Muggles have used plants to treat injuries for thousands of years. The first written records of plants being used as remidies came from more than 5000 years ago from ancient civilisations such as the Sumerians listed on clay tablets some of which are still used today.

Even though people knew that plants had powers, it wasn't always clear to muggles how they could be used to cure problems. For a long time, they believed that plants were simply the tool of so called sorcerers or witches who could harness the power inside of them. One group of plants even went so far as to end up becoming called witches weeds. These plants had disastrous effects on the wizarding community as the muggle took the potion wrong way and as a result, manny innocent magical people ended up being killed. One of these said plants was Datura stramonium which is actually thorn apple. Medieval monks used the humble mandrake to send people to sleep, relieve pain and kill their enemies. The beautiful Atropos belladonna was also deadly nightshade. As the name suggests, it's berries are deadly to humans. Wolfs bane can also cause death if the root is eaten.