Herbology 501. Introduction to Herbology. Magical Plants

Lesson 1: Introduction to Herbology

En esta clase, la primera del año en Herbología, empezamos con el estudio y uso de las plantas mágicas. Para ello vamos a empezar con una pequeña introducción

Gather ‘round, students. Yes, come right up to the front; that’s it! You don’t want to miss today’s topic, that’s for sure. In this lesson, we will be differentiating non-magical plants from magical plants. Interestingly, it’s not quite as obvious as you would think

Herbology 501: Introduction to Herbology
Magic in the Air

Let’s get started, shall we? I went on and on in your first lesson about how non-magical plants are important and can actually be very useful. The truth is, witches and wizards can  -- and do -- use both magical and non-magical plants in their day-to-day lives

Likewise, having an innate useful effect (healing or otherwise) does not make a plant magical. To qualify as magical, a plant must either exhibit odd behavior or it must have unique abilities. These abilities can be of the plant itself -- like Creeping Ivy’s ability to move at will -- or it can grant a unique ability to anyone who uses the plant, such as the gill-bestowing Gillyweed. 

With these distinctions in mind, plants like the Chinese Chomping Cabbage -- which is known to have a nasty bite -- are magical, whereas roses, while incredibly useful, are non-magical. Remember, non-magical does not mean ineffective. In fact, nearly all plants have some handy properties. Many of these non-magical plants can actually be utilized by Muggles for medicinal, protective, educational, or purely decorative purposes. Each herb, fungi, tree, and flower whether magical or "mundane" has unique quirks and gifts. 

While it is true that Muggles can utilize the properties of non-magical plants, they are not able to tap into the herbs’ true potential. When witches and wizards use non-magical plants, particularly in potions, their properties are enhanced far beyond Muggles’ comprehension. To be clearer, a Muggle can use a plant for its base properties when brewing it in a tea or other non-magical herbal remedies. However, when a wizard uses a plant in a magical situation, such as brewing a potion, the magic of the process interacts with the plant’s properties and unifies them with the magic of the potion. This means that whatever the plant’s base properties are, the effects will be more pronounced, and may occasionally react to other magical ingredients in ways that the plant would not normally do otherwise.

There is one thing that magical plants possess (or can possess) that no non-magical plant can, however. Sentience. This is a bit of a thorny issue both inside herbological circles and in the academic wizarding world at large, but there is certainly evidence to suggest that at least some magical plants are sentient, or able to perceive the world around them and act in response. Now, don’t be thinking that your Mimbulus Mimbletonia is able to engage in philosophical debate with the Flitterbloom you have it next to! However, there is no denying that some magical plants seem a little too savvy or aware of their surroundings to be natural. We have trees that punch, vines that bite and snap, and many plants that almost seem to have personal preferences or personalities, like the mandrake. 

texto cedido por Hogwartsishere.com