Dittany

Warning! At least some content in this article is derived from information featured in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald and Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery. As such, spoilers will be present within the article.

Dittany is a magical plant used in Potion-Making. It 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]

Dittany is one of the plants found in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi.^[3]

Effect

Dittany is a healing and restorative herb, one of the plants found in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi.^[4] In addition to Dittany's essence being applied topically, the raw plant can be consumed to heal shallow to moderate wounds.^[5]

If used in a mixture with silver it can cure werewolf bites. It will prevent the victim from bleeding to death from the bite, but not cure them of lycanthropy. Shredded Dittany is an ingredient in the creation of the Wiggenweld Potion. Also known as Burning Bush, it sometimes releases flammable vapours.^[1] A sick baby may be cured with the application of dittany^[6]. Dittany can also be used to heal Doxy bites.

History

Harry Potter researched dittany in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi during his First Year as part of his Herbology homework.^[7]

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.^[8]

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.

Mathilda Grimblehawk's partner used dittany to heal wounds on a Mountain Troll that was mistakenly transported from the Alps to London.^[9]

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^[10], 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.
• Dittany stalk is, so far, the only wand core in canon taken from a plant.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (First appearance)
• 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
• Fantastic Beasts: Cases from the Wizarding World
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
• Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (Mentioned only)

Notes and references