The association between English holly and the Virgin Mary has its origins in pagan times. The ancient Romans used holly in their celebration of the Saturnalia, a festival honoring Saturn,…
Also known as common holly, European holly, and Christmas holly this evergreen tree is native to western and southern Europe, northwest Africa, and southwest Asia where it grows in the…
Also known as hickory, mudgerabah, and Tasmanian blackwood, this evergreen tree is native to southeastern Australia including Tasmania, and is a member of the legume family, Fabaceae, that also includes…
Carob tree, also called St. John’s-bread and locust bean, is an evergreen tree and member of the pea family (Fabaceae) that also includes beans, lupines, and mimosa . It is…
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,…
Also known as umbrella pine and parasol pine, this coniferous evergreen tree is native to the Mediterranean region including southern Europe, Israel, Lebanon and Syria. It is a member of…
The olive was first cultivated from wild olive at the frontier between Turkey and Syria between 8,000 and 6,000 years ago. By 3000 BC it was cultivated by the Minoans…
The lemon is a small evergreen tree in the rue family, Rutaceae, that also includes curry tree, kumquat, and Skimmia. Native to Northeast India and Northern Myanmar, lemons probably are…
Egyptian balsam is a shrub or small tree native to much of Africa and parts of the the Middle East where it grows in arid and sub-arid tropics and subtropics…
Grown for thousands of years in the Mediterranean region, the common olive is a small evergreen tree and a member of the Oleaceae family that also includes lilacs, jasmine, and…
Karen Meyers 
Karen