Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Lentil (Lens culinaris aka Lens esculenta)
Karen Lentil is an annual and a member of the bean family, Fabaceae, that also includes lupines, alfalfa, and black locust. It was first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent by 6,000…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Olive (Olea europaea)
The olive was first cultivated from wild olive at the frontier between Turkey and Syria between 8,000 and 6,000 years ago. By 3000 BC it was cultivated by the Minoans…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Lemon (Citrus limon)
The lemon is a small evergreen tree in the rue family, Rutaceae, that also includes curry tree, kumquat, and Skimmia. Native to Northeast India and Northern Myanmar, lemons probably are…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Garland Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum coronarium aka Glebionis coronaria)
Also known as crown daisy and edible chrysanthemum, this cool weather annual is native to the Mediterranean region and is a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes…
Plants of the Bible: Boxthorn (Lycium europaeum)
Also called European tea-tree, this deciduous shrub native to Mediterranean shrublands, is a member of the nightshade family, Solonaceae, that also includes tomato, eggplant, and tobacco. The spreading many branched…
Plants of the Bible: Olive (Olea europaea)
Grown for thousands of years in the Mediterranean region, the common olive is a small evergreen tree and a member of the Oleaceae family that also includes lilacs, jasmine, and…
Plants of the Bible: Tatarian orachea (Atriplex tatarica)
Native to saline and alkaline deserts of central and southern Europe to western and eastern Asia, this annual shrub is a member of the Amaranthaceae family that also includes spinach,…
Plants of the Bible: Atriplex dimorphostegia
This annual shrub is a member of the Amaranthaceae family that also includes spinach, beet, and celosia. It is native to western Asia from Arabia to Afghanistan and Tibet where…
Plant Profile: Christ’s Thorn (Paliurus spina-christi)
Also known as Jerusalem thorn, garland thorn, or crown of thorns, this deciduous shrub or small tree is native to the Mediterranean region and southwest and central Asia. It is…
Plants of the Bible: Tumble Thistle (Guendelia tournefortii)
Native to the semi-desert areas of the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle-East this herbaceous perennial is a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes daisy, yarrow and lettuce.…