Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Apple (Malus domestica )
Karen Apples originated in Central Asia and were domesticated 4000–10000 years ago in the Tian Shan mountains. From there they spread and by 1300 BC the Egyptians were planting orchards along…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Common Grape (Vitis vinifera)
Also called European grape, this deciduous woody vine is native to the riversides and damp woods in the Mediterranean region including central Europe, southwestern Asia, and north Africa. It is…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Common Oat (Avena sativa)
Common oat is an annual and a member of the grass family, Poaceae, that also includes barley, rice, and bamboo. The origin of common oat is obscure but probably arose…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Italian millet (Setaria italica aka Panicum italicum)
Also known as foxtail millet, this warm season annual grass is a member of the Poaceae family that also includes corn, rice and bamboo. It was first cultivated about 8,000…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Common Millet (Panicum miliaceum)
Also known as proso millet, this warm season annual is a member of the grass family, Poaceae, that also includes corn, rice, and bamboo. Archaeological evidence suggests that it was…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Six Row Barley (Hordeum vulgare)
This annual cereal grain is a member of the grass family, Poaceae, that also includes rice, corn, and bamboo. It was domesticated in the Fertile Crescent about 11,000 years ago…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Bitter Vetch (Vicia ervilia)
Bitter vetch is an annual and a member of the legume family, Fabaceae, that also includes pea, lupine, and mimosa. Archaeological evidence suggests that the earliest domestication of the plant…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Chestnut (Castanea sativa)
Also called sweet chestnut, Spanish chestnut, and European chestnut, this deciduous tree is native to mountainous woods in southern Europe and Asia Minor and is a member of the beech…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Aegean Wallflower (Erysimum cheiri)
Native to Greece, this perennial subshrub is often grown as an annual or biennial It is a member of the mustard family, Brassicaceae, that also includes cabbage, alyssum, and common…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Common Stock (Matthiola incana aka Cheiranthus incanus)
This tender annual is native to coastal areas of southern Europe, from the Balearics to former Yugoslavia, and is a member of the mustard family, Cruciferae, that also includes turnip,…