Common woods that wands are made from, and birth months/days commonly associated with them.  Many wandmakers (including Ollivander), prefer to match wand woods with this table, so it is very common.  Other woods may be used. (Note: Dates are in m/d format)<br/><br/>Apple Tree: 6/25 - 7/4, 12/23 - 1/1<br/>Ash: 5/25 - 6/3, 11/22 - 12/01<br/>Beach Tree: 12/22<br/>Birch: 6/24<br/>Cedar: 8/14 - 8/23, 29/9 - 2/18<br/>Chestnut: 5/15 - 5/24, 11/12-11/21<br/>Cypress: 7/26 - 8/4, 1/25 - 2/3<br/>Elm: 7/15 - 7/25, 1/12 - 1/24<br/>Fig: 6/14 - 6/23, 12/12 - 12/21<br/>Fir: 7/5 - 7/14, 1/2 - 1/11<br/>Hazelnut: 3/22 - 3/31, 9/24 - 10/3<br/>Hornbeam: 6/4 - 6/13, 12/2 - 12/11<br/>Lime: 9/3 - 9/12, 3/1 - 3/10<br/>Maple: 4/11/ - 4/20/, 10/14/ - 10/23<br/>Mountain Ash: 4/1 - 4/10, 10/4 - 10/13<br/>Oak: 3/21<br/>Olive: 9/23<br/>Pine: 8/24 - 9/2, 2/19 - 2/29<br/>Poplar: 2/4 - 2/8, 8/5 - 8/13<br/>Walnut: 4/21 - 4/30, 10/24 - 11/11<br/>Willow: 9/3 - 9/12, 3/1 - 3/10<br/>Yew: 11/3 - 11/11<br/><br/>Descriptions of the magical properties of various wand woods can be found here http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Wand_woods (http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Wand_woods)<br/><br/>Cores:<br/><br/>Ollivander only uses three items as cores, which he terms Supreme Cores http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Supreme_Cores (http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Supreme_Cores)<br/>Dragon heartstring<br/>Phoenix feather<br/>Unicorn tail hair<br/><br/>Other known cores (most made up by me)<br/>Veela hair (best for those with veela blood, temperamental results)<br/>Kneazle whiskers (best for independent types)<br/>Dittany stalks (useful for healing, but rather expensive)<br/>Kelpie manes (cruel people do better with it)<br/>Chimaera fur (best for temperamental people)<br/>Any winged horse (better for charms)<br/>Shrake spines (mischevious types)<br/>Salamander blood (healing, difficult to use)<br/>Nogtail tail (Curses, favors those who scheme)<br/>Niffler snout (greed and ambition, conjuration)<br/>Knarl quills (vengeful types)<br/>Glumbumble legs (Sorrowful types)<br/>Billywig stingers (carefree types)<br/>Ramora Scale (More difficult to disarm)<br/>Jobberknoll feather (better with quiet types)<br/>Grindylow finger (larger wands only, nothing narrow or stout, belligerant types)<br/>Diricrawl feathers (better with apparating)<br/><br/>Note that no woods or cores offer direct bonuses and are mainly for flavor.<br/><br/>Words commonly used to describe wands (from most to least flexible)<br/><br/>- Whippy<br/>- Swishy<br/>- Flexible<br/>- Springy<br/>- Supple<br/>- Sturdy<br/>- Inflexible<br/>- Rigid<br/><br/>Length:<br/><br/>Most wands are between 9-14 inches long. Wandmakers often match the wand length to the height of witch or wizard who will use it, but Ollivander considers this measure inadequate. In his experience, longer wands tend to be drawn to bigger personalities whereas shorter wands suit people whose character lacks something.