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"Three times a week they went out to the greenhouses behind the castle to study Herbology, with a dumpy little witch called Professor Sprout, where they learned how to take care of strange plants and fungi, and found out what they were used for."
Harry Potter's description of the subject[src]

Herbology was the study of magical and mundane plants and fungi, making it the wizarding equivalent to botany. Herbology was a subject and core class taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry[3] and Castelobruxo.[17]

In this class students learned how to properly care for and utilise different plants, as well as learned about their magical properties and what they are used for.[3][18] Many plants provided ingredients for potions and medicine, while others had magical effects of their own right.[9] Students were also taught a few spells that were helpful for gardening, such as the Herbivicus Charm.[12][13]

Herbert Beery was the professor of this subject at Hogwarts for many years prior 1955.[2] After he retired, Pomona Sprout took over the post prior to 1991,[3] and later Neville Longbottom by 2008.[19]

Class information[]

"Four to a tray — there is a large supply of pots here — compost in the sacks over there — and be careful of the Venomous Tentacula, it's teething."
— Professor Sprout teaching second-year students Herbology[src]

Herbology was a mandatory class at Hogwarts for the first five years of a student's education. Students spent class time learning about the different varieties of magical plants that existed.[3] The further into a student's education, the more difficult and dangerous the plants became.[20]

Greenhouses

A Second year Herbology lesson

In the fifth year, when students took Ordinary Wizarding Level examinations, much of the year was spent working with a variety of more dangerous plants like the Fanged Geranium, as well as revisiting the past four years of lessons. As part of their Herbology O.W.L, students had to sit a written exam, and then complete a practical exam, during which the students worked with a wide selection of plants.[21]

Students who achieved a pass grade on their Herbology O.W.L. could move on to the advanced class,[22] where the plants become even more dangerous.[20] At the end of their seventh year, students prepared for their N.E.W.T.s.

Pomona Sprout was the Herbology professor at Hogwarts in the 1990s; by 2008,[19] however, she had either been replaced by, or was working alongside Neville Longbottom, who was likewise a professor. Neville was one of her students in the past, and an exceptionally gifted Herbologist, who then went on to be the Herbology professor.[4][23]

Students were permitted to use profane language loudly should any of the dangerous plants sneak up on them, such as the Venomous Tentacula, seemingly as to warn others or to cope with the stress.[20]

According to Professor Mirabel Garlick, plants were surprisingly perceptive and could sense if someone didn't truly care about them. Her predecessor didn't truly care about the plants and he had a series of bad experiences with them.[1]

According to Professor Aesop Sharp, Herbology class was just as important to the learning of Potions as Potions class itself. It was good to have a solid grasp on not only how to combine ingredients, but to have an understanding of the ingredients themselves. The plants nurtured in Herbology class were often essential in Potions.[1]

Location and time[]

Classrooms[]

""Greenhouse three today, chaps!" said Professor Sprout... There was a murmur of interest. They had only ever worked in greenhouse one before — greenhouse three housed far more interesting and dangerous plants. Professor Sprout took a large key from her belt and unlocked the door. Harry caught a whiff of damp earth and fertiliser mingling with the heavy perfume of some giant, umbrella-sized flowers dangling from the ceiling."
— A second year Herbology lesson taking place in Greenhouse Three[src]
Herbology greenhouses 1

The Hogwarts greenhouses

These classes were held in the grounds of Hogwarts, in the greenhouses. The greenhouses were located behind the castle.[3][9] Classes were held in different greenhouses depending on the students' year,[9] with more advanced and dangerous plants typically reserved for O.W.L. or N.E.W.T.-level study.[20]

Lesson times[]

Year Day Period
First Wednesday second
Second Monday
Tuesday third
Wednesday first
Thursday third
Third Wednesday afternoon
Fourth Monday morning
Fifth Tuesday sixth
Wednesday fourth/fifth
Sixth Tuesday unknown
Seventh unknown

Curriculum[]

First year[]

"Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare ... what did Professor Sprout say? — it likes the dark and the damp —"
Hermione Granger regarding first-year lessons on Devil's Snare[src]

Second year[]

"We'll be repotting Mandrakes today. Now, who can tell me the properties of the Mandrake?"
Pomona Sprout[src]

Third year[]

""Careful, Weasley, careful!", cried Professor Sprout as the beans burst into bloom before their very eyes."
— A third-year lesson on Puffapods[src]

Fourth year[]

"...one of the Bouncing Bulbs wriggled free from Harry's grip and smacked him hard in the face."
— A fourth-year lesson[src]

Fifth year[]

"To nobody's surprise, Professor Sprout started their lesson by lecturing them about the importance of O.W.L.s."
— A fifth-year Herbology lesson[src]

Sixth year[]

"...they were dealing with more dangerous plants than ever in Herbology, but at least they were still allowed to swear loudly if the Venomous Tentacula seized them unexpectedly from behind."
N.E.W.T.-level lessons[src]

Seventh year[]

Known equipment[]

Known professors[]

Required textbooks[]

Grades[]

Passing grades[]

Fail grades[]

Known O.W.L.s[]

Behind the scenes[]

Appearances[]

Notes and references[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Hogwarts Legacy
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 The Tales of Beedle the Bard, "The Fountain of Fair Fortune"
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 8 (The Potions Master)
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Epilogue (Nineteen Years Later)
  5. 5.0 5.1 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 5 (Diagon Alley)
  6. 6.0 6.1 See this image.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 14 (Felix Felicis)
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 13 (Mad-Eye Moody)
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 9.8 9.9 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 6 (Gilderoy Lockhart)
  10. 10.00 10.01 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.05 10.06 10.07 10.08 10.09 10.10 10.11 10.12 10.13 10.14 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7 11.8 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (video game)
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 4, "Valentine's Day" Achievement - Part 1, Side Quest "Valentine's Day at Hogwarts"
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 3, Chapter 2 (Boggarts and Butterbeer) - Herbology Lesson "Dried Nettles"
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 6, Chapter 36 (Search for the Mole) - Herbology Lesson "Flutterby Bush"
  16. Harry Potter Page to Screen: The Complete Filmmaking Journey (see this image)
  17. Writing by J. K. Rowling: "Castelobruxo" at Wizarding World
  18. 18.0 18.1 Writing by J. K. Rowling: "Hogwarts School Subjects" at Wizarding World
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 Harry Potter: Magic Awakened
  20. 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 20.5 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 11 (Hermione's Helping Hand)
  21. 21.0 21.1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 31 (O.W.L.s)
  22. 22.0 22.1 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 9 (The Half-Blood Prince)
  23. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
  24. 24.0 24.1 LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
  25. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 16 (Through the Trapdoor)
  26. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 14 (Cornelius Fudge)
  27. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 15 (Aragog)
  28. 28.0 28.1 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 3, Chapter 6 (The Letter from No One) - Herbology Lesson "Mandrakes"
  29. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 8 (Flight of the Fat Lady)
  30. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 3, Chapter 1 (Year Three Begins) - Herbology Lesson "Valerian Sprigs"
  31. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 3, Chapter 3 (Three Broomsticks)
  32. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 3, Chapter 4 (Filching from Filch)
  33. 33.0 33.1 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 3, Chapter 4 (Filching from Filch) - Herbology Lesson "Stinksap"
  34. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 18 (The Weighing of the Wands)
  35. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 4, Chapter 11 (Beautification Potion) - Herbology Lesson "Shrivelfig"
  36. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 20 (The First Task)
  37. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 4, Chapter 7 (Beast, Beings, and Creatures) - Herbology Lesson "Flitterbloom"
  38. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 4, Chapter 1 (Year Four Begins) - Herbology Lesson "Wiggentree"
  39. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 4, Chapter 15 (Dark Secrets) - Herbology Lesson "Wormwood"
  40. 40.0 40.1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
  41. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 14 (Percy and Padfoot)
  42. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 25 (The Beetle at Bay)
  43. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 5, Chapter 7 (The Life and Death of Duncan Ashe) - Herbology Lesson "Screechsnap"
  44. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 5, Chapter 23 (Mischief Masterpiece) - Herbology Lesson "Chinese Chomping Cabbage"
  45. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 5, Chapter 26 (Chaos Ensues) - Herbology Lesson "Gillyweed"
  46. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 5, Chapter 12 (The Vault Portrait) - Herbology Lesson "Dittany"
  47. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 5, Chapter 31 (After the Vault) - Herbology Lesson "Puffapod"
  48. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 5, Chapter 9 (Dangerous Friends) - Herbology Lesson "Fanged Geranium"
  49. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 5, Chapter 30 (Into the Vault) - Herbology Lesson "Aconite"
  50. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 5, Chapter 4 (Opposite Day) - Herbology Lesson "Belladonna"
  51. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 5, Chapter 16 (A Dance With Diego) - Herbology Lesson "Ginger Root"
  52. 52.0 52.1 52.2 52.3 52.4 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 6, Chapter 2 (Curses and Prophecies) - Herbology Lesson "Fluxweed"
  53. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 6, Chapter 7 (Niffler Hunting) - Herbology Lesson "Knotgrass"
  54. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 6, Chapter 11 (Love in a Bottle) - Herbology Lesson "Bouncing Bulb"
  55. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 6, Chapter 16 (The Wizard In White) - Herbology Lesson "Sneezewort"
  56. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 6, Chapter 24 (Return to the Forest) - Herbology Lesson "Whomping Willow"
  57. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 6, Chapter 31 (The Polyjuice Plan) - Herbology Lesson "Moly"
  58. 58.0 58.1 58.2 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 6, Chapter 40 (A Witch Scorned) - Herbology Lesson "Mistletoe"
  59. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 6, Chapter 45 (The Messenger) - Herbology Lesson "Sopophorous Plant"
  60. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 17 (An Infestation of Doxies) - Herbology Lesson "Asphodel"
  61. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 19 (St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries) - Assignment "Healing Hands"
  62. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 21 (Burning Up) - Assignment "Dragon Pox"
  63. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 22 (The Search for Ryu) - Assignment "The Wolf's Bane"
  64. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 25 (Swan Dive) - Assignment "Faux Floo"
  65. 65.0 65.1 65.2 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 26 (No Laughing Matter) - Assignment "A Witch's Garden"
  66. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 30 (It All Falls Down) - Herbology Lesson "Alihotsy"
  67. 67.0 67.1 67.2 67.3 67.4 67.5 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Side Quest "No Laughing Organic Matter"
  68. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 38 (Tensions Rise) - Herbology Lesson "Sopophorous Bean"
  69. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 13 (Detention with Dolores)
  70. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 26 (Seen and Unforeseen)
  71. As professors of the subject, it is extremely likely that they had qualifications in this subject, in order to teach it.
  72. 72.0 72.1 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 4 (At Flourish and Blotts) - It is said that both Percy and Bill Weasley earned twelve Ordinary Wizarding Levels, meaning they must have earned an O.W.L. in this subject.
  73. 73.0 73.1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 12 (Professor Umbridge)
  74. 74.0 74.1 74.2 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 5 (An Excess of Phlegm)
  75. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
  76. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 29 (Careers Advice)
  77. Pottermore - The highs, lows and health hazards of Herbology
Herbology
Pottedmandrake
Herbologists
Astrid Cole · Clifford Cromwell · Marmaduke Dale · Blossom Degrasse · Miranda Goshawk · Alfred Lawley · Olgae Marinus · Beaumont Marjoribanks · Nepali wizard · Gethsemane Prickle · Sanjay Shanker · Selina Sapworthy · Phyllida Spore · Yubert Thorne · Tilden Toots · Hadrian Whittle · Winogrand
Herbology at Hogwarts
Herbology Award · Herbology Lesson Cup · Herbology Race Cup · Herbology Store · Hidden Herbology Corridor
Greenhouses One · Two · Three · Four · Five · Six · Seven · Professor's office
Professors Mirabel Garlick's predecessor · Mirabel Garlick · Herbert Beery · Pomona Sprout · Neville Longbottom
Textbooks Flesh-Eating Trees of the World · Ingredient Encyclopedia · One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi · Winogrand's Wondrous Water Plants
Plants studied and grown at Hogwarts
Aconite · Alihotsy · Asphodel · Belladonna · Bouncing Bulb · Bubotuber · Bubotuber pus · Chinese Chomping Cabbage · Cowbane · Dandelion · Devil's Snare · Dirigible Plum · Dittany · Fanged Geranium · Fat cactus-like plant · Fire seed bush · Flitterbloom · Floo · Flutterby bush · Fluxweed · Gillyweed · Ginger · Greenhouse Tree · Hemlock · Honking daffodil · Ivy · Knotgrass · Lady's Mantle · Lavender · Leaping Toadstool · Lovage · Mandrake · Mimbulus mimbletonia · Mistletoe · Moly · Nettle · Peppermint · Puffapod · Raspberry · Rose · Sage · Screechsnap · Scurvy grass · Self-fertilising shrub · Shrivelfig · Snargaluff · Sneezewort · Sopophorous plant · Sopophorous Bean · Spiky Bush · Spiky Prickly Plant · Stinksap · Sugar Shrub · Toad-eating plant · Tormentil · Umbrella Flower · Valerian · Vampiric vegetation · Venomous Tentacula · Walking plant · Wax vegetables · Whomping Willow · Wiggentree · Wild rice · Wormwood
Spells taught in Herbology at Hogwarts
Fire-Making Spell (Incendio) · Herbivicus Charm (Herbivicus) · Incendio Duo Spell (Incendio Duo) · Lumos Solem Spell (Lumos Solem) · Severing Charm (Diffindo)
Hogwarts subjects
Core classes Astronomy · Charms · Defence Against the Dark Arts · Herbology · History of Magic · Potions · Transfiguration
Hogwartscrest
Elective classes Alchemy · Arithmancy · Care of Magical Creatures · Divination · Muggle Studies · Study of Ancient Runes
Extracurricular classes Apparition · Advanced Arithmancy Studies · Ancient Studies · Art · Flying · Ghoul Studies · Magical Theory · Muggle Art · Muggle Music · Music · Xylomancy · Field Studies
Former classes Beasts · Dark Arts
Examinations
First year exams · Second year exams · Third year exams · Fourth year exams ·
Ordinary Wizarding Level · Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test
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