Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Pomegranate (Punica granatum)
Karen Native to Iran and Iraq, the pomegranate is a deciduous tree or shrub and a member of the loostrife family, Lythraceae, that also includes crepe myrtle, henna, and Cuphea. It…
Plant Profile: Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)
Also called rum cherry, and mountain black cherry, this deciduous tree is native to eastern North America, Pacific Northwest, Mexico, and Central America. It is a member of the rose…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Peach (Prunus persica)
A native of China, the peach is a small deciduous short-lived tree in the rose family, Rosaceae, and in the same genus as plums, cherries, almonds, and apricots. Peaches have…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Apricot (Prunus armeniaca)
This deciduous small tree is a member of the rose family, Rosaceae, that also includes cherry, almond, and lady’s mantle. It’s origin is uncertain but it was extensively cultivated in…
Plants of the Bible: White Sandalwood (Santalum album)
Also called Indian sandalwood, this semi-parsitic deciduous tree is native to southern India and Southeast Asia where it grows mostly in dry deciduous and scrub forests but can also be…
Plant Profile: Old World Plane Tree (Platanus orientalis)
Native to riparian sites of southeastern Europe to western Asia, this long-lived deciduous tree is also known as oriental plane and is a member of the small Platanaceae family that…
Plant Profile: Christ’s Thorn Jujube (Zizphus spina-christi)
Christ’s thorn jujube is a shrub or small tree native to Africa, the Levant, and southern and western Asia where it grows in a variety of habitats including deserts, semi-desert…
Plants of the Bible: Flowering Ash (Fraxinus ornus)
Native to southern Europe and Asia Minor, this deciduous tree is also called manna ash and is a member of the olive family, Oleaceae, that also includes privet, forsythia, and…
Trees for Watersides
A weeping willow tree planted beside a pond inspired Monet’s picture and still holds the attention of the thousands of tourists who visit Monet’s garden at Giverny. Water features can…
Plants of the Bible: White Poplar (Populus alba)
This suckering deciduous tree is native to moist areas in Europe and central Asia and is a member of the willow family (Salicaceae) that also includes aspen and cottonwood. With…