Plants of the Bible: Pomegranate (Punica granatum)
Karen A native Iran and Iraq, the pomegranate is a deciduous tree or shrub that has been grown since ancient times and is widely cultivated for the juicy seeds of its…
Gardens in Art: Lovers in the Garden
This manuscript illumination by Pietro Crescenzi show two lovers siting on a turf bench inside an enclosed garden. The garden has high walls that provides both protection and privacy. The…
Plants of the Bible: Cucumber (Cucumis sativus)
Originally native to south Asia, cucumber has been cultivated for at least 3,000 years. It is an annual creeping vine with hairy stems carrying hairy triangular leaves on long petioles.…
Plants of the Bible: Corncockle (Agrostemma githago)
Corncockle is an upright annual native to Europe where it grows in disturbed sites such as fields and roadsides. It was considered a weed of wheat fields until the twentieth…
Plants of Colonial Williamsburg: Sweet Marjoram (Origanum majorana aka Majorana hortensis)
A native of North Africa and Southwest Asia, marjoram is a tender perennial and a member of the mint family, Labiatae, that also includes basil, rosemary and beebalm. Plants form…
Plants of the Bible: Spikenard (Nardostachys jatamansi)
Also called nard, nardin and muskroot, this aromatic herbaceous perennial is native to the montane and subalpine zones of the Himalayas where it grows on steep, grassy slopes. Growing 4-20″…
Plants of the Bible: Myrrh Tree(Commiphora abyssinic)
This woody perennial tree or shrub is native to northeast Africa and the Arabian peninsula and is a member of the Torchwood family, Burseraceae, that also includes frankincense. Plants may…
Plants of the Bible: Aloe (Aloe vera aka Aloe barbadensis)
Best known as aloe vera, this evergreen succulent perennial may be native to the Canary Islands, Madeira, and the Cape Verde Islands or the Arabian Peninsula. Plants grow 2-3′ high…
Gardens in Art: Monastic Garden-Il Fior de Virtu
This woodcut of a monastic garden is the title page from a Florentine verison of Il Fior de Virtu (Flower of Virtue) dating from 1491 and drawn up by friar…
Plants of the Bible: Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus aka Curcurbita citrullus)
Archaeological and artistic evidence suggests that ancient Egyptians enjoyed eating watermelons over 3,500 years ago. A tiny fragment of a watermelon leaf as well as tomb paintings indicate that the…