Each and every plant has a fascinating story. It is rarely just used for one particular purpose and it often associated with ancient traditions and legends. In this section, you will find a collection of plant stories, with detailed information about many different aspects of its significance, both, with regard to its habitat and ecological role, as well as their history, lore and their medicinal or mundane uses.
Plant Profiles
The Cultural History of Grapes
There are at least 8000 cultivated varieties of grapes, most of which are grown in the Northern Hemisphere. Grapes are one of the most important agricultural crops in the world. But they have far more uses than ordinarily meet the palate.
Plant Profile: Moringa
The Moringa tree, though not well-known outside its native habitat, is a blessing, offering multiple gifts for the benefit of mankind.
Plant Profile: Aloe vera
Plant Profile Aloe vera – Aloe Vera is no longer an exotic stranger. It has found its way into all kinds of common household products from washing-up liquid to latex gloves, and even razors.
Plantains – Plantago sp.
As masters of adaptation, Plantains are ubiquitous. They have managed to eke out a living in almost every conceivable kind of habitat.
Plant Profile: Mistletoe – Viscum album
Plant Profile: Mysterious Mistletoe. This strange evergreen plant has a fascinating mythology and some very interesting medicinal uses, too.
Plant Profile: Walnut
Walnut trees (Juglans regia) are acclimated foreigners in our northern latitudes. Their home is in the warm, and fertile regions of south-east Europe, northern Greece, northern Italy, and France, where they are widely cultivated.
Trees
All about the Elder-tree – its myths, magic, and medicine
The Elder tree is the medicine cabinet of the country people. This much loved, bushy tree is a common sight throughout Britain, Europe, and North America.
The Old Tree and the Carpenter
A parable about the ‘usefulness’ of other species’, vs. the innate value of all species for their own sake, and the preciousness of life.
Why Hawthorn is your heart’s best friend
Plant Profile: Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) When the Hawthorn dapples the hedgerows with its pinkish-white blossom, we know that spring is here to stay. Typically, Hawthorn starts to flower at the end of April or the beginning of May, which is why it is also...
The Camphor Tree
The characteristic scent of Camphor is familiar to anyone who has had a close encounter with VapoRub, but few have ever seen the pure, white crystalline substance from which the scent derives. Still, fewer are aware that this mysterious substance is entirely natural and comes from a tree that is native to southern China, southern Japan, and Taiwan. The Camphor Tree (Cinnamomum camphora) is closely related to the Cinnamon Tree, (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), with which it is sometimes confused. However, the unmistakable scent of the leaves immediately reveals its true identity.
Birch (Betula sp.)
Description: The graceful birch tree has always held a special place in our hearts and minds. Traditionally she was perceived as a youthful Goddess of love and light. Yet, her soft feminine and almost fragile appearance belie her hardy nature. Birch is a tree of...
Apple Tree
Description: The Apple Tree is one of the most anciently cultivated fruits of Eurasia. It is believed to have developed in central Asia, where the greatest genetic variation occurs in the wild. In cultivation, trees are usually trained and do not reach more than...
Annatto (Bixa orellana)
Description: Annatto, or Achiote, as it is commonly called in Latin American countries, is a tropical shrub that can grow up to about 20 meters high. The pinkish-white flowers develop into a bright red, heart-shaped and exceedingly bristly fruit, which is inedible....
Açai (Euterpe oleracea)
Description: A slender, graceful palm of the Arecaceae family, Açai is native to the seasonally inundated lowland forests of eastern South America, especially Brazil. Several stems sprout from its base and it can grow to about 15-25m high. It takes 4-5 years to...
