Subject: I think the same thing about wand wood might apply to broom wood.
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Posted on: 2023-04-09 17:51:16 UTC
Just like only a few individual speciments of a plant species can provide wand-quality wood, it might be that only a few individual speciments have enough magical potential to work well in a broom. Likely still less than wand-quality wood (and so likely not attracting Bowtruckles), but the "individually selected birch twigs" might be so because they're not just aerodynamically selected, but also magically selected - and it makes sense since it is implied that is the "tail" of the broom that affects speed and maneuverability (and, let's face it, it's magic that keeps them up).
The Firebolt itself is an example of that - I remember reading somewhere that it is also available with hazel twigs as an alternative to birch ones, birch giving better climbing while hazel gives more precise handling. While the handling can be justified non-magically with, say, a different flexibility of the wood, the only way the birch twigs give more climbing power is through them providing better magical thrust.
And it makes sense for both options to be available - different flyers might prefer different behaviours. I suspect birch twigs are preferred by Quidditch players (though not by all of them), while those who buy the Firebolt as if it was a "sports bike" and would use it for travelling are more likely to prefer the hazel twigs at the tamer handling make for a less fatiguing flight.
While I'm at it, nice chapter! While slower and with less "stakes", it does a very good job at worldbuilding.