Bloody-Red Rose

There are hundreds of varieties of roses in the world, but one of the least known and most sinister is the Bloody-Red rose.

The Bloody-Red rose is one of the few flesh-eating shrubs that prefers a cold climate. It is found most often in Denmark, Sweden, and the Netherlands, where it lives along trails in the woods. When a curious hiker bends over for a look, it strikes.

This rose's weapon is, of course, its thorns. However, the Bloody-Red, unlike normal roses, can grow its thorns at will. The Bloody-Red then uses the hooked shape of the thorns to snare prey. Then, it tosses its victim into a hole in the middle of the petals, which then closes.

The Bloody-Red rose looks like an average rose. It has a green stem with thorns, and a bright red flower. However, this rose has a black ring just above where it enters the ground. Each time it eats, the ring will expand slightly for a few days, then go back to normal. No two of them will live within 50 feet of each other, or they will fight over prey.

Once you are in the plant's clutches, you have only seconds to use the simple (relashio) spell so it will free you. This will only work when you are ensnared by the thorn, once you have been tossed in, it's over. However, the second it lets you go after you say (relashio), it will try to ensnare you again. To avoid this, use (petrificus totalus) or (impedimenta) and it will give you time to get away.

Even though the spells to escape the creatures are simple, performing them on the spur of the moment in mortal danger could be difficult. Thankfully, there is a surprisingly simple way to keep the plant away in the first place. The key is to bring a real rose with you. It does not need to be in your hand, but as long as you have one in your back pack or pocket, you will be fine.

Chokeberry Bush

Much like the name would suggest this feisty little shrub is a predator. Chokeberries are native to the Unites States and particularly favour the conditions in the north-east. They grow well in full light, but tolerate shade. In fact these menacing little shrubs are quite hardy, being able to withstand drought and are able to survive without feeding for up to two years. They are also easy to accommodate into any garden or greenhouse environment as they also tolerate soil compaction and higher than normal salinity.

So if you’re after a fanciful flesh-eating addition to your garden, this one is a sound option. Perfect for amateur and even the most incompetent herbologists, the Chokeberry bush is guaranteed to flourish, no matter how well or how poorly you care for it.

They are self-serving, in that you do not actively need to seek out their meals for them. In the spring they exhibit delicate white or pink flowers, and then have dark berries in the fall. Because of the sweet scent of this shrub, birds, rabbits and even small mammals are lured to the plant for a feed. Little do they know that whilst this charming shrub looks completely harmless from a distance, it will pounce and wrap its flexible branches around their unsuspecting throats.

Once its prey has been successful suffocated, the Chokeberry bush will drag its victims under its foliage towards its mouth at the base of the bush. A light sprinkle of dragon dung wouldn't go astray annually, especially if you do not provide these charming shrubs with regular care. They can reach up to two feet and pose little threat to wizards. Though keep in mind that small pets and little children should not be left unsupervised in the presence of these stranglers.

Daring Doghobble

Is one of the more dangerous species of flesh-eating shrubs. This small shrub, which averages sizes between one to three metres are not only flesh-eating but are incredibly poisonous. Do not be fooled by their mild appearance, these shrubs are killers.

Due to their size, they are not considered dangerous to humans because of their flesh-eating abilities, rather they pose more of a threat because of their poison, which is released through the pores of their leaves. This is their hunting mechanism, opting to poison their prey within seconds, rendering them paralysed before using their roots to pull their victim beneath the ground to devour them. There is nothing about these evergreen, alternate, oblong-lanceolate shaped leaves to suggest it should be approached with caution. It is however their 4-15 millimetre long bell shaped pink flowers which could alert a proficient herbologist to its dangerous properties.

Do not be entirely discouraged from owning these lovely shrubs as they are low maintenance and are mostly self-sufficient. Pets and small children, of course, should be kept at a safe distance, and it is wise to have a few bezoars on hand- just in case. Otherwise a simple Bubble-head charm is enough to protect yourself against the noxious gases released from these small beauties.

Dragon Tree

Though it is a tree, because of its diminutive size many consider it to be a bush. They generally average heights of up to three metres, but they have been known- in rare cases- to grow up to ten metres. There are arguments that these few examples have been manipulated by particularly gifted herbologists and are in fact hybrids, cross-pollinated with taller, larger varieties of trees.

Dragon trees are characterised by their thick trunks, which appears to be composed of numerous smaller trunks wrapped up together. The creases formed on the trunk due to this phenomenon should be treated with much suspicion. One of these creases is the mouth to the dragon tree, but as they are all identical you can never be sure whether you are facing the front of the tree or the back of it.

Even though they are relatively small in size, we suggest you approach them with care, and be vigilant. Dragon trees have ferocious appetites and will never pass up a meal. Though they usually feed on small animals and birds they are more than capable of consuming a fully grown human.

Be wary if you ever come across a tangled, weaved trunk, as you may be facing one of these little nightmares. They are stealthy and incredibly hardened hunters. Escape is unlikely, though a well placed reductor curse may be your best chance.

Rampant Rockrose

Do not be fooled by it’s delicate appearance, the Rampant Rockrose is capable of devouring its fair share of animals, both great and small.

The Rampant Rockrose’ are low shrubs and usually reach heights of up to two metres. They prefer warm, drier climates and grow well in poor soils. So watering and fertilising is not an issue. They make great additions to greenhouses, but it is always best to move them out of doors for the summer as they prefer the direct contact with sunlight.

The Rampant Rockrose blossoms throughout spring and summer. They display a vast array of delicate crumpled, paper-thin flowers, ranging from shades of yellows and pinks to pure whites.

They feed all year round, and will feed on anything they can get their roots on. This includes insects, small pests and vermin such as rats and mice as well as garden gnomes and fairies. They will also prey on small and medium sized animals, opting to bury what’s left of their bigger victims beneath the soil to decompose.

Self-fertilising Bush

This is one of the most efficient flesh-eating shrubs known to the wizarding world. The Self-fertilising Bush does exactly that, self-fertilises. It is one of the easiest shrubs to care for as it only requires a minimal amount of watering and an annual trim.

It grows up to three and a half metres high, though particularly mature specimens have been known to reach heights of four metres. Its evergreen leaves make it a desirable shrub to have in wizarding gardens.

Self-fertilising Bushes feed off insects, birds and small rodents. Occasionally if it hasn’t been fed for some time it will seek out small animals such as cats, dogs and kneazles. After they digest their prey, through their mouth found at the base of its small trunk, it will dispel any of its remains and waste through fertilising nodules found on the underside of each branch. Thus letting the fertiliser fall to the floor at its base.

Weigela

Weigela is a small deciduous shrub and can grow up to five metres tall. While this beauty is native to Asia, it has been successfully cultivated in greenhouses across Europe and the Americas.

In the spring and summer they bloom delicate five-lobbed pink, red or white flowers. Toward the end of summer they shed their flowers and produce small red berries in their place, which will then drop and release their seeds.

Its leaves reach lengths of five to fifteen centimetres long, and have a serrated edge, making it a crafty flesh-eating shrub, by allowing it to slice segments of meat off its victims. This plant doesn't devour its whole victim, with the exception of insects. It has a particularly devout appetite for garden gnomes, and while they are not the greatest pest controllers, they do discourage garden gnomes from infesting their space.