Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Corn Poppy (Papaver rhoeas)
Karen Also known as common poppy, field poppy, and Flanders poppy, this annual wildflower is native from Africa to temperate and tropical Asia and Europe, and is a member of the…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Italian Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens)
Also known as Tuscan cypress, Persian cypress, Mediterranean cypress, and pencil pine, this evergreen coniferous tree is native to rocky mountain sites of the eastern Mediterranean region including parts of…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum)
Also known as Old Man, Lad’s Love and Maiden’s Ruin, this bushy evergreen sub-shrub is native to southern Europe, Africa, and parts of Asia, and is a member of the…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Hart’s Tongue Fern (Asplenium scolopendrium aka Phyllitis scolopendrium.)
A member of the spleenwort family (Aspleniaceae) this evergreen fern is native to central and southern Europe, western Asia, northern Africa and eastern North America where it often grows in…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Sacred Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)
The sacred lotus is an aquatic perennial native to Asia and cultivated in China for over 3000 years for its ornamental, medicinal, and culinary value. Although an exotic in Italy,…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Cucumus (Cucumber and Melons)
The genus Cucumis is in the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae, and includes at least two species valued by the ancient Romans for food: cucumber (Cucumis sativus,) and muskmellons (C. melo). Plant…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera)
Date palm is a tender evergreen tree that probably orginated in the Fertile Crescent and has been cultivated since 7,000 BC. It is a member of the palm family, Arecaceae,…
Plants of Ancient Pompei: Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo)
Native to the Mediterranean region and western Europe, this broadleaf evergreen shrub or small tree is a member of the heather family, Ericaceae, that also includes rhododendron, blueberry, and mountain…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Laurustinus (Viburnum tinus)
Laurustinus is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to shrubland and wooded rocky slopes of the Mediterranean area of Europe and northern Africa. It is a very attractive plant…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Sweet Bay (Laurus nobilis)
Also known as bay laural, this aromatic evergreen shrub or small tree is native to the Mediterranean region and a member of the laurel family, Lauraceae, that also includes sassafras,…