First Year Of A Ravenclaw
This book includes my work in my first year classes. Please use it only as an example to inspire your own work, and do not plagiarise.
Last Updated
05/31/21
Chapters
22
Reads
1,260
Herbology Vii - Non-Magical Plants
Chapter 15
Notes
Non-magical = mundane
Properties / Effects on the scent / Interactions with magic
Less "temperamental", safer
General
Spell to know soil pH : "Acidious revealious" (ah-sid-EE-us rev-EE-lee-us). Number in white mist.
Muggle tests also exist.
To acidic : add finely ground limestone
Too alkaline : add ground sulfur
Lily
Known for their flowers (3 petals surrounded by 3 sepals)
Color : blue, orange, pink, purple, and white, to yellow
Flower shape : bowl, funnel, recurved (Turk's cap), star, and trumpet. Can point upwards, downwards, to the side.
Stem : green (sometimes red or purple), 1-10 feet, thick and sturdy (but often bend due to flowers weight)
Leaves catch sunlight, do not interfer
Not all species produce flowers.
Dormant through winter
Nutrient rich soil
Bulb planted 1/4 inch
5-6h of full sunlight
Regular water
Can be stimulated by magic to grow
Attract bird, poisonous to cats and kneazles
Dried : high source of fibre
Regulate heart rate + help with other heart conditions
Help treat angina, burns (roots into ointment), spider bites, support after stroke.
Tea : coughs and fevers, stomach disorders, wounds, sores, and for washing swollen bruised areas
Essential oils/wizard potions : treat depression (induces feelings of happiness and security)
Rose
Shrub
Color : blue, green, orange, pink, red, or white
Height : 1-20 feet
Width : 2-4 feet
Unique scent
Partial to full sunlight
Soil pH : 5.5–7.0
Lots of water (twice a week in hot seasons), let soil dry between two waterings
Use dragon dung to improve interaction with magic later
Use dragon-hide gloves to protect from thorns
Dormant state : pile of sticks
Pure rose oil (distilled from petals): very expensive. Lesser quality : watered, adulterated.
Medicinal uses : only pure oil. Ask professional about doses.
40 usages (36 discovered by Pliny the Elder)
Essay
Prompt
Write a paragraph on why you feel it is important (or not) for wizards to utilize non magical plants. Include information on how the properties of non-magical plants are similar and different to those of magical plants.
Response
Some non magical plants have properties similar to magical ones, even if they may not be as powerful. You can use them for their own properties, to counterbalance a undesired effect from an other ingredient, or just for your Potion to have a better taste.
They balance their lack of power with a safer "behaviour" when mixed with other ingredients. By using mundane plants, you can add the desired properties without risking a bad reaction that would create an explosion or degrade other ingredients' effects. In Potions class, we've learned that non magical ingredients are also "softer", less "aggressive" than magical ones. Using only magical plants can have negatives effects on the body and the mind, like developping an habituation that would decrease a medication effect, or even an addiction. That's why I think the use of mundane plants is very important for healers.
I also think that it's important to know some non-magical plants properties, in case you need to use them on a Muggle. Since their bodies can't handle magical ingredients, mundane ingredients are the only ones that can be used. This way, Muggle-born or mixed blood wizards can also help their relatives.