Hazel Wand Wood

Hazel is a type of wood used in the crafting of wands. The physical appearance of a hazel wand can vary depending on the individual piece of wood and the wandmaker's design. The wood itself is known for its connection to wisdom and divination in traditional folklore, a trait that is reflected in its magical properties. All detailed characteristics of hazel as a wand wood are derived from supplementary writings by J.K. Rowling and are not mentioned within the original seven novels.

According to Garrick Ollivander's notes, hazel is a sensitive wand wood that is highly attuned to its owner's emotional state. Its performance is deeply connected to the feelings of the witch or wizard who wields it. (Pottermore)

  • Emotional Reflection: A hazel wand often reflects its owner's emotions. It works best for a master who understands and can manage their own feelings. (Pottermore)
  • Unpredictable Energy Discharge: If the owner has recently lost their temper or suffered a significant emotional upset, the wand will absorb this energy and can discharge it unpredictably and dangerously. (Pottermore)
  • Devotion: Hazel wands are exceptionally loyal and devoted to their owners. At the end of their master's life, a hazel wand often ‘wilts,’ expelling all its magic and refusing to work. To be used again, its wand core would need to be extracted and placed into a new wooden casing. (Pottermore)
  • Water-Divining: Hazel wands possess the unique ability to detect water underground. When passing over a concealed spring or well, they will emit silvery, tear-shaped puffs of smoke. (Pottermore)

Due to its temperament, a hazel wand is best suited for a skillful and emotionally stable user. (Pottermore)

While no hazel wands are identified in the original novels, supplementary materials specify at least one prominent character who possesses one.

  • Sybill Trelawney: The Hogwarts Professor of Divination wields a wand made of hazel with a unicorn hair core. It is nine and a half inches long and described as very flexible. (Pottermore) The wood's characteristics—its sensitivity, connection to divination, and potential for outstanding magic in the hands of the skillful—align well with Professor Trelawney's personality and talents.

Role in the Story

Hazel as a wand wood is not mentioned in the seven canonical *Harry Potter* novels and therefore plays no direct role in the main plot. Its properties, introduced later, serve to enrich the lore of wandmaking and provide deeper insight into the characters who own them, most notably Sybill Trelawney.

  • All known information regarding the magical properties of hazel wood comes from J.K. Rowling's writings on the Pottermore (now Wizarding World) website.
  • In traditional Celtic tree lore, the hazel tree is strongly associated with wisdom, knowledge, divination, and poetic inspiration, which likely influenced Rowling's creation of its magical attributes in the Harry Potter universe.