The hinny was a giant flower that resembled a bright blue buttercup with petals 10 feet (3 m) in diameter that remained closed in a ball-like shape for most of the year. The petals only opened for one day in the first week of spring, and there was a small pool of nectar inside. The nectar could be absorbed into the body, usually—but not always—with beneficial effects. If the flower's petals were opened artificially, it would disintegrate to dust, and the nectar would evaporate. The hinny only grew in the starwood area of the forest of Cormanthor.