#commonplants

As common as retchweed is, one might be surprised to find that its poisonous qualities are a relatively new discovery. Apari, Yazma’s daughter and Queen Talanji’s former friend, created the poison just within the last year [Shadows Rising, pg. 24 (hardcover edition)].

Spider mites are commonly found on spideroot, which may be how the plant came by its name [Quest: Growing the Farm I: A Little Problem].

Culexwood, which is remarkably soft and light, is coveted by the night fae for its many practical applications [Item: Culexwood Branch]. In most cases, it is usually carved into musical instruments or weapons [Item: Culexwood Longbow, Item: Culexwood Dagger, Item: Culexwood Knife]. Musical instruments made from culexwood are considered some of the finest, so much so that they are even offered as prizes in contests of skill and creativity among musicians [Item: Culexwood Pan Flute]. Culexwood is also an integral component of specially made totems used to relocate gormlings. However, it is worth noting the tree must give of its wood willingly for the totem to work [Quest: Gifts of the Forest].

The Venthyr’s love of gaudy ornamentation makes it no surprise that they cultivate a variety of beautiful flowers. Of these, one of the most popular seems to be the midnight rose, a lilac-colored bloom commonly seen all over Revendreth [NPC: Lord Silviu Dialogue]. This flower is more than just pretty decoration, however; midnight roses enable the Venthyr to move through the shadows quicker than normal [Buff: Midnight Rose]. That said, exactly how such an effect is achieved – whether via smell, ingestion, or some other means – is unclear.

Contrary to popular belief, most wild berries native to Azeroth are perfectly safe to eat. The frostberry bush that grows in Coldarra, for example, produces an edible fruit that Kirin Tor mages in the area harvested for sustenance when their own food stores were depleted during the Nexus War [Quest: Nuts for Berries, Item: Frostberries]. In addition to eating the frostberries raw, the mages also sometimes pressed them into juice [Item: Frostberry Juice].

Untouched by most anything except for nature in thousands of years, the greater Suramar region is home to a variety of different plant species that have grown unchecked. As such, the local flora has reclaimed many elven ruins in the area that were abandoned during the War of the Ancients. One of the most common plants seen in Suramar today is the morning glory vine, a type of weed typically found growing throughout many of the region’s ancient structures [Item: Morning Glory Vine].

The bloodberry bush is a wild plant that grows all over Azeroth. Although it is usually considered something of a nuisance wherever it sprouts, the bush’s berries are coveted by both chefs and alchemists [Quest: Open for Business]. Most commonly, chefs use bloodberries as a key ingredient in some culinary delicacies, the most famous of which is the bloodberry tart [Item: Bloodberry Tart, World of Warcraft: The Official Cookbook, pg. 149]. Alchemists, however, like to use bloodberries – specifically, a unique type of bloodberry native to the Isle of Quel’Danas – for another reason. When exposed to the energies of the Sunwell, the plant develops special properties that can then be distilled and made into an elixir that magnifies one’s abilities [Quest: Open for Business, Item: Bloodberry Elixir].

Hapless adventurers were once tricked by Greatmother Geyah into believing that telaari fronds were a key ingredient in an elixir that would allow them to see and commune with the spirits of the dead [Quest: Material Components]. As it turns out, however, the potion was merely a test of the adventurers’ dedication and actually had no real effects whatsoever [Quest: To Meet Mother Kashur].