Botany

Irises are beautiful flowers that have a wide variety of colours. Some are used to make orris root, which has a lovely scent but can cause an allergic response.

The Himalayan blackberry is a beautiful plant in spring and summer. It produces delicious blackberries, but it's an invasive species and grows aggressively.

Learn the different classification of plants (Plantae Kingdom) and what phylum they belong to. This article also includes each classification's characteristics, examples, and importance to the economy and the environment.

Tomatoes are nutritious and have an interesting history, but they often lack flavor compared to ones in the past. A new discovery and other methods should provide tastier tomatoes.

The giant hogweed causes burns and blisters. Grapefruit juice interferes with many medicines. The chemicals that cause these effects are called furanocoumarins.

The American sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) is an ornamental tree grown in BC. Its leaves are a gorgeous colour in autumn, but its spiky fruits may be a problem.

You think your barbeque mushroom skewer is safe? Alright, it is. But those delicious caps have some pretty badass cousins.

What is pollination? How does pollination occur? Does pollen serve a useful purpose or does it just make people sneeze? What is the difference between self-pollination and cross-pollination? What are pollinators? These are some of the many questions gardeners, kids and others have about pollination.

Maple trees belong to the genus Acer and family Sapindaceae. Maple trees are admired for their stunning display of fall leaf colors. This article is an in-depth look at the red maple, sugar maple, and silver maple trees.

Jackfruit trees produce huge fruits. Cacao seeds are used to make cocoa, but the trees are in trouble. Jackfruit seed powder may be a good substitute for cocoa.

The dragon blood tree of Socotra Island has an unusual appearance. It secretes a red resin known as dragon's blood when its bark is injured. The resin is used in many ways.

Buttercups and daisies are attractive wildflowers and a lovely part of summer. Daisies have edible parts that can be used in salads, but buttercups are toxic.

Unripe lychees and ackee fruits contain toxins. Both fruits should be eaten only when ripe. In addition, it's very important that ripe ackee is prepared properly.

Water hyacinth is a beautiful and invasive plant that causes major problems. It has the ability to act as a great biofuel, especially when combined with cow dung.

Goat's rue contains a chemical called galegine. Studying galegine enabled scientists to create the medication known as metformin. Metformin has multiple mechanisms of action in the body.

Trees are so much more than plants waiting to be turned into building materials and paper.