Plant Basics

Warm season grasses are those that mature and go to seed during the warm seasons of the year, i.e., summer into early fall. Two dominant grasses in tallgrass prairie are big bluestem and Indian...

According to Cornell University (CU), Ribes are a very diverse genus with hundreds of varieties that differ in plant size and form. Commonly known as gooseberries and currants, Ribes species (in...

Edible mushrooms are used in cooking to add an earthy flavor to foods. Inedible mushrooms are tasteless, unpalatable, or even poisonous, and can sometimes resemble edible mushrooms. Unfortunately,...

Over the centuries, many plant species existed but, as years passed, became extinct. When plants become extinct, they can throw off the entire ecosystem. That is why many U.S. states and countries...

Butterfly bush is the common name of Buddleja or Buddleia, a genus of flowering plants that includes about 100 species. These shrubs are cherished worldwide for their flowers, which are attractive...

Crown Vetch is an introduced species that has become an invasive plant, problematic due to its ability to take over an area and shade out other plants. Crown vetch is a member of the legume family...

Lotus seeds are a delicacy in many places, and can be made into several delicious dishes of both Indian and Chinese cuisine, where they've been used for several thousands of years. In China, they...

Outbreeding depression is a scientific term that refers to when two distant relatives of the same species produce offspring less fit than themselves. These hybrids are generally eradicated through...

Problems with plants can be a huge task when it comes to identifying a specific area or species. Although all plants receive their nutrients through soil, sunlight and water, the specifics are as...

Sea grass is a general name for species of angiosperms, or flowering plants, which are capable of living underwater. Sea grasses play an important role in marine ecosystems and coastal economies.

Elodea, sometimes called anacharis, is the Latin name for a family of water weeds often used in aquariums and ponds. These plants can escape into the wild and some variants are considered an...

Every fall, billions of seeds are released by millions of plants to become future trees, flowers, vegetables and weeds. Like most children, seeds move away from home. But they do it at an...

There are very few countries on Earth that are blessed with the natural resources contained in India. While ancient civilizations used this resourceful country in moderation, industrialization has...

Ecosystems are not static. The living components drive change. Plant dominance fluctuates. Once-ascendant species decline. New species are introduced. Human activities also shape communities. What...

While it may be relatively easy to determine what family a particular plant belongs to, identifying the exact species can be extremely difficult. In many cases it may even be necessary to collect...

The sheer diversity of tropical flora is nothing less than astounding. It is, in fact, estimated that as many as sixty percent of the world's plant species live in tropical rain forests alone....

Plants have adapted to all types of freshwater aquatic life. Many species have developed specialized coping abilities to take advantage of the less than favorable wet conditions and are often able...

In the plant kingdom, angiosperms, or plants that produce flowers, occupy the majority position, or 90 percent of all species. Named species of flowering plants number close to half a million,...

Plants produced from cuttings can save time and effort over plants produced from seed and ensure that favorable characteristics are included in new plantings. Always use a sterile, soilless mix;...

Aloe is the genus name of approximately 400 species of plants mostly native to Africa. Aloe plants are used worldwide as medicinal and ornamental plants, which has led to their naturalization in...

Plant grafting is a means of asexual propagation. It is labor intensive with no guarantees of success, which can makes it expensive, but it is through grafting that nurserymen are able to produce...

Plants that are considered native species grow all over the United States. Native species plants are considered "native" to a particular region by having been growing naturally in that area since...

According to the University of California, there are literally thousands of aquatic plant species that live in freshwater habitats around the globe. Many of these species are widely distributed...

Plants flourish in such magnificent variety that sometimes it seems that each species is following a different pattern. Plants, though, like all organisms, are born, grow to maturity, propagate...

All species of bamboo can be divided into two types: clumping and running. Clumping bamboo tends to grow at a slower place, and it doesn't spread out as much. Running bamboo, on the other hand,...