it, a cutting must be obtained from a living plant.

• Due to the threat that Devil’s Snare poses, the Ministry of Magic has decreed that it may not be planted within ten hundred meters of a place frequented by muggles.

Lesson 426

Bubotuber

• Resembling a giant black slug, the Bubotuber is also native to Scotland.

• Bubotubers are filled with a caustic yellow pus that, when undiluted, can cause rashes and burns.

• The wound should be first washed with cold water, and then treated with Dittany. Additionally, a potion may be taken to treat the pain caused by the wounds.

Lesson 427

Bubotuber

• When diluted with Essence of Dittany or Gillywater, Bubotuber pus is relatively safe and can be used for aesthetic purposes. A common use is the treatment of acne.

• Bubotubers typically grow in nutrient rich soil. They require little sunlight and can stand cold climates, and lots of dragon dung fertilizer helps promote growth.

Lesson 428

The Mandrake

• Mandrakes are an odd plant, approaching the line between plants and humans perhaps more closely than any other.

• Native to Europe, they look like parsnips or carrots with roots that look like human beings.

Lesson 429

The Mandrake

• The primary danger of Mandrakes is their defense mechanism. The scream of an uprooted Mandrake causes death, which is why earmuffs are essential around them!

• Once the scream of a Mandrake has caused one death, the screaming will stop; alternatively, it can be stopped by dunking the uprooted plant in a potion first concocted by Amaradus Spencer in 1954.

• Mandrakes are essential ingredients in several potions, most notably a potion that revives someone that has been petrified.

Lesson 530

Rat Root

• Rat root is a reed-like plant, possessing qualities that make it useful for potions meant to treat pain and sleep problems.

• Rat root requires lots of sunlight and water! It primarily grows around the edges of water bodies, and thus if it is planted in a greenhouse it should be watered very frequently.

Lesson 531

Rat Root

• Rat root has many qualities that make it useful in multiple kinds of potions. For instance, it can be used to aid digestion, to relieve pain, to sooth the throat, and to cure diseases affecting the eyes, ears, or other extremities.

• Rat root is also a sedative and hallucinogen, making it useful in sleeping potions.

• Caution: Rat root is an abortifacient, and as such should not be used to treat pregnant women!

Lesson 632

Plants Requiring Advanced Care

• Several useful plants require advanced care, or extreme caution. The four discussed in the first year of Herbology are as follows:– Bouncing Bulbs– Aconite– Gurdyroot– Wormwood

Lesson 633

Bouncing Bulbs

• As their name suggests, bouncing bulbs are bulb-shaped plants, purple in color, with small green leaves, resembling eggplant.

• Bouncing bulbs require lots of space when planting; they prefer a soil with a neutral pH, lots of sunlight, and Centaur tears.

Lesson 634

Bouncing Bulbs

• The danger in bouncing bulbs lies in their defensive mechanism. As their name implies, they are locomotive plants that will hurl themselves at anyone (and anyone) they believe to be a threat.

• The bulbs, though small to start with, can grow as large as a doorway.

• Two spells are useful for dealing with bouncing bulbs: Flipendo and Incendio.

• A result of their defensive mechanism is that bouncing bulbs are excellent plants for guarding a perimeter against unwanted guests.

Lesson 635

Aconite

• Aconite, also called Wolbsbane or Monkshood, is highly poisonous. It grows in the wild, usually in locations with moderate temperature.

• Aconite prefers dark, nutritious, fluffy soil, and shady areas such as around the base of trees.

Lesson 636

Aconite

• Aconite is highly poisonous, and thus care should be taken around it.

• Large doses can be fatal almost instantly, and smaller doses should be treated quickly to prevent the spread of symptoms.

• It was traditionally used to poison arrows or other projectile weapons; when harvesting in the wild, the entire plant should be removed to prevent unsuspecting animals from consuming it.

Lesson 637

Gurdyroot

• Gurdyroots are most similar in appearance to onions…however, their foul stench makes them easy to distinguish.

• Because of this odor, gurdyroots are believed to ward off particularly unsavory creatures.

Lesson 638

Gurdyroot

• Particular care must be taken when planting gurdyroots.

• While they can tolerate a range of soils, provided it is nutritious, and a range of sunlight and water levels, the most important part of growing gurdyroots is space.

• Gurdyroots need space roughly 7 1/2 times the size of the bulbs.

• Additionally, bugs have a habit of attacking gurdyroots, and as a result they should be protected if they are cultivated.

Lesson 639

Wormwood

• Wormwood is a bitter herb, native to Europe, that has wood-like roots.

• Wormwood prefers salt water, which some believe is connected to its bitter taste.

Lesson 640

Wormwood

• Wormwood is relatively versatile; an ingredient in the Draught of Living Death, it can also be used to treat digestive problems.

• Additionally, leaves taken from wormwood can be applied topically to treat pain associated with bites or other external wounds.

Lesson 741

Non-Magical Plants

• Sometimes referred to as “mundane plants,” non-magical plants have an important place in Herbology and Potions.

• Lilies and roses are perhaps two of the most common non-magical plant species that are used for potions and herbal remedies.

• Peppermint, orchids, coco, and vanilla are also commonly used.

Lesson 742

Non-Magical Plants

• The lack of magical properties in these plants gives them several advantages in potions. For instance, there is less of a possibility of them imparting an unwanted quality to the resulting concoction.

• Herbs such as peppermint are often used to make a potion taste and/or smell better without any residual effects.

• The history of muggle herbal medicine shows how useful non-magical plants can be in wizarding society.

Lesson 843

Challenges in Herbology

• By now, it should be relatively evident that Herbology is an extremely important subject, despite what some critics say.

• As with any subject, Herbology has its share of problems and controversies.

• One of these issues is commonly referred to as the “Gardening Effect,” and it continues to be a thorn in the side of herbologists worldwide.

Lesson 844

The Gardening Effect

• Put simply, the Gardening Effect is the belief that the study of plants and their properties is rather mundane and unimportant. This stems from the belief that the natural world is not as full of wonder and awe as some believe it to be.

• Unfortunately, this belief is rather a hindrance to the study of Herbology.

Lesson 845

The Gardening Effect

• Herbology is no longer as well respected as it once was. Due to this, the field loses out on a lot of funding that would help further the field.

• While some recognize that a strong foundation in Herbology is essential to the field of Potions, this takes the emphasis off of the strict field of Herbology and places it on other fields which draw from it, such as Potions and Healing.

• Additionally, the field of Herbology loses many intelligent witches and wizards to other “more important” fields, given the negative stereotypes.

Lesson 846

Invasive Species

• The possibility of plants moving from one habitat to another has already been briefly touched on.

• Invasive species primarily take over an ecosystem through three steps:– The plant makes its way into a new habitat,

either through natural forces or intentional such as transplantation;

– The plant adapts to the new environment; and– The plant takes over the ecosystem.

Lesson 847

Invasive Species

• Ecosystems are delicate; as a result, invasive species often have a habit of overturning this balance.

• Invasive species often have no naturally-occurring predator; thus, it is easy for them to establish a strong base in an area before the ecosystem can catch up.

• Invasive species can often be the cause (or contribute heavily to) floods, fires, loss of arable land, and the extinction of other plants or animals.

48

Conclusion

This concludes a review of the material covered in Year One of Herbology. While perhaps not exceedingly detailed, this course provides a strong background for the continuation of studies in following years. As with any class, a strong foundation in the basics is necessary before the subject can be tackled with any degree of complexity. There will be some crossover with other classes, such as Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts, but that is to be expected with any material.