Making a Wizarding Garden
The Harry Potter universe introduced to us to a whole host of interesting and magical plants, from the deadly Devil’s Snare to the tasty Dirigible Plum. Sadly, most Muggle schools don’t offer Herbology, but if you’re really interested in becoming the next Neville Longbottom, here is a list of plants just fascinating enough to seem magical. All it takes is a green thumb and a little work, and you can plant your very own wizarding garden.
1. Sensitive Plant
This plant is well named since it reacts to even the slightest touch. Simply brushing your finger across it will cause the plant to shiver and curl in on itself. It’s almost reminiscent of a Flutterby Bush that way. As such, this plant makes the perfect start for your magical garden.
2. Sarracenia
These plants have two other names. One is the pitcher plant because they quite literally become pitchers filled with sweet-smelling nectar that lures in insects. However, they also have the nickname “witches brew” because that same nectar is a deadly trap for any insect that ventures too close. And with a nickname like that, Sarracenia surely belong in any magical garden.
3. Venus Flytraps
These little hunters are probably the best-known type of carnivorous plant, so leaving them out of your garden would just seem sad. While not as deadly as many of the plants in the Harry Potter universe, Venus flytraps are still quite impressive. Like the Sarracenia, they emit a sweet, enticing scent, but once the fly lands, the jaws close in just a fraction of a second.
4. Sundew Plant
Sundew plants not only look pretty, but they are also capable of catching their own meals. These plants get their name from the glistening dew drops that adorn their tentacles. This dew actually acts as a glue when insects land on it, a kind of organic fly paper. The dew also makes them glisten in the light, so they look even more magical.
5. Black Pearl Pepper
Now, these plants aren’t carnivorous, but they certainly look like they belong in a wizarding garden. They have dark black leaves and shiny black berries that, as the name suggests, resemble glistening pearls. Once they ripen, the berries become bright red, and they are also edible. With its striking colors, this plant looks as though it came straight from the Hogwarts greenhouses, or perhaps Snape’s Potions lab.
6. Bladderworts
Returning to carnivorous plants, bladderworts look harmless. In fact, upon first glance, they might be mistaken for an orchid or snapdragon. But unlike those flowers, this plant has one of the most sophisticated insect trapping mechanisms concealed inside it. Their name comes from the vacuum like bladders within the plants. When bugs enter these bladders, they quickly fill with water, trapping the insect inside. And a clever plant like that belongs in a wizarding garden.
7. Bat Lily
Like the Black Pearl pepper, the bat lily isn’t carnivorous, but it feels magical all the same. Also known as cat’s whiskers or devil flower, this plant is both beautiful and slightly menacing. The flowers bloom in a variety of beautiful colors, including dark purple, maroon, and bronze. And as for the menacing part, they also have long creeping braces sweeping down the flower that look as though they might wrap around you if you come too close.
