Botany

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

The fate of an American landmark is one of the saddest stories in recent history. The American Chestnut tree was an integral part of the forest landscape when settlers arrived on American shores. However after a airborne virus was introduced, the trees were wiped out by the billions.

Dandelions have culinary benefits and also produce a latex that can be used to make rubber. This is important, since the supply of natural rubber is decreasing.

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. The island is home to other fascinating and often unique organisms besides the tree.

Plants are a beautiful part of nature, a benefit to life on earth. They affect the food supply and the air we breath. The Manchineel Tree is a poisonous example of plant life. Marked in the Guiness World Book of Records as the most dangerous tree on earth, one bite of its fruit may be fatal.

It is said that the “Speed” kills, but in terms of well-fed future and better plant’s productivity to survive drought conditions, then Speed is the key solution. The climate change and the growing human population have increased questions to future global food security.

This article summaries how the pineapple caused a sensation when introduced to Europeans in the late 1400s, and why the love and fascination for the fruit hasn't diminished to the present day.

I am in awe of our world of nature, particularly the tree kingdom. Visit any local arboretum and just experience them and you will think twice about the legacy you leave. Don't litter, be kind to the earth and appreciate what you have.

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.

Many crocuses bloom in the early spring and are a lovely sight. One type makes saffron. The toxic autumn crocus makes colchicine, which can act as a medicine.

The bunya pine produces huge and often very heavy cones. Its large seeds are both edible and tasty. The tree has a strange appearance and some unusual features.

The rainbow eucalyptus is an unusual tree with a beautiful, multicoloured trunk. The trunk's colours change as the tree sheds strips of bark, creating living art.

Western red cedar (or western redcedar) is a common and important tree in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The tree was once very significant in First Nations culture and has some interesting features.

The monkey puzzle tree is a very strange and interesting plant. It's native to South America but grows in parks and gardens in other areas as an introduced plant.

A humble, misunderstood, and unappreciated vegetable, the rutabaga needs a spin doctor to improve its image; I am not here to provide that service.

Wild relatives of some major agricultural crops are in trouble. We need the genetic diversity in wild crops and the lower diversity present in cultivated ones to provide food security for the future.