DANDELION PROJECT

BY HALLOWWITCH83
LATIN NAME: Taraxacum magianale
GROWTH DATES: SEPTEMBER 26

TO OCTOBER 14
PLANT PROFILE
Classification Info
Perennial herb
Full Sun
1-3,3-8,8-20 feet
Yellow flowers
Vivid green foliage
Spring flower, low maintenance, attracts birds, bugs or other animals
Native Habitat: Commonly found in temperate climates around the world but can
still adapt to very extreme climate changes
Soil Type: Low quality/fertile soil or any ordinary soil
Fertilizer: Not necessary but three salt crystals can be included
Stem Height: 1-12 centimeters
Leaf Height: 5-25 centimeters
Flower Height: 2-5 centimeters
Uses: Adds nutrients, nitrogen and minerals to soil, holds soil together, can be
used in food for vitamin and mineral content, adds flavor, especially to salads,
soups, wines and teas and can be used to grant wishes when planted and medicinal
uses include treating inflamed tonsils, upset stomachs, diarrhea, flatulence and
other stomach problems, cures boils, can be used as a diuretic and helps to
stimulate hunger
Contact a Herbologist or Apothecary if pregnant, have diabetes or using blood
thinners, allergic to ragweed or a young child before consumption
Other names besides common/Latin include Fairy Clock, Fortune Teller, Witch
Gowan, Witchs Milk, Swines Snout, Lions Tooth, Butter Flower, Worm Rose,
Blowball and Irish Daisy

WEEK 1
DAY 1 Using a plastic cup, I poked holes into the bottom and filled it with about
4/5ths of ordinary soil and added the three salt crystals. I grabbed a nearby tea
saucer that I noticed wasnt currently being used to place the cup on. Only having
one single dandelion seed, I made a wish that I would pass the final exams for my
classes at school that year and placed it into the soil. I poured water over the soil
and seed along with the crystals until it was medium damp and placed it near a
window in the Hufflepuff common room where it could receive full sun while it
grew. I decided that I would check in for the next three weeks before finals every
two days while making sure it had enough water.
DAY 3 I returned to the plant after two days since it was planted. I had been
keeping track to ensure that it had enough water to grow so the soil remained
consistent in its dampness. I noticed that the single seed that was sitting in the soil
was starting to sprout a bit of a vivid green stem out of the edge. It appeared to
curl downward into the soil as if it were preparing to grow some roots soon, which
hopefully I would be seeing later that week. I grabbed the cup of water that I had
nearby and filled the cup again with a big more watered as I noticed the seed itself
seemed a little dry and left it to continue its growth.
DAY 5 Once I had returned to the common room from sitting in one of my least
favorite classes of the day, I was excited to see my own plant sitting next to the
others of the friends who were also in Herbology class and hoped mine was
growing the quickest. I peered into the plastic cup where the sun was glimmering
in through the window down into my plant, of which was still a seed but the vivid
green stem that was growing out of the seed was becoming longer and was
running upwards now and out of the soil instead of like the roots of other plants
would. It seemed to have enough water that afternoon but I would make sure to
pour some more into it later that night.
DAY 7 At the end of the first week of the plants growth, I was sure that my plant
would hopefully be growing a lot quicker as the others that were sitting next to it
on the window. Knowing that I couldnt use fertilizer to help its growth, hopefully
the salt crystals would get to work in the second week. I did although not overload
it with too much water but felt around to see if there was enough of it and noticed
that the soil was still medium damp and everything should be going well. The stem
that was growing out of its seed was slowing moving upwards through the soil and
at a very close look, someone could notice the little leaves budding out.
WEEK 2
DAY 9 After the holiday weekend, of which was full of a lot of growth of my plant
thankfully and the final exams for Herbology would be next week so hopefully
there would be something for me to show to my professor. After I was finished
with my studying for the day, I returned to my plant which I gave plentiful water
and sunshine as I was away from it. I saw that the stem that was growing more and
more out of the soil was starting to sprout what appeared to be its vivid green
foliage out of the sides, and I counted at least three of four of them popping
separately out and away from one another.
DAY 11 Our professor had reminded us to make sure that we were taking close
care of our plants this week as this was when the yellow flowers of our dandelions
were going to be popping out soon. I walked over to the window, where
unfortunately it was a bit of a cloudy day outside and it had rained earlier so my
plant didnt get too much sun that day or before. Luckily the weather forecast said
there would be plentiful of it for the rest of this week and the next so my plant will
be growing quick again. Today, I poured some more water into the cup and saw
that foliage from two days ago was still present and healthy and that there was a
seed sprouting from the tip of the stem itself but it hadnt quite opened yet.
DAY 13 Now that the sun was back and beaming on the grounds at Hogwarts, it
was fortunate for not only my own but everyone elses plants. I saw that the
development of the seed itself that was growing from the vivid green stem was
beginning to open up some more and also grow longer in its length but I wasnt
able to actually see the flower sprouting yet or any sign of yellow. I noticed that
the soil was lacking in water because the sun had returned today and soaked up a
lot of the water alongside the plant and once again left it to be.
DAY 15 Yet another weekend was going to be upon us and I was planning on
going away to Hogsmeade for my break as my finals would be next week. I
obviously wanted to make sure that my plant was still taken care of while I was
gone so I reminded one of the people in my Hogwarts house that she should make
sure to keep its water consistent and always make sure it remains in the sun.
Before I left alongside my friends, I checked on it for now. I saw that the seed at
the top of the stem near the foliage I noticed the past six days was opening up to
reveal the yellow flower but the flower itself hadnt emerged yet. Therefore, I
watered it a bit and hoped to return to see it start growing out.
WEEK 3
DAY 17 When I returned from the weekend away, I saw that my plant was
actually growing rather well and that it had been thankfully taken care of during
my absence. I didnt want to have to remove it from where it was comfortable and
had be sitting for the past two weeks as doing so will cause the plant to delay its
growth or not grow as accurately. I filled the plastic cup up with a bit more water
as it looked like there was already enough there and the soil remained medium
damp. The seed that was sprouting from the top of the stem was also opening
wider and the yellow flower inside was beginning to grow outwards.
DAY 19 Our final exams for Herbology class would be on the last day of the week
and so I was ecstatic that my plant would hopefully have its flower and foliage by
the time I would need to turn my project in. Today was one of the days that I
would not be needing to water my plant thankfully and hopefully nonetheless, the
plant would soak up some more of it to continue growing. The stem itself was
starting to grow taller and the seed at the end was opening more to reveal more of
the yellow flower inside.
DAY 21 The next four days that I would need to be growing my plant were going
to be full of beautiful sunshine and that meant that my flower may start to show
more of itself by the time I was done. After watering, I noticed that it did also have
a very strong scent, one that was familiar to me as I have picked dandelions out of
the ground before, a smell that would also grow stronger as the plant reaches its
peak of growth. The yellow flower that was emerging was spreading outwards as
the see opened more and I could count a number of different petals already. The
vivid green foliage that was also present for many days now remained as healthy as
the rest of the plant.
DAY 23 Now that we would be taking our final exams in only two days, we would
need to finish up the last of our accounts of how well our dandelions were growing
and so today I was hoping for something close to a miracle. I watered my plant
before anything else and was happy to see that the flower growing at the end was
nearly entirely bloomed and took the appearance of the dandelion plants that I
have seen in the past. The flower itself was yellow and there were several petals.
The seed that I planted was completely open, the stem had reached close to its
normal height, and the foliage was vivid green, proving that it reached its final
stage of growth.