Sunlight
- finding how much sunlight is needed
- leaves absorb rays of sunlight
- turn the light energy into carbohydrates
- plant may have a designation of moonlight, shade’
- partial shade, partial sun, or full sun
- For example, “darkness” is more appropriate when talking about the amount of sunlight Devil's Snare requires, and Gunpowder Gloriosas, which we discussed last week, have additional notes next to the general designation of partial shade.

Moonlight
- it requires reflected light to grow, rather than light that comes from a direct source
- different from plants that require shade

Shade
- should be kept from too much sunlight

Partial Sun or Partial Shade:
- either of these designations mean that the plant in question needs between three and six hours of sun per day
or partial shade, the plant should receive the three to six hours of sunlight in the morning to early afternoon, whereas for partial sun, the plant needs more intense late afternoon sun.

Full Sun
- at least six hours of exposure to sunlight a day
- does not matter overmuch when those hours are
- does not have to receive six straight hours of sunlight

Type
- categorizing plants is by type
- standard as of the 1617 meeting of the Herbology High Commission
1. Annual
- A plant with a lifespan of a year (or less)
- basil and morning glory.
2. Biennial
- A plant with a two year lifespan.
- Forget-me-nots, black-eyed Susans, and Hagweed
3. Perennial
- lives a relatively long period of time
- trees.
4. Bulb
- stores energy to keep through winter, and usually does not possess seeds
- Lilies
5. Evergreen
- keeps green foliage throughout the year
- evergreens
6. Fern
- has feathery or leafy fronds
- eproduce with spores
- Shatterferns
7. Herb
- any plant with flowers, leaves, or seeds which may be used for medicine, flavouring, food, or perfume
8. Moss
- greenery likes very damp places and can grow like a carpet
- Whispermoss
- grows in Japan.
9. Shrub
- woody plant that is smaller than a tree, but very similar
- Roses
10. Tree
- have one stem or trunk that grows to considerable heights and may have branches
11. Water Plant
- that grows while having at least a centimetre of water
- Gillyweed
12. Vine
- woody and climbs or trails along objects, usually possessing thin stems
- Creeping Ivy

Height
- For a time, there were categories revolving around height, such as under a foot, over fifty feet, etc.
- categories were eventually abandoned
- list the minimum and/or maximum heights
- Usually, just the upper limit is listed

Coloration
- relates to color
- are categorized by both flower and leaf or foliage color
- pink, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, white, and black.
- flowers can be colors other than these most common and standard flower colors
- 1384 meeting of the Herbology High Commission
- foliage, there is also a range of possible colors, though the spectrum is much narrower
include a vivid green, a bluish-green, a chartreuse or golden color, a grey or silver color
purple or dark red hue.

Special Features
- Magical qualities can also be listed here, though they are much more benign than the characteristics of plants that fall into the W.H.I.P.S. classes
Spring flower - plant blooms in the spring season
Summer flower - plant blooms in the summer season
Fall flower - plant blooms in the fall season
Winter flower - plant blooms in the winter season
Reflowering - plant blooms multiple times throughout the year
Constant - plant remains the same all year (like an evergreen)
Low maintenance - plants is easy to take care of
Attraction - plant attracts birds, bugs, animals, etc. (there will usually be a list of the specifics)
Fragrant - plant has a strong smell
Solution - plant solves a common herbological challenge or problem, such as altering the consistency of dirt or
helping prevent the erosion of slopes
Drought tolerant - plant can survive periods without water
Cold hardy - plant can tolerate very low temperatures without dying

Labeling Plants
- the proper way to label plants after you have collected samples
- Learning proper labeling technique is, truthfully, just as important as learning about the six W.H.I.P.S. classes
Ignorance in either area is just as dangerous
- A common form was agreed upon over time by herbologists, and in 1783 was made the lawful format for British apothecaries to use by the Ministry of Magic
- Individuals not selling their plants can technically label them however they would like
- potioneers sometimes include shorthand notes of common potions the ingredient may be used in, though it’s obviously not necessary

Latin name
Common name
W.H.I.P.S. Class(es) (Level, if applicable)
Date stored (Year, month, day)
What part of the plant is in the jar
Details on classification
Sun
Type
Height
Color
Special Features