Real Plants from the Potter Universe

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 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 anesthetic 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 ithe 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 apperance 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, amoung other indigenous people, used it in ceremonys for the hallucinations it caused.To create visions were the taker can 'communicate' with higher/supreme/devine 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 bit by the snake in Godricks Hollow and to heal the burns they recieved upon touching the tresure in Bellatrix's vault.

Muggles, specifically those from Greece, may also be quite familar with Dittany as it's a perrienial 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 flavor particular alcholic 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 Proffesor Snape in the Philosiphers 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 it's 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 homeopathic medicines for things such as anxiety and more.Mentioned many times in literature/tv/movies from Greek mythology up until 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 it's 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 recongnize 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 alcholhic drink Absinthe as well as a flavoring 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!

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As I mentioned in the 'Disney Movies That Were Books First' post I put up at the end of November, I used to run a lifestyle blog for around 10 years. When looking back at that old blog I decided there were some posts that I enjoyed so much I didn't want to leave them in a black hole, unseen on the internet since unpublishing that website. So this post and a couple of others to come are from said blog with only a tiny updating.


💀 Mrs Hallow 💀

Book Collection Tour: Part 2

This is part 2 of our collection of books so if you haven't seen it yet, please make sure to check out our Book Collection Tour: Part 1 !
Staying in our living room where three quarters of our books are housed, we move to the second of three bookcases. This one is a 'collection' fiesta, technically, of which you have seen the majority of already...

Top shelf! (Or maybe second depending on how you see it.) This shelf is for our precious Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and other Tolkien related books. Mr H used to be a big collector of Funko POP! Vinyls too, though downsized his collection last year only keeping the special LOTR, Harry Potter etc ones, two that you see here guarding the ring that I bought as a 13 year old fantasy fan!
To see Mr H's Tolkien collection in more detail and hear about it in his words make sure to click here and read his JRR Tolkien Collection post!

Originally, this whole bookcase was overtaken by purely Disney books. Part one showed that some of my Disney collection moved to that bookcase and others are even further away, in our bedroom. All that is left here are my Wonderful World of Reading books from around the 1950's to the 1990's and the newer Treasure Cove Story collectable books that, despite being from the past few years, include some absolutely beautiful old style artwork as well!

Lastly, on the bottom shelf is a part of another of our collections that you have already seen in more detail. Our full Harry Potter & The Wizarding World Book Collection can be seen if you click here, but as a quick explanation these books are my original childhood Potter series, the larger books in my series including art of, vaults etc and a couple other cool little magical world books - books from within the books and books about the books. How many times can I say books in one paragraph eh?

We have our 3rd instalment in this mini tour coming next month, however parts 1 and 2 are already outdated due to our book buying problem so maybe next year we'll have a re-arrange and re-tour! Maybe...


💀 Mr & Mrs Hallow 💀

Harry Potter & The Wizarding World Book Collection

I've hinted at it a couple times but it's finally here - my Wizarding World book collection. To be honest, from the get go, I was sure it was more substantial than it actually is which is why I wanted to do this post to being with. However once taking the photos I realize it's quite an underwhelming amount...especially if you're aware of the likes of Peter Kenneth and his impressive hoard.
Either way it's my special collection and I'm very happy and appreciative to own it. Here is a closer look.

Starting off on the bottom shelf of the same bookcase that houses the majority of Mr H's LOTR/Tolkien collection. The books that started it all live here. My original copies from when I was a child, which have been read, re-read multiple times and are visibly very well loved, sit stacked on the right.

Next to those are a couple of the David Colbert 'unofficial' books and the super cute original copies of Quidditch Through the Ages, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Tales of Beedle the Bard which were charity partnered - a portion of the money from the sale of each going to Comic Relief for the first 2 and High Level Children's Group (now known as Lumos) for the stunning hardback Tales of Beedle the Bard.

Finally, on the left you see the physically larger books joined by a random smaller hardback that was demoted from the shelves below when a new addition bumped it out of it's space. 

Rounding it up with the last few books, you may recognize this cabinet from our first Book Collection Tour post. We prefer the look of books without slipcovers so that's why these books may look slightly different to how they are usually recognizable. My Hufflepuff editions of Philosopher's Stone, Chamber of Secrets and Prisoner of Azkaban, the Fantastic Beasts screen plays, the Cursed Child screen play and all of the currently available illustrated editions of the original series.

Then finally the last few that are on the bottom of yet another bookcase due to their size and shape etc, which includes the official guides from my two trips to the WB Studio Tour, Leavesden.

And that about concludes my current collection! Maybe this time next year I might have a little update with any additions...

💀 Mrs Hallow 💀

The Harry Potter Tag

Tag time! It's Monday and we get married on Thursday...whaaatt?! Unrelated but needed to be mentioned haha. Anyway, as of now we have every other Monday scheduled to be tag post days and as you might of realized we are in the 8 out of 10 humans who like Harry Potter. Ta-da! Harry Potter Tag.

1. What is your favourite book?

Mrs: I used to always say Prisoner of Azkaban, but it seems the obvious choice and I haven't re-read them for a couple years. So I dunno.

Mr: I've never actually read them all. Its currently one of the many series I'm reading!

2. What is your favourite film?

Mrs: Maybe the Deathly Hallows? I like them as they become darker.

Mr: Mr: Ermmm I would have to say the Goblet of Fire, I like how they portray the tri-wizard competition and the quidditch world cup.

3. What is your least favourite book?

Mrs: Again, I haven't read them for a couple years so I can't pin point anything specific that would make me be able to definitely rank the books.

Mr: Please refer to answer of question 1!

4. What is your least favourite film?

Mrs: ...Goblet of Fire? "DID YA PUT YA NAME IN DA GOBLEDDAH FIYAH"

Mr: Deathly Hallows Part 1. The start of the film is great, with the wedding and death eater attack, but it soon seems to become a movie to stretch the story out to an extra movie while they hunt for the horcruxes.

5. Parts of the books/ films that make you cry.

Mrs: How long do we have? Animal/creature deaths obviously, heart-warming moments like things with Hagrid, Dumbledore's death, lots more.

Mr: I don't cry at books or movies, but I don't like when Dobbie dies. Also when Dumbledore dies.

6. Who is your favourite character?

Mrs: I love most of the creatures/animals, Luna (Like most people), Molly Weasley.

Mr: I think I would have to say Snape. I would love a potions lesson with him and I feel he's underrated as a wizard, he is far better/stronger/smarter than people give him credit for.

7. Who is your least favourite character?

Mrs: Although he's the title character Harry isn't my fave, though obviously I dislike Umbridge and Lockhart but Cedric is my most disliked I think.

Mr: Professor Umbridge! I mean come on who doesn't want to punch her.

8. What is your favourite line?

Mrs: ''We've all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That's who we really are.''

Mr: I don't think I can answer before I finish reading the series.

9. What would your Patronus be?

Mrs: It's apparently a Dapple Gray Mare according to Pottermore.

Mr: I think it would be a cat, I assume that's no surprise? You have seen Eos and Aurora in our pictures!

10. If you could have the Resurrection Stone, Invisibility Cloak or Elder Wand, which would it be?

Mrs: Anyone who doesn't chose the cloak obviously didn't read The Tale of the Three Brothers.

Mr: Invisibility cloak obviously, come on you have seen the movies/maybe read Tales of Beedle the Bard.

11. Which house would you be in?

Mrs: 'Would'? I am a Hufflepuff. (See my tattoo above...)

Mr: Hufflepuff of course!!!

12. If you could meet any member of the cast, who would it be?

Mrs: The animal actors.

Mr: Any of the animal actors!! But if that answer doesn't count then I guess Hagrid (in character).

13. If you were on the quidditch team, which position would you play?

Mrs: I wouldn't be. I'd be in the library or the woods avoiding all the noise and commotion.

Mr: Ermm I don't do sports really, I guess beater? You get a bat!

14. Were you happy with the ending?

Mrs: At first no, just like most people. But like everything that comes to an end you have to trust the author because it's their world really and that's how they wanted to end it. I was fitting I think. Though don't ask me about Cursed Child.

Mr: Yes I think so. Like I say I haven't read all the books so I didn't have any expectations or clue how the story went.

15. How much does Harry Potter mean to you?

Mrs: There is something Potter in pretty much every room of our house, I have a Hufflepuff tattoo and constantly refer back to the books for quotes etc. I'm not going to be one of those people who say 'It saved my life!' and all that jazz but the world definitely gave me somewhere to escape in some extremely dark times when I was in school.

Mr: Harry Potter means lot to me, it's a great story and the whole wizarding world/universe is huge which gives it even more depth. I love finding out back stories and things about the wizarding world not related to the movies.

As I edited this post together it was funny to see how similar some of our answers were! (Mr Hallow completed his answers on his commute.)  If you enjoyed this keep an eye out next month for a Harry Potter/Wizarding World book collection post...!!


💀 Mr & Mrs Hallow 💀