This is a post I've wanted to write for years. It was a trip to Alnwick Gardens, and the poison garden, in particular, that spurred the idea when Mam and I took the tour back in 2014(?) and spotted a Mandrake! Obviously, there are many trees, plants and the like sprinkled throughout the magical world of Harry Potter, ie. different wand woods such as Holly, Hawthorn & Walnut and things like Aloe Vera, Mistletoe & Nettle that we all recognize. However, there are also many that you may have mistaken as fictional that do indeed exist.
After Jake and I revisited Alnwick Gardens in late 2015 I jotted down notes as the start of a draft post...and as you can see it's been pushed back and pushed back until now! So now, finally, you can read on to find out about some magical plants that you may just find at the bottom of your garden!
Mandrake [genus Mandragora]
Mandrakes are probably one of the most well-known plants in the Potter Universe and are famously used in the production of Restorative Draught which revives those who have been petrified. The form of their roots resembles a baby and they can cause fatalities with just their 'cry' once fully grown.
Now in 'real-life', they are real. They are still called Mandrakes and indeed, they are pretty darn toxic! This was the plant that is housed in the Poison Garden at Alnwick Gardens and if I remember rightly, it is one of those that is enclosed by a cage - eek! It has a vast history including mentions in the bible, uses in legendary witchcraft as well as ancient medicine as surgery anaesthetic due to it making you unconscious. Mandrake roots also still kind of look like ugly babies haha.
Other uses include/d -
Relief of rheumatic pains when applied externally.
Taken orally for depression, convulsions and 'mania'.
Hallucinogenic and narcotic. Causes delirium when taken in large doses internally.
Devils Snare [Datura stramonium]
Devils Snare, Devils Snare...it's deadly fun...but will sulk in the sun! Devils Snare hates sunlight! However, the real thing, which goes by many names, is actually native to North America and grows in warm and moderate climates..so surely it can't hate sunlight? I dunno. Anyway, by that rhyme, you should remember this plant as the vine 'net' that caught the 3 friends as they fell through the trapdoor in The Philosopher's stone. It has the ability to constrict you with its tentacle-like vines and will only kill you faster if you struggle!
In real life Datura stramonium / Devils Snare / Jimson Weed is not much like the magical counterpart, being a friend to those of us who have breathing difficulties and was used to treat asthma in the past (instead of squeezing the breath out of you)! Just as the Mandrakes, Devils Snare has good and bad effects depending on dosage and is very toxic, though unlike mandrakes, it's appearance is nothing like that which exists in the Potter universe.
Other uses include/d -
Analgesic painkiller used for surgeries and setting bones.
Algonquin, Navajo, Cherokee, among other indigenous people, used it in ceremonies for the hallucinations it caused.
To create visions were the taker can 'communicate' with higher/supreme/divine beings.
Dittany [Origanum dictamnus]
If you unluckily got splinched while apperating in the wizarding world, you'd want some Essence of Dittany for sure. Shown and/or mentioned a few times in the books/movies you may remember Hermione using it on Ron when he got spliched disapperating after the infiltration of the Ministry of Magic, on Harry when he was bitten by the snake in Godric's Hollow and to heal the burns they received upon touching the treasure in Bellatrix's vault.
Muggles, specifically those from Greece, may also be quite familiar with Dittany as it's a perennial that wildly grows only on the mountainsides etc in Crete! Just like the magical plant, it is also a therapeutic healing plant but sadly it is apparently a threatened plant species.
Other uses include/d -
Considered to symbolize love, people would risk their lives to climb mountainsides to procure the pink blossoms that grow on the dittany plant and give it to those they admired.
These days its exported for use in perfume, to flavour particular alcoholic drinks and pharmaceutical drugs.
Ancient Greeks are said to have used it to heal wounds (like in HP!), help stomach pains and even inducing menstruation - which is a whole other thing to research haha.
Monkshood / Wolfsbane [Aconitum]
Mainly known by the species Monkshood or Wolfsbane, Aconite is a magical potion ingredient that we hear mentioned by Professor Snape in the Philosopher's Stone in his first worlds to Harry.
It can help to limit, though not completely rid, werewolves of their symptoms.
''For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite.''
Native to the Northern Hemisphere, Aconite goes by the same names and is extremely toxic. It's blue/purple flower can look nice but with other names such as devil's helmet and queen of all poisons allude its use as a deadly poison.
Other uses include/d -
Poisons for hunting such as arrow tips or lances to paralyze whales :(
Used for many years in traditional Chinese and Hindu medicines. As well as other homoeopathic medicines for things such as anxiety and more.
Mentioned many times in literature/tv/movies from Greek mythology up until the present day. Eg. Midsomer Murders, 1931's Dracula The Vampire Diaries & more.
Other mentions go to the following:
Knotgrass [Polygonum]
Knotgrass appears in a few of the Harry Potter books/movies as it is an ingredient of the Polyjuice Potion.
Mugglewise, Polygonum is a genus of many plants in the buckwheat and knotweed family. It can be cooked and eaten and used to treat UTIs.
Fluxweed [Cuphea viscosissima]
Another ingredient of the ever famous, human form altering, Polyjuice Potion.
In real life it is the Cuphea Viscosissima plant, also called blue waxweed, clammy cuphea or tarweed. It has no real uses but with its sticky stem and purple flower, it is pretty and very common in North America.
Wormwood [Artemisia absinthium]
Mentioned in the same paragraph shown above by Snape to Harry, Wormwood is used in the Draught of Living Death, Elixir to Induce Euphoria, and the Shrinking Solution.
You'll probably recognize the non-magical version of Wormwood as being absinthe! Causing kidney failure and epileptic-like convulsions if too much is taken, it is an ingredient in the alcoholic drink Absinthe as well as a flavouring in other wines and spirits.
Woah, this ended up a lot lengthier than expected haha! It was a subject that I personally found pretty interesting and thought some other Potterheads might too. I hope you did and there wasn't too much waffling on ;) Have you ever taken/eaten/drank any of those mentioned in this post?? I have used Aconite before!
