HERB-501 Lessons

Year Five, Lesson Eight
Preview of Dangerous and Difficult Plants

Introduction

Ah, I see we have our wands at the ready; I applaud your initiative! Welcome back to Greenhouse Five for the final time -- this year, at least. We have fewer plants to cover this week, which may either be a disappointment or a relief as you prepare for the end of term. In any case, be sure to either cast the Bubble-Head Charm on yourselves or equip your person with the necessary gear. Follow me!

Decoding the Odorous

Before we truly get down to business, it’s a good idea to review the various levels and sublevels within the Class A: Odorous plants W.H.I.P.S. class. If you recall, it is one of the more complicated ones, and if you don’t recall, then the review is clearly necessary anyway! 

First we have level one plants. These are the most perilous, often putting the unwary and unprotected in immediate danger of death. These fatal effects are usually induced via powder or gas that, once inhaled, causes difficulty breathing. This is not always the case, as mandrakes also fall into this category (since death is instantaneous), but as discussed, this strange placement is not lost on the academic community.

Next, as you might have gathered, we have level two plants. These can cause death in the same ways, though the onset is longer. These plants usually take some time to work on the system, rather than causing death immediately by inhibiting breathing. While a lesser concern, these plants can also cause irritation of the eyes, throat, or skin (if you have an open wound). 

Finally we have level three plants, which are not only the mildest, but also have the widest variety of possible problems. They can cause paralysis (whether partial or full) via whatever they send into the air. They can cause confusion or disorientation as well, which, despite not sounding insidious, can have serious consequences. Finally, these plants can also cause the person that comes into contact with them to fall asleep. Again, this is not necessarily dangerous on its own, but can open one up to further complications.

Annual Aromatics

As you can see, there’s quite an array of groups included in this W.H.I.P.S. category. We won’t be able to cover each one, unfortunately, but these greenhouses are open to you (with the appropriate permission and protection) whenever you wish. We have already covered one example of an odorous plant -- Smogwood -- and we’ve mentioned mandrakes frequently throughout the years, though never in extreme detail. But that’s about to change very shortly!

Ashpen

Not a relative to the aspen in any way -- or even an actual tree -- this stubby, three foot tall, perennial shrub is yet another herbological misnomer¹. It does not appear to have one native area (or if it did, it was so long ago no one is quite sure where it was), but it is typically found at the foot of volcanoes, indicating that there is something about volcanic rock and soil that is ideal for it. This is important to note, though not always easy to accomplish, when reproducing their ideal environment in a greenhouse or garden.

The shrub’s leaves are actually a rather unremarkable green, but have a perpetual sheen of silver dust (actually ash) generated by the plant itself. This ash is constantly regenerated as it is released into the air by even the tiniest of wind or other disruption. In the fall, the plant blooms brilliantly, producing clusters of bright orange flowers before they too are covered by ash. Other than its preference for soil with a volcanic base, the Ashpen does well in acidic soils, typically from 4.0 to 6.0 on the pH scale, and under full sun. It doesn’t need much in the way of watering, but should be watered deeply at least once every two weeks.

As far as the threat this plant poses, the Ashpen, or Atriplex, is a level two odorous plant. Depending on pre-existing conditions and age, this plant can cause lung complications within just a few encounters (depending on the length of your stay near it). To reverse the respiratory issues that eventually arise, a strong dose of Logg’s Lung Nectar is in order, as it is one of the most effective lung treatments for nearly any inhalation issues. As you may have noticed from our earlier visits to this greenhouse during the year, I have it among my stack of antidotes. 

Harvesting should be done carefully and usually from afar. While you will be protected from the effects by the Bubble-Head Charm, the ash, once disturbed, will naturally settle on your clothes, and some may even linger in crevices of flower petals or the vials in which you store your specimens. To avoid this, be sure to cast the Scouring Charm with a watchful eye for any ash you might have missed. In terms of what exactly you might want to harvest, both the leaves and the flowers are equally likely. The leaves are used more often in potions to lighten all sorts of objects: cloth, hair, wood, and more. The flowers, on the other hand, lend warming properties to any potion in which they are used. More sinisterly, the ash itself can be bottled or otherwise contained and secreted away for use as a weapon against foes or unwitting bystanders.

Hagweed

Sprouting up prolifically (hence the word “weed” in its name) among the hedgerows of North and South America, this annual herb’s yellow flowers spell danger from a mile away. Fortunately,  they grow so tall as to be visible from that distance (four feet, to be precise)! While completely safe at other times of the year, this level one plant is deadly when its pollen is released. When inhaled, it begins to attack the lungs immediately, working quickly and causing noticeable issues even from the first unlucky breath. Luckily, this plant has a very specific window for pollination, occurring only in April. 

As you can imagine, it is of the utmost importance to keep these plants away from Muggles, and there is no small number of fieldworkers who partner with the various American ministries during this month to seek them out and contain them with the Shield Charm or deal with them in some other way. In case of accidents, fieldworkers carry a bevy of Logg’s Lung Nectar, inhalers, and even some epinephrine in the case of stray Muggles wandering afoul of the plant.

As mentioned, Ambrosia pulmonem bears striking yellow flowers up an erect stem, with long oval leaves closer to the ground. It much prefers partial shade, but can also tolerate partial sun. Its watering schedule is fairly regular, prefering to go a short time with dry soil until it is watered again. Finally, the pH is something it’s not particularly picky about at all. Anything from 5.0 to 8.0 will do, which is easy to accommodate. 

As with Ashpen, if you come into contact with Hagweed when it is in full bloom, be sure to use the Scouring Charm to remove any unwanted traces of pollen. Fortunately, the pollen is likely to stick fast to your clothes and not rub off later, meaning there is little risk to it being inhaled when carried home. In any case, when harvesting the blooms, do be careful, and if your intention is to harvest anything else -- the roots, leaves, or stems -- you are best advised to do so at some other time of the growing cycle to avoid any unwanted accidents. Speaking of the flowers, they are used in many potions and preparations to augment one’s breath, such as Fire-Breathing Fancies, the Breath-Freshening Brew, and Wolfe’s Huff and Puff Water, whereas the other parts of the plant are more utilized for anti-allergy potions. Of course, as before with Ashpen, one can also bottle the pollen for ill laid plans later, but this is thankfully not its most common use.

Mandrake

We have discussed the mandrake’s placement in this class -- as an odd addition to level one -- at length, so we will not mention it any further here, but there is still much to talk about with regards to this unique plant. The mandrake is common to most European countries and straddles the classification of vegetable and animal quite solidly, though it is currently held as an annual herb. They are the best example in the argument for plant sentience, and in most cases, people do not even try to argue that these plants are not thinking and feeling, at least on some basic level (though the argument can be made!). 

Its appearance aboveground is unremarkable; its large green leaves and brown stems do not ever sport any flowers. It is what’s happening underground that’s most interesting! As the plant matures, the twisted roots begin to resemble a small, rather unfortunate-looking being. Some say they look human, but I’ve always thought they look a little bit more like squashed goblins… In any case, they certainly do not look like your average root system! 

Mandragora vociferarum grows to roughly a foot in height, and oddly enough, their soil pH preference depends on maturity. Seedlings prefer largely neutral soil (somewhere between 6.0 to 7.5), whereas adolescents need something much more acidic (a range of 4.0 to 5.0 is usually best). Most people simply leave the soil there for the rest of the maturation process, but personally, I’ve found that it speeds their growth to, once more, change back to alkaline soil as they near full “adulthood.” Let me advise you that this is not the norm, though! As I have stated before, switching a plant’s pH is largely discouraged, as it is typically very shocking for the plant’s system. Mandrakes just happen to be an exception to this rule. The rest of a mandrake’s growing needs are quite mundane: it prefers nice, sunny areas (typically full sun) and frequent watering that does not allow for the soil to ever get dry.

Now, let’s discuss its classification as a Class A plant. When uprooted, whether for harvesting, repotting, or any other reason, the plant will scream loudly and shrilly, which is not only quite irritating, but rather deadly. While seedlings and young mandrakes are not much of an issue, they are still regarded as dangerous and are combated just like the adults: with a thick pair of earmuffs. For additional help, the plant’s root system can be doused with the Aquatandisu Potion, effectively cutting off the mandrake’s screams forever. The main issue with this is that after being subjected to this potion, the plant will no longer continue to grow. Additionally, the potion is not exactly a breeze to make, nor cheap to buy, so this is not done often. Thus, it is not a useful solution unless you are attempting to harvest the plant and do not need to do so frequently. As a final precaution, Greenhouse Five is completely soundproofed with not only charms, but also mundane methods, just to be sure (sadly, Silencing Charms applied directly to the plant itself seem to slip right off). While you wouldn’t get the full blast of a mandrake’s cry through these walls, without a charm or two, you’d still likely slip into a coma if you were walking by on the grounds when I unearthed one. Should a person ever go comatose from exposure to a mandrake, the only possible help is the Tandisu Injection, which as you can guess, is composed of similar ingredients to the potion mentioned earlier. 

Those with inquisitive minds may be wondering why Silencing Charms don’t work on mandrakes. The short answer is simply that we’re not sure. The long answer is, well, predictably longer. Many believe it is due to the mandrake’s biological complexity that puts it on the cusp of creature-dom rather than plant-dom - the mandrake’s lungs being much more complicated than you would expect from a root vegetable. But, that still does not address the fact that the Silencing Charm works perfectly well on beings, all of whom have even more highly developed lungs. This has led many to accept the more common theory that mandrakes have just become resistant to this spell, much as dragons and trolls have built in magical resistance. And, as the screams are their natural defense system, it seems logical to assume that they evolved in such a way that preserved this defense mechanism as much as possible.

For all the danger they pose, mandrakes have quite rewarding properties. The leaves can be used in potions to cause hallucinations or comas and are used in sleeping draughts, whereas the roots promote just the opposite. The roots are used in the Mandrake Restorative Draught, which has many applications, including reversing petrification, cursed comas, and shock. There are more ongoing studies with regard to its “blood” and the few simple organ systems it has -- namely the respiratory system, as you can imagine this plant has quite the set of lungs -- but none of these studies have borne any fruit as of yet. As a final note, it bears mentioning to not confuse this plant with its non-magical cousin, Mandragora officinarum, which does not have the same properties.

Spider Flowers

You can breathe a sigh of relief, Fifth Years – this plant is not made of actual spiders. Though, if you’re not careful, one of its “petals” may just wriggle its way up your arm, which I am told is rather disconcerting the first time it happens. These powdery pink petals sprout from foot high stems that sport waxy green leaves. It has no particular pH needs, though prefers full sun and drought conditions, with watering as infrequent as once a month.

Found in Australia, this biennial herb also bears a powder that it releases whenever it is disturbed. However, as this is a level three plant, this powder is not quite so dangerous. Instead of immediately asphyxiating you, it simply paralyzes you, though you are still aware of your surroundings. Unfortunately, if you are not a magical genius and able to perform non-verbal, wandless magic, that will do you little good. Especially since the areas in the Australian Outback that this plant calls home are full of dangerous creatures. You’ll definitely want a partner nearby to restore you. 

To do so, they would likely need to administer the Unbinding Unction (while in truth, the Mandrake Restorative Draught we just mentioned would also do the trick, it’s significantly more difficult and expensive to procure). As with the various powdery plants mentioned before, when harvesting, do be careful of the fine dust this flower produces and make sure it does not end up where it is not wanted! The leaves are actually the most advantageous part of the plant, serving many uses in potions like the Opacity Ochre, the Deafening Draught, and the Scentless Solution. As a note, the roots can also be used for this purpose, but are usually not as potent. The petals have entirely different uses altogether, exhibiting regenerative properties and being put to use in potions to grow additional appendages.

Closing

Hopefully that was a little more relaxing than the pace of the last lesson. Of course there are quite a few more plants around us that you could study if they pique your interest, including Smogwood, which we covered last year, as well as the Perplexing Poppy, Sleepleaf, and Noxoxys. But we simply don’t have enough time. We have just one more formal class session between now and your O.W.L.s. Ready or not, here they come! If you’re feeling concerned, I recommend taking a look at the extra credit assignment for this week regarding plants covered in your Third and Fourth Years. In addition, you have your usual quiz and practical assignment against which you can test your skills.

Footnotes

1. Even though both the Ashpen and Aspen (you may recall this tree from last year) share a similar common name, they are unrelated. The former is not a magically-created hybrid as opposed to the magical variety of the latter.

Original lesson written by Professor Venita Wessex

Image credits here, here, here, and here