Maqui Berry is also called Maquei, Wineberry, Chilean blackberry and Chilean wineberry, which is inherent to ancient temperate rainforest on the coast of Southern Chile that extends to Patagonian Argentina. The tree is dioecious, evergreen and thin trunked which grows upto 4 to 5 meters high and elevations upto 2500 meters. The small flowers are white which blooms from September to December. Berries are 4 to 5 mm in diameter whose color ranges from dark red to deep purple. It provides sweet and pleasant taste. The rich color is featured to anthocyanins which act as a powerful antioxidant. The pigment…
Author: Sylvia
Pummelo scientifically known as Citrus maxima, is native to Southeast Asia (Thailand and Malaysia). Reportedly it was introduced to China around 100 B.C. It is cultivated widely in Southern China, Southern Thailand, Southernmost Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Southern India, New Guinea, Indonesia and Tahiti. It is believed to have been brought to New World in late 17th century. In the end of 17th century, fruit was cultivated in Jamaica and Barbados. Pomelo is also known as Forbidden fruit, Pomelo, Paradise apple, Shaddock, Pummelo, Citrus Species, Chinese Grapefruit, Pumello and Pamplemousse. It is the medium sized tree and largest among all species…
Sugarcane plant grows in tropical and warm climates. Belonging to the family Poaceae, this plant grows upto 2 to 6 meters (6 to 20 feet) tall. Stems are green, purple or pinkish of 5 m high. The plant bears green and elongated leaves of 12 to 24 inches long and 2 inches wide. It bears bisexual flowers. Other common names for sugar cane are Sugar Cane ‘Badila’, Saccharum and Purple Sugar Cane. It was firstly grown in Asia and after year 700 people started to plant it in Africa and Southern Europe and later it spread to Australia and America.…
Polygala Senega commonly known as Senega root, Seneca snakeroot, Senega, senega snakeroot, senegaroot, rattlesnake root, and mountain flax and Milkwort is a species of flowering plant in the milkwort family, Polygalaceae. The plant is native to North America, where it is distributed in southern Canada and the central and eastern United States. It can be found from Newfoundland to Alberta in Canada and from New England to Georgia and Arkansas and west to Dakota in the United States. The name of the genus, Polygala, means ‘much milk,’ alluding to its own profuse secretions and their effects. ‘Senega’ is derived from…
Tamarind is a multipurpose, perennial and evergreen tree which belongs to family Fabaceae and sub family Caselapinoideae. It is inherent to tropical Africa and got naturalized in over 50 countries worldwide. India and Thailand are the major production areas in Asian countries and also found in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Thailand. Mexico and Costa Rica are the biggest producers in America. Gambia, Senegal, Zambia and Tanzania are the minor producing countries in Africa. The tree is large reaching upto 80 feet in height bearing long and heavy drooping branches and dense foliage. It produces curvy and bean shaped fruit…
Skullcap is the name of a flowering perennial plant from the mint family, Lamiaceae. With the scientific name Scutellaria lateriflora, this plant can be found in North America’s wet habitats. Although it is widely distributed throughout large regions of North America, there are related species found as far away as China. There are a few names for skullcap, including hoodwort, quaker bonnet, helmet flower, European skullcap, greater skullcap, American skullcap, blue skullcap, blue pimpernel, hooded willow herb, side-flowering skullcap, mad dog weed and mad weed and Virginian Skullcap. Genus name comes from the Latin word scutella meaning a small dish…
Olives are a small fruit which grow on olive trees scientifically known as Olea europaea. It shares the group of fruit called stone fruits or drupes and are related to cherries, mangoes, almonds, pistachios and peaches. Literally, hundreds of varieties of Olive trees could be found which shares the same scientific name Olea eruopea. Olea is a Latin term for oil which shows the high content of oil in this food. This tree is native to Mediterranean, Africa and Asia. The species name europea is highlighted with its Mediterranean origins considering the north shore of Mediterranean Sea is deliberated as…
Saw palmetto is also known by its scientific name, Serenoa repens is a type of fan palm that usually grows together in clumps and it mainly grows along the Gulf Coast of the United States. Its common names are Scrub Palmetto, Silver Saw Palmetto, American dwarf palm tree, Cabbage palm, Sabal, fan palm, and scrub palm, Sabal Fructus, Fructus Serenoae, Sägepalmenfrüchte, Sägepalme and Old Man’s Best Friend. The plant is native to subtropical Southeastern United States, most commonly along the south Atlantic and Gulf Coastal plains and sand hills. It is the only member of the Serenoa genus that have…
Rhodiola rosea commonly known as Rhodiola, golden root, rose root, roseroot, western roseroot, Aaron’s rod, arctic root, king’s crown, lignum rhodium, orpin rose, Sedum Species, Golden Root, Roseroot Stonecrop, Rosewort, Hong Jing Tian and Rosenroot is a perennial flowering plant in the family Crassulaceae. It grows naturally in the mountainous regions of the southwestern parts of China and the Himalayas, but now it is commonly found in Scandinavia, Iceland, Greenland, United Kingdom, Ireland and North America, and can be propagated as a groundcover. The common name rose root refers to the roots having the scent of rose petals, and the…
Mango scientifically known as Mangifera indica L., is a flowering plant species in poison ivy and sumac family Anacardiaceae. Native to Indian subcontinent, it is inherent and cultivated varieties are introduced to other warm regions of the world. Mangoes are an evergreen tree which measures 10 to 30 m tall and trunk circumference of above 12 feet with dense crown, symmetrical and rounded canopy which ranges from low and dense to upright and open trunk and dense taproot. It has glabrous and brown branchlets. Leaves are alternate which borne in petioles of 2 to 6 cm long and is shallowly…
Queen’s delight scientifically known as Stillingia sylvatica, commonly known as Stillingia , nettle potato, marcory , cockup-hat , Indian flea root, Queen’s Delight, Queen’s Root, Silver Leaf, Yaw Root, Albero Del Sego, Sevo Vegetal, Racine Royale, Raíz de la Reina, Stillingia, Stillingia sylvatica, Stillingia tenuis is a perennial herb, belonging to the family Euphorbiaceae. Queen’s delight is indigenous to huge areas in the southern United States and the herb is found growing from Virginia south to Florida plus Texas and westwards to south-eastern Colorado. The plant was named after Dr. B. Stillingfleet. Queen’s Delight is not one of the usual…
Other common names of Fragaria X ananassa are Garden Strawberry, Large- Fruited Strawberry, Hybrid Strawberry, Pine Strawberry, Strawberries, Pineapple strawberry and Strawberry. It belongs to the genus Rosaceae which consists about 3,400 species that includes apples, berries, plums, peaches, cherries, the mountain ash and the hawthorn tree. It is a low herbaceous perennial plant which possesses compound leaves having three hairy and sawtooth edged leaflets. The white flowers grow on thin stalks in clusters. Additionally, seeds which are produced by these flowering plants are spread by stolons when they get older. Strawberry is an aggregate accessory fruit which means that…
Quassia amara commonly known as Quassia, Bitter Quassia, Amargo, Bitter-ash, Bitter-wood, Jamaica Quassia, Bitter Bark, Quassia Bark and Quassia Wood is a small evergreen shrub or rarely a small tree native to Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, Brazil, Peru, Venezuela, Suriname, Colombia, Argentina, French Guiana and Guyana. It is a member of the Simaroubaceae family. Linnaeus named it after the botanist who first described it, the former slave from Surinam, Kwasimukamba, also known as Graman Quacy. He was a healer who supposedly discovered the medicinal properties of its wood and used it as a secret remedy for the cure of malignant…
Pasque-flower scientifically known as Pulsatilla vulgaris belongs to the Buttercup family (Ranunculaceae), and is closely related to the genus Anemone. The plant is native to northern and central Europe and western Asia. Other common names of Pasque flower are common passe flower, Dane’s blood, windflower, Prairie Crocus, meadow anemone , pulsatilla , Easter flower, wild crocus, April fools , badgers , blue money , blue tulip , cat’s eyes , Coventry bells , Dane’s flower , dream herb , flaw flower , flower of the wind , gosling , hart’s horn plant , headache plant, lion’s beard , mayflower ,…
Prunus domestica is also called Common Plum, Gage, European Plum, Garden Plum, Prune, Plum and Prune Plum. Prune belongs to species Prunus domestica L. and family Rosaceae. More than hundred species of plum are sophisticated throughout the world in temperate regions since prehistoric times. The dried plums are known as prunes. China is regarded as the leading producer of plum in the world. The plum trees are small to medium sized. It bears leaves of ovate or elliptical shape with acute and obtuse tips, crenulate margins and short petioles. The small flowers are white with longer pedicles and born…
Populus tremuloides commonly known as quaking aspen, American Aspen, Poplar, Quaking aspen, White Poplar, trembling aspen, golden aspen, mountain aspen, popple, trembling poplar, popple and aspen is a deciduous tree native to cooler areas of North America, one of several species referred to by the common name Aspen. It has the widest geographical distribution of any North American tree, being indigenous to Alaska and most of Canada, the Pacific Northwest, New England, the Great Lakes and south in the Rockies to New Mexico and Arizona. Aspen (Populus tremuloides), is a member of the Salicaceae or willow family. The species often…
Prickly Ash scientifically known as Zanthoxylum americanum is a shrub or small deciduous aromatic tree, of the Rutaceae (citrus) family. The plant is native to central and eastern portions of the United States and Canada. It is the northernmost New World species in the Citrus family, and is part of the same genus as Sichuan pepper. Other common names of prickly ash are Common Pricklyash, Northern Prickly-ash, Toothache Tree, Yellow Wood, Suterberry, chuan jiao, Toothache Bark, Pepper Wood and Suterberry. Genus name comes from the Greek words xanthos meaning yellow and xylon meaning wood for the color of the heartwood…
Pineapple with its botanical name Ananas comosus belongs to family Bromeliaceae possesses various health promoting properties. Pineapples are wide cylindrical in shape, have scaly green, yellow or brown skin and spiny blue to green leaves. The plant is tolerable to drought and grows upto 5 feet tall and bears fruit of 15 to 25 cm long with spiky and tough exterior. The fruit weighs upto 2.5 kg. It has sweet and tart taste. Pineapples are also known as Common Edible Pineapple, Ananas Bromeliad, Abarba, Ananas, Anana, Anaras, Andras, Anarash, Aneh, Apangdang, Annasi, Bonat, Bhuin kathar, Danas, Kanas, Ennanansi and Maneas.…
Pleurisy root, is also known by many other names including butterfly weed (it is the food of both Monarch and Queen butterfly larvae), Canada root, chigger flower, flux root, Indian paintbrush, Indian posy, orange milkweed, orange swallow-wort, silky swallow-wort (also used for the closely related common milkweed), tuber root, white root, wind root and yellow milkweed, Butterfly Love, Butterflyweed, Rolfs’ milkweed, silkweed and Butterfly Milkweed. The herb is scientifically known as Asclepias tuberose, and is predominantly found in the eastern North American land and in parts of Canada, it is widely distributed throughout Ontario to Minnesota, southward to Florida, Texas…
Papaya is an herbaceous plant which belongs to the family Caricaceae and was originated in Central America and also cultivated in tropical areas of the world for its sweet and large melon like fruits. The term papaya also specifies the fruit of other Carica species such as C. stipulate and C. pubescens and their various hybrids. Papaya is also known as Mamon, Melon-tree, Paw paw, Pawpaw, Tree melon, Mummy Apple, Mamão and Melon Tree. The plant has hollow and green or purple stem which grows up to the height of 1.8-3 m in a year and could reach to…
Plantain herb scientifically known as Plantago major is a low growing perennial plant belonging to the Plantaginaceae or the plantain family. The plant is native to most of Europe and northern and central Asia, but has widely naturalized elsewhere in the world. Other common names of plantain herb is Common plantain, Plantain, Rat’s Tails, Travellers Foot, Waybread, Cuckoo’s Bread, cart truck plant, white man’s foot, broadleafed plantain, buckthorn plantain, grand plantain, ripple grass, rippleseed plantain, Slan-lus, snake weed, Englishman’s foot, weybroed, wagbread and dooryard plantain. In some circles plantain is observed as a weed, but it’s actually one of the…
Pilewort (Ranunculus Ficaria) medicinal herb also referred to as Fireweed, Double Lesser Celendine, Pilewort, Fig Buttercup, Small Celandine, Butterblume, Figwort, Smallwort, Tree Celandine, Celandine Poppy, is a perennial herbaceous plant used as herbal medicine since ancient times. It is a low growing flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. Pilewort is native to Europe and eastern Asia. It was introduced into North America many years ago (seemingly for ornamental purposes), but has now naturalized in 19 states in the Northeast, the Pacific Northwest and eastern Canada. Genus name comes from a medieval plant name probably from Ficus (fig) in reference…
Kiwifruit belongs to Actinidia genus which has 5 to 6 dozen species of climbers in Actinidiaceae family. It is well known for its edible fruits they produce but some species are used for ornamental purposes and also a source of traditional medicines. Kiwifruit is a dioecious and woody vine which grows upto 10 m in length. The vine has white to cream colored flowers which gives way to oval fruit. Flowers are pollinated by insects and blooms during summer. Fruits are egg shaped measuring 55 to 70 mm long and have green flesh which is covered with light brown skin.…
Prunus domestica, commonly known as common Plum, European Plum, Gage, Garden Plum, Plum, Prune and Prune Plum is a juicy and delicious fruits that belong to the genus Prunus of the Rosaceae family which also includes peaches, apricots, and nectarines. The plant is native to Southwest Asia. It is an ancient domesticated species, known only in cultivation, that is now cultivated in temperate areas worldwide for its fruit. The species, which was first recorded in cultivation by the Syrians and then the Romans, and spread to western Europe during the Crusades, is likely derived from one or a combination…
Citrus reticulate is a small fruit tree which belongs to citrus family Rutaceae which was originated in Northeastern India and Southwestern China. The tree bears lanceolate leaves measuring 3 cm long and white aromatic and star shaped flowers that grow in 2 or 3 clusters. The sweet smell of the flower attracts bees. Leaves are long, shiny and dark green. Flowers are replaced by the round and orange colored fruit which measures about 7.5 cm (3 in) in diameter. Inside the tough and shiny skin, the pulp divided into 10 to 14 segments. The trees are able to tolerate sandy…
Sicana odorifera, commonly known as Cassabanana, casbanan, sikana, and musk cucumber, Melocoton, Fragrant melon is the only species of the genus Sicana and is a member of Cucurbitaceae (squash) family, so is a relative of the kiwano or horned melon, honey melons, watermelons, butternut squash, bottle gourds, the ash gourd or petha, cucumbers, courgettes, and marrows. It is a large, herbaceous perennial vine native to tropical South America, grown as an ornamental plant and for its sweet edible fruit. Plant Description Musk cucumber is a large, herbaceous perennial, fast growing vine that grows about 50 ft. (15 m) or more…
Banana melon which looks like a cross between a papaya and a banana is actually a sister of cantaloupe and cousin of cucumber. It not only looks like a banana but also has a hint of banana taste together with cantaloupe, as well as a hint of banana aroma. It has a salmon-colored flesh, much like cantaloupe and a yellow rind. Banana melon plant prefers full sunlight location with well-drained soil for good production. Some say it gets its name from the shape and some say it has a banana like flavor. This melon is wonderful as a dessert or…
Carissa macrocarpa also known as Natal plum big num-num, Amatungulu and grootnoem-noem is native to South Africa and is also planted in some parts of America. It is a member of the Dogbane or Apocynaceae family. Fruit can be eaten fresh or can also be cooked. People enjoy the Carissa fruit raw or in jellies, jams, pies, and sauces. They taste like a slightly sweet cranberry with the texture of a ripe strawberry, but many people say like a slightly unripe cherry. The entire plant except for its red colored fruit is poisonous. Only the fruit of this plant is…
Cantaloupe is a scrambling and climbing annual plant of gourd family Cucurbitaceae. The size, texture, rind, shapes and flavor varies according to the species of fruit. Being an annual plant, it completes its life cycle in a year. Botanically the fruit of cantaloupe looks and also tastes like cucumber. Stems are attired with wavy margined, rough-pubescent and irregularly lobed leaves which measures 6 inches across. The plant has alternately arranged leaves. Flowers then turn into slender fruits with thin rinds. Fruits are consumed without peeling. It has orange, moderately sweet and firm flesh with lightly brown and thin rinds. The…
Parsley piert scientifically known as Aphanes arvensis is a tiny plant that can be easily overlooked in its wild habitat, as it grows only to around four inches high. It is also known as Field Parsley Piert, Parsley Piercestone, Field Lady’s Mantle, Alchemilla arvensis Scop, Field Lady’s Mantle, Parsley Breakstone and Aphanes arvensis. The plant is a member of Rosaceae or rose family of plants and is also related to the soft fruit, plums, peaches, apricots, loquats, sloes, quinces, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries as well as to almonds, apples, pears, the dog rose and a whole host of other plants. The…