Plant Profile: Lentil (Lens culinaris aka Lens esculenta)
Karen Lentil is a cool season annual domesticated in the Fertile Cresent and dating back to 7500-6500 BC. It is a member of the bean family, Fabaceae, that also includes means,…
Plant Profile: Common Millet (Panicum miliaceum)
Also known as proso millet, broomcorn millet, hog millet, red millet, and white millet, this warm weather annual grass is native to northern China and is a member of the…
Plant Profile: Mediterranean Saltwort (Atriplex halimus)
Also known as sea orache, this halophitic evergreen shrub is native to coastal areas of the Mediterranean Basin, North and East African and the Arabian Peninsula, and is a member…
Plants of the Bible: Leek (Allium porrum)
Native to the eastern Mediterranean and Middle East, leek is a biennial and are related to onion, garlic, and daffodil. It grows 2-3′ tall and consists of a bundle of…
Plant Profile: Ebony (Diospyros ebenum)
Native to the hot, humid coastal lowland forests of India, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia, this evergreen tree is a member of the family Ebenaceae that also includes persimmon. The tree…
Plant Profile: Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium)
Also known as absinthe, this wood-based subshrub is native to Mediterranean Europe, temperate regions of Asia, and northern Africa where it grows in dry open areas, often on rocky slopes.…
Plant Profile: Bridal Veil Broom (Retama monosperma aka Genista monosperma aka Spartium monosperma aka Lygos monosperma)
This deciduous flowering shrub is native to the Mediterranean region where it grows in coastal scrub often on sand dunes, and is a member of the pea family, Fabaceae, that…
Plant Profile: Colocynth (Citrullus colocynthis)
This evergreen tender perennial vine is native to the sandy arid soils of the Mediterranean Basin and Asia, and goes by many common names including bitter apple, bitter cucumber, desert…
Plant Profile: Pistachio (Pistachia vera)
Native to the Middle East this small deciduous tree is a member of cashew family, Anacardiaceae, that also includes mango, poison ivy, sumac, and smoke tree. With a spreading growth…
Plant Profile: Twisted Acacia (Acacia raddiana aka Vachellia tortilis aka Acacia tortilis)
Also known as umbrella thorn and Israeli babool, this mediium to large tree is native to arid and semi-arid regions of Africa but grows also in the Middle East including…