Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera)
Karen 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,…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Downy Oak (Quercus pubescens)
Native to dry, lime-rich soils of southern Europe, parts of central Europe, and southwest Asia, this deciduous tree thrives in submediterranean climates where summers are dry and hot and the…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Pomegranate (Punica granatum)
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: Fig (Ficus carica)
Native to the Middle East and Asia this deciduous shrub or small tree is a member of the mulberry family, Moraceae, that also includes banyan, breadfruit, and Osage-orange. The edible…
Plants of Ancient Pompei: Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium)
Also known as wild cherry, and bird cherry, this deciduous flowering tree is native to Europe, northern Africa, and southwestern Asia, and is the main ancestor of the cultivated cherry.…
Plants of Pompeii: Onion (Allium cepa)
Native to Asia, the common onion is a biennial or perennial usually grown as an annual It is in the same genus as chives, garlic, and leek, and is the…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Olive (Olea europaea)
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…
Plants of the Bible: Tumble Thistle (Guendelia tournefortii)
Native to the semi-desert areas of the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle-East this herbaceous perennial is a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes daisy, yarrow and lettuce.…
Plants of the Bible: Eaglewood (Aquilaria agallocha aka A. malaccensis)
Also known as agarwood, this large evergreen tree is native to Northeast India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and parts of Southeast where it grows as an undercanopy tree mainly in the plains…