Notes

Bouncing Bulb (Resilio bulbus)
Apperance : purple, bulb-shaped with green leaves sprouting from the top
Adult size : size of doorways

Dirt with neutral pH (volume of a bathtub), relatively bright area
Water with centaur tears at best

Able to jump around when not restrained. Young : easy to handle. Adult : more dangerous, learn to recognize signs of aggression.
Coming towards you : probable aggression.
Protect with Flipendo (smaller ones), Incendio (larger) : fire will wither the bulb

Gurdyroot
Appearance : green oignons
Foul scent and taste
Diameter : up to 15cm

Nutrient soil, various environments
Needs sunlight and water
Space : needs seven and a half times the size of the bulb
Protect from (mostly magical) bugs attacks : Nonperiurabis spell

Gurdyroot Infusion : red-purple colour, bogey-like taste
Used to ward off evil (natural and in potions) and Gulping Plimpies

Aconite (Aconitum)

Names :Monkshood or Wolfsbane, Queen of poisons, leopard's bane, women's bane, blue rocket, devil's helmet
Comes from Greek for "without struggle"

Found in the wild, in forests and mountain ranges of moderate temperatures
Nutritious soil (dark and fluffy)
Shady area

Used to kill animals and arrow poisoning in Middle Ages.Poisonous sedative, powerful in small doses.
Used to slow heart rate and treat prickly pain in the skin.

Wear dragon-hide gloves when handling
If wound is infected, apply antidote (antropine) and go to hospital.
Death usually within two and six hours of exposure.
Symptoms (first hour) : diarrhea, nausea, vomiting first, then sensations of burning in the abdomen, mouth, and face, tingling, numbness in the mouth and face, finally numbness throughout the body. Also sweating, dizziness, headaches, confusion, troubles with breathing.

Wormwood (Absinthe)Common in Europe
Appearance : wood-like roots, leaves 2-8 inches
Height : 1-2m

Salty water (causes bitter taste ?)

Used for the Draught of Living Death, digestive potions, potions to treat fevers, gall bladder, and lover disease
Properties : induce sweating, stimulate the imagination, increase hunger, settle stomach, counter-irritant (reduces pain)
Leaves and flowers on skin : dull pain of wounds (ex : insect bites)

Associated with sorrow and bitterness. 

Essay

Prompt
For this weeks lesson you must choose a plant covered in this week's lesson and demonstrate your knowledge and ability to care for this plant.

Response
In today's lesson, we've learned about four plants : Bouncing Bulb, Gurdyroot, Aconite and Wormwood. I've chosen to talk about Aconite.

Aconite has many names, the most common being Aconitum, Monkshood and Wolfsbane. Its name of Wolfsbane comes from the Middles Ages, when it was used by Muggles as a poison to hunt animals such as wolves, or even in battles. Aconite leaves are indeed extremely toxic. Aconitum comes from the Greek for "without struggle", another reference to its toxicity.

This plant can be found in wild areas such as forests and mountains ranges of moderate temperatures. It needs a dark, fluffy nutritious soil. It grows best in shady areas, such as the forests where it is hidden from the sun by the tall trees.

Despite its poisonous nature, Aconite has many useful properties. Aconite root and flowers are potion ingredients. It can be used as a sedative, very powerful with only small doses. It's also used to lower one's heart rate, induce sweating, and relieve pain (for example to treat pricking skin pain). Muggles also believe that it was an ingredient of witches' "flying ointments". 

If I need to harvest Aconite, I would be cautious not to leave any root out of the soil : it could harm animals if they eat it. I would always wear my dragon-hide gloves when caring for Aconite, especially if I have any wound that could get infected upon contact with it. I would always carry some Aconite antidote (a potion named antropine) in case an infection occurs, and I would immediatly apply it. I would then seek help of a profesionnal Healer at St Mungo's hospital. If I don't notice the infection right away, symptoms would appear during the next hour : diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Death occurs within 2 at 6 hours, though it can be almost instantaneous with large doses.

If I decide to grow Aconite, I would make sure that the plant is in a secure area, ideally a locked greenhouse, to avoid endangering the local wildlife or curious children or Muggles. I would use it as a natural sedative, after making sure of the appropriate dose with a professional Healer.