======Wiggen-tree======
=====Plant Information=====
  * **Type:** [[Magical Plant|Magical Tree]]
  * **Key Component:** Bark
  * **Known Guardians:** [[Bowtruckle|Bowtruckles]]
  * **Primary Use:** [[Ingredient]] in [[Wiggenweld Potion]]
=====Description and Appearance=====
The physical appearance of the Wiggen-tree is not described in the original seven [[Harry Potter]] novels. The tree is known to have a bark that can be harvested for use in [[Potions]].
Wiggen-trees also serve as the natural habitat for [[Bowtruckle|Bowtruckles]], small, twig-like [[Creatures]] that act as its guardians and are difficult to spot against the tree's branches. The presence of [[Bowtruckle|Bowtruckles]] suggests the tree has a wood-like texture and appearance suitable for their camouflage.
=====Magical Properties and Usage=====
The most significant magical property of the Wiggen-tree lies in its bark.
  * **Bark:** The bark of the Wiggen-tree is a core [[Ingredient]] in the [[Wiggenweld Potion]], a powerful healing [[Potion]] that can awaken a person from a magically induced sleep and serves as a general-purpose antidote to minor [[Curse|Curses]] and [[Jinx|Jinxes]]. The necessity of its bark for this [[Potion]] makes the Wiggen-tree an important resource in [[Potioneering]].
  * **Guardian Relationship:** The tree is fiercely protected by [[Bowtruckle|Bowtruckles]] which nest in its branches. Anyone wishing to harvest bark or wood from a Wiggen-tree must first pacify its [[Bowtruckle]] guardians, typically by offering them [[Woodlice]]. This symbiotic relationship is a key feature of the tree's magical nature.
=====History=====
The Wiggen-tree is first mentioned in [[Harry Potter]]'s first-year [[Potions]] textbook, //[[Magical Drafts and Potions]]// by [[Arsenius Jigger]]. While brewing a [[Cure for Boils]], [[Harry]] reads ahead and learns that the [[Wiggenweld Potion]] contains Wiggen-tree bark. This serves as an early introduction for [[Harry]] and the reader to the complexities of [[Potions]] and the properties of various magical ingredients.
=====Role in the Story=====
The Wiggen-tree's primary role in the series is to establish key aspects of the magical world's ecosystem and the practice of [[Potions]]. It introduces the concept that [[Magical Plant|magical flora]] can have powerful healing properties and are often part of a larger natural system, in this case involving [[Bowtruckle]] guardians. Its connection to the [[Wiggenweld Potion]]—a fundamental healing [[Potion]]—positions it as an important, albeit background, element in the field of magical medicine.
=====Behind the Scenes=====
  * The name "Wiggen-tree" is directly related to the real-world Rowan tree (//Sorbus aucuparia//), which is also known as the "wiggen tree" or "witch-hazel" in some English dialects. In European folklore, the Rowan tree was believed to have protective properties, particularly against witches and evil enchantments, which parallels the healing and restorative nature of the [[Wiggenweld Potion]] in the [[Wizarding World]].
  * In the //[[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]]// video game, a Wiggen-tree is depicted as a tree with a gnarled, writhing trunk and branches, and a face-like formation in its bark. [[Harry]] has to collect its bark for a [[Potions]] lesson with [[Professor Snape]]. (video game)
  * The [[Wiggenweld Potion]] features prominently in several [[Harry Potter]] video games as a common health-restoring item. (video game)