Changes: Dittany

Revision as of 02:25, 10 January 2016

Warning!

At least some content in this article is derived from information featured in the latest update of Pottermore. As such, spoilers will be present within the article. Please take care when reading this article if you have not yet been through the latest update.

"Greenish smoke billowed upward and when it has cleared, Harry saw that the bleeding had stopped. The Wound now looked several days old; new skin stretched over what had been open flesh. "

— Harry Potter watching the effect of Dittany (src)

Dittany is a magical plant used in Potion-Making, and is a powerful healing herb and restorative. Its use makes fresh skin grow over a wound, and after application, the wound seems several days old.^[2]

Effect

Dittany1 — the effect of Dittany taking place

In addition to Dittany's essence being applied topically, the raw plant can be consumed to heal shallow wounds.^[3] It is used in a mixture with silver to cure werewolf bites, and shredded Dittany is an ingredient in the creation of the Wiggenweld Potion. Also known as Burning Bush, it sometimes releases flammable vapours.^[1]

History

Severus Snape suggested that Draco Malfoy use it after Harry Potter's attack on him using Sectumsempra, saying it may prevent any lasting scarring, if taken immediately.^[4]

Hermione Granger used Essence of Dittany to heal Ron Weasley's arm when he splinched it Disapparating soon after the trio's escape from the Ministry of Magic in 1997. She used it again to heal the snake bite Harry received on his arm from Nagini after they were attacked in Godric's Hollow, and once more following the Break-in of Gringotts, to heal the burns they had received from the burning treasure contained with the Lestrange Vault.

Dittany might be quite rare, because Hermione was only able to obtain a small bottle of it for her, Harry and Ron's travels.^[2] Alternatively, as only small amounts are needed to heal the various wounds the trio acquire, perhaps a little goes a long way. Essence of Dittany is described as a brown liquid.

Etymology

'Dittany' comes from the Ancient Greek δίκταμνον, supposedly Δικτή, meaning Dicte. Dicte is a mountain in Crete, the plant grew on.

Behind the scenes

There are a number of real-world plants with the common name dittany. Though its description in the video game adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone matches most closely with that of Dictamnus albus, Origanum dictamnus has a more significant history of being used as a medicinal plant, and is thus more likely to be the type of dittany J.K. Rowling had in mind.
In The Wizard and the Hopping Pot, a sick baby is doused in dittany and wakes well and rosy.
In Book 8 of Natural History^[5], Pliny the Elder stated that deer consume dittany to remove arrows from their wounds, which revealed the plant's healing virtues. Twice in the Harry Potter series, dittany is mentioned in connection to an individual whose corporeal Patronus is a stag or a doe. After Draco Malfoy is attacked by Harry, Severus Snape recommended the use of dittany to prevent scarification. Later Hermione uses the Essence of Dittany to heal Harry's snake bite.

Appearances

Notes and references

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game) - GBC version
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
↑ Pottermore - One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi
↑ Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
↑ http://penelope.uchicago.edu/holland/pliny8.html

[PSV-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game) - GBC version

[DH-2] 2.0 ^2.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

[3] Pottermore - One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi

[HBP-4] Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

[5] ttp://penelope.uchicago.edu/holland/pliny8.html

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Pottermore}}
 {{Plant infobox
 |name=Dittany
-|image=[[File:Dittany.jpg|250px]]
+|image=[[File:Dittany.png]]
 |bgcolor1=
 |bgcolor2=
@@ Line 9: / Line 10: @@
 |usage=*[[Potion]]-making
 *Scar healing
+*[[Wand core]]
 |related=
 |native=
@@ Line 14: / Line 16: @@
 |environment=
 |food=
-|distinction=It sometimes releases flammable vapours<ref name="PSV"/>
+|distinction=*It sometimes releases flammable vapours<ref name="PSV"/>
+*Brown-colored
 |affiliation=
 }}
+{{Quote|Greenish smoke billowed upward and when it has cleared, Harry saw that the bleeding had stopped. The Wound now looked several days old; new skin stretched over what had been open flesh. |[[Harry Potter]]  watching the effect of Dittany ([[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows|src]])}}
-'''Dittany''' is a [[magic]]al plant used in [[Potions (class)|Potion-making]], and is a powerful restorative. Its use makes skin stretch over a wound, and after application, the wound seems several days old.<ref name="DH">''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows]]''</ref> Shredded Dittany is an ingredient in the creation of the [[Wiggenweld Potion]]. Also known as Burning Bush, it sometimes releases flammable vapours.<ref name="PSV"/>
+'''Dittany''' is a [[magic]]al plant used in [[Potion]]-Making, and is a powerful healing herb and restorative. Its use makes fresh skin grow over a wound, and after application, the wound seems several days old.<ref name="DH">''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows]]''</ref>
+==Effect==
+[[File:Dittany1.gif|frame|left|the effect of Dittany taking place ]]
+In addition to Dittany's essence being applied topically, the raw plant can be consumed to heal shallow wounds.<ref>''[[Pottermore]]'' - ''One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi''</ref> It is used in a [[Mixture of powdered silver and dittany|mixture]] with [[silver]] to cure [[werewolf]] bites, and shredded Dittany is an ingredient in the creation of the [[Wiggenweld Potion]]. Also known as Burning Bush, it sometimes releases flammable vapours.<ref name="PSV" />
+==History==
 [[Severus Snape]] suggested that [[Draco Malfoy]] use it after [[Harry Potter]]'s attack on him using ''[[Sectumsempra]]'', saying it may prevent any lasting scarring, if taken immediately.<ref name="HBP">''[[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince]]''</ref>
-[[Hermione Granger]] used it to heal [[Ronald Weasley|Ron Weasley]]'s arm when he [[splinch]]ed it [[Apparition|Disapparating]] soon after the trio's [[Infiltration of the Ministry of Magic|escape]] from the [[British Ministry of Magic|Ministry of Magic]] in [[1997]]. She used it again to heal the snake bite Harry received on his arm from [[Nagini]] after they were [[Attack at Godric's Hollow (1997)|attacked]] in [[Godric's Hollow]].
+[[Hermione Granger]] used Essence of Dittany to heal [[Ronald Weasley|Ron Weasley]]'s arm when he [[splinch]]ed it [[Apparition|Disapparating]] soon after the trio's [[Infiltration of the Ministry of Magic|escape]] from the [[British Ministry of Magic|Ministry of Magic]] in [[1997]]. She used it again to heal the snake bite Harry received on his arm from [[Nagini]] after they were [[Attack at Godric's Hollow (1997)|attacked]] in [[Godric's Hollow]], and once more following the [[Break-in of Gringotts Wizarding Bank (1998)|Break-in of Gringotts]], to heal the burns they had received from the [[Flagrante Curse|burning]] treasure contained with the [[Lestrange Vault]].
-It must be quite rare, because Hermione was only able to obtain a small bottle of it for her, Harry and Ron's travels.<ref name="DH"/> Dittany is described as a brown liquid.
+Dittany might be quite rare, because Hermione was only able to obtain a small bottle of it for her, Harry and Ron's travels.<ref name="DH" /> Alternatively, as only small amounts are needed to heal the various wounds the [[trio]] acquire, perhaps a little goes a long way. Essence of Dittany is described as a brown liquid.
+[[File:Dittany.jpg|195x195px|right|thumb|An illustration of dittany in ''[[Magical Drafts and Potions]]''.]]
 ==Etymology==
-'Dittany' comes from the Ancient Greek δίκταμνον, supposedly Δικτή, meaning Dicte. Dicte is a mountain the plant grew on.
+'Dittany' comes from the Ancient Greek δίκταμνον, supposedly Δικτή, meaning Dicte. Dicte is a mountain in Crete, the plant grew on.
 ==Behind the scenes==
+* There are a number of real-world plants with the common name dittany. Though its description in the [[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)|video game adaptation]] of ''[[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]]'' matches most closely with that of ''{{wplink|Dictamnus albus}}'', ''{{wplink|Origanum dictamnus}}'' has a more significant history of being used as a medicinal plant, and is thus more likely to be the type of dittany [[J.K. Rowling]] had in mind.
-*[[Wikipedia:Dittany|Dittany]] can refer to three real types of plant. [[Wikipedia:Dictamnus|White dittany]] is a flowering herb that secretes an oil once used for anti-inflammatory purposes. However, the oil is also flammable, which is why the plant is sometimes known as the Burning Bush. [[Wikipedia:Origanum dictamnus|Dittany of Crete]] is a plant native to the island of Crete in Greece, where it is held to symbolize birth and love. It was used in traditional medicine to treat stomach aches and for emmenagogic purposes, as well as for [[Divination]] in witchcraft and wizardry.
-*In ''[[The Wizard and the Hopping Pot]]'', a sick baby is doused in dittany and wakes well and rosy.
+* In ''[[The Wizard and the Hopping Pot]]'', a sick baby is doused in dittany and wakes well and rosy.
+* In [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/holland/pliny8.html Book 8 of Natural History]<ref>http://penelope.uchicago.edu/holland/pliny8.html</ref>, Pliny the Elder stated that deer consume dittany to remove arrows from their wounds, which revealed the plant's healing virtues. Twice in the Harry Potter series, dittany is mentioned in connection to an individual whose [[Patronus Charm|corporeal Patronus]] is a [[Deer|stag]] or a doe. After Draco Malfoy is attacked by Harry, Severus Snape recommended the use of dittany to prevent scarification. Later Hermione uses the Essence of Dittany to heal Harry's snake bite.
+==Appearances==
+* ''[[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]]'' {{1st}}
+* ''[[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)]]''
+* ''[[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince]]''
+* ''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows]]''
+* ''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1]]''
+* ''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Motorbike Escape]]''
+* ''[[Pottermore]]''
 ==Notes and references==
-{{Reflist}}
+{{reflist}}
+[[fr:Dictame]]
-==Appearances==
+[[it:Dittamo]]
-*''[[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]]'' {{1st}}
+[[pl:Dyptam]]
-*''[[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)]]''
+[[ru:Бадьян]]
-*''[[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince]]''
-*''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows]]''
 [[Category:Plants]]
 [[Category:Potion ingredients]]