CHRYSANTHEMUM is a genus of about 100 species of plants in the family Compositae. The chrysanthemum has been cultivated in the Far East for more than 2500 years. It is the national flower of Japan, It was introduced into England in 1789 and was taken to the United States in the early 19th century, from […]

Poppy (pop’e) is the common name of many species of plants of the poppy family. All of them have milky or colored juice and usually showy flowers. Some poppies grow wild in almost every country in the North Temperate Zone. Several kinds are raised in gardens for their large, many-tinted flowers. Oriental poppies, natives of […]

Lavender is the name of about 20 species of small bushes that bear fragrant flowers and leaves. Lavender belongs to the mint family. It grows wild in Mediterranean countries and is widely cultivated. Lavender bushes grow from 3 to 4 feet (91 to 120 centimeters) high. They have long, narrow, pale-green leaves and pale purple […]

Licorice, a well-known flavor, is a product of the long, sweet root of a plant of the pea family. The plant, called common or Spanish licorice, is a perennial. It grows three to five feet tall, with pale blue, pea like flowers, and leaves of 9 to 17 leaflets. A native of southern Europe and […]

Caper, is a pickled flower bud used as a seasoning in salads and in sauces, including tartar sauce. The buds come from a low, trailing shrub called the caper bush that grows primarily in the Mediterranean countries. The caper bush blooms early in summer and has pinkish-white flowers with four petals. The unopened buds are […]

GERANIUM is a plant of the family Geraniaceae. There are more than 300 species that are grouped together into three genera. The true geraniums are dainty wild flowers which grow in all temperate climates. The pelargonium’s are showy flowers which are raised in summer gardens and winter window boxes. They are usually, but incorrectly, called […]

Heliotrope is any plant belonging to the genus Heliotropium. The name is given also to one species (V. officianalis), called the garden heliotrope, of the genus Valeriana. More than 220 species of Heliotropium are known. They are all small, herblike or shrub like plants that grow from one to four feet high. They have oval […]

DAISY. Poets have been inspired by the daisy. Everyone knows some species or other. It may be the common white oxeye field daisy, or black-eyed Susan with its yellow-ray flowers, or the English daisy, a dwarf with pink or white rays and a golden center. The daisy takes its name from the early English description […]

Ginger is a reed like tropical plant of the family Zingiberaceae. The rhizome, or underground stem, of the plant, Zingiber officinale, is an important spice. Ginger is believed to be native to tropical Asia. It has been grown and used in India and China since ancient times. Spanish conquerors first took ginger to the West […]

Static electricity. Statice, is a name commonly applied to sea lavenders, a group of herbs or shrubs used in rock gardens and flower bed borders. Sea lavenders grow wild throughout the world, especially in salt marshes and desert or semi desert regions. Their purple, rose, white, or yellow flowers are often dried and made into […]

Queen Anne’s lace. The tiny flowers of the wild carrot grow in umbellate (“little umbrellas”) to form a flat topped cluster that looks like lace. They give the weed its prettiest nickname—Queen Anne’s lace. The flowers usually are white, but they may be faint pink or pale greenish yellow. The central flower, when the blossoms […]

Goldenrod is a plant of the family Compositae. There are about 120 species, mostly native to North America. The goldenrod is often spoken of as the national flower of the United States, and in several states it has been adopted as the state flower. The numerous species vary in many ways. They grow on mountains […]

DAFFODIL, a member of the Amaryllidaceae family, is a common flowering plant. Narcissus is the name of the genus that includes daffodils, narcissuses, and jonquils. Narcissus and daffodil are both correct common names for all species. Jonquils are daffodils with small, fragrant yellow flowers, several growing on a stem. All daffodils grow from bulbs. Most […]

EUCALYPTUS. Of the interesting trees which grow in Australia, none has been adopted by the outside world with such enthusiasm as the eucalyptus. This tall, hardy, heavily leaved tree, a member of the myrtle fitfully, has been introduced successfully into Europe, Algeria, Egypt, India, South America, and southern United States. With its tall, straight trunk […]