The pigeon pea ( Cajanus cajan) is a perennial legume from the family Fabaceae. Since its domestication in India at least 3,500 years ago, its seeds have become a common food grain in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. It is consumed on a large scale mainly in south Asia and is a major source of protein for the population of that subcontinent. [Wikipedia]…

Synonyms: Swida alba, Thelycrania alba, Cornus tatarica, Cornus purpureaOther names: [sbTatarian Dogwood Family: Cornaceae Cornus alba (red-barked, white or Siberian dogwood) is a species of flowering plant in the family Cornaceae, native to Siberia, northern China and Korea. It is a large surculose shrub that can be grown as a small tree. As a popular…

Synonyms: Cupressus lawsonianaOther names: Lawson Cedar, Oregon Cedar, Port Orford Cedar Chamaecyparis lawsoniana, known as Port Orford cedar or Lawson cypress, is a species of conifer in the genus Chamaecyparis, family Cupressaceae. It is native to Oregon and northwestern California, and grows from sea level up to 1,500 m (4,900 ft) in the valleys…

Family: Ranunculaceae Helleborus orientalis, known as the lenten rose, is a perennial flowering plant in the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, native to Greece and Turkey. It was described by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck in 1789.[Wikipedia] Helleborus orientalis Helleborus orientalis Helleborus orientalis Helleborus orientalis Helleborus orientalis Helleborus…

Synonyms: Iris stylosaOther names: Winter-flowering Iris Family: Iridaceae Iris unguicularis (also commonly known as the Algerian iris) is a rhizomatous flowering plant in the genus Iris, native to Greece, Turkey, Western Syria, and Tunisia. It grows to 30 centimetres (12 in), with grassy evergreen leaves, producing pale lilac or purple flowers with…

Other names: Christmas Rose Family: Ranunculaceae Helleborus niger is an evergreen plant with dark leathery pedate leaves carried on stems 9–12 in (23–30 cm) tall. The large flat flowers, borne on short stems from midwinter to early spring, are white or occasionally pink. Heleborus niger, by Helga von Cramm, chromolithograh, with a prayer by Y.E.T.,…

Medinilla speciosa, common name Showy Asian Grapes, is a perennial epiphytic plant in the genus Medinilla, belomging to the Melastomataceae family. Medinilla speciosa reaches on average a height of 45–60 centimetres (18–24 in). This evergreen shrub has woody branched stems and opposite leathery green leaves (up to 20 centimetres (7.9 in) long and…

Other Names: Acorn Squash, Bush Squash, Delicata Squash, Field Pumpkin, Gem Squash, Spaghetti Squash, Yellow Crookneck Squash, Yellow Summer Squash, Zucchini Family: Cucurbitaceae Cucurbita pepo Cucurbita pepo Cucurbita pepo Cucurbita pepo var ovifera Cucurbita pepo var clypeata Cucurbita pepo var ovifera Cucurbita pepo Goldena Cucurbita pepo Cucurbita…

Family: Brassicaceae - crucifers Lunaria annua, called honesty or annual honesty in English, is a species of flowering plant native to the Balkans and south west Asia, and naturalized throughout the temperate world. It is an annual or biennial growing to 90 cm (35 in) tall by 30 cm (12 in) broad, with large, coarse, pointed oval leaves with marked serrations.…

Family: Thymelaeaceae Other names: February Daphne, Paradise Plant, Spurge Olive Daphne mezereum, commonly known as February daphne, mezereon, mezereum, spurge laurel or spurge olive, is a species of Daphne in the flowering plant family Thymelaeaceae, native to most of Europe and Western Asia, north tonorthern Scandinavia and Russia. It is a deciduous…

European Honeysuckle - Lonicera periclymenum Family: Caprifoliaceae Lonicera periclymenum, common names honeysuckle, common honeysuckle, European honeysuckle or woodbine, is a species of flowering plant in the family Caprifoliaceae native to much of Europe. Growing to 7 m (23 ft) or more in height, it is a vigorous evergreen twining climber. It is found…

Synonyms: Sambucus racemosa var. laciniataOther names: European Red Elder, Red Elderberry Sambucus racemosa is a species of elderberry known by the common names red elderberry and Red-berried Elder. Sambucus racemosa is often a treelike shrub growing 2–6 metres (6.6–19.7 ft) tall. The stems are soft with a pithy center. Each individual leaf is composed…

Synonyms: incl. Cordula, MenephoraOther names: Slippers, Slipper Family: Orchidaceae - orchids Paphiopedilum, often called the Venus slipper, is a genus of the Lady slipper orchid subfamily Cypripedioideae of the flowering plant family Orchidaceae. The genus comprises some 80 accepted taxa including several natural hybrids. The genus is native to Southeast…

Platycerium Synonyms: Alcicornium, NeuroplatycerosFamily: Polypodiaceae Platycerium is a genus of about 18 fern species in the polypod family, Polypodiaceae. Ferns in this genus are widely known as staghorn or elkhorn ferns due to their uniquely shaped fronds. This genus is epiphytic and is native to tropical and temperate areas of South America, Africa,…

Family: Xanthorrhoeaceae Aloe marlothii (also known as the mountain aloe or the flat-flowered aloe) is a large, single-stemmed Southern African aloe of rocky places and open flat country, occasionally growing up to 6m tall. Named after Rudolf Marloth, a South African botanist, this species of aloe has an especially large robust head of stiff, grey-green…

Synonyms: Echinocereus triglochidiatus var. polyacanthusFamily: Cactaceae Echinocereus polyacanthus Echinocereus polyacanthus Echinocereus polyacanthus

Other names: American Aloe, American Century Plant, Century Plant Synonyms: Agave altissima, Agave americana f. picta, Agave americana f. virginica, Agave americana var. marginata, Agave americana var. mediopicta, Agave americana var. picta, Agave americana var. striata, Agave americana var. subtilis, Agave americana var. theometel, Agave americana…

Other names: Common Pawpaw, Indiana Banana, Pawpaw, American Custard Apple Family: Annonaceae Asimina triloba, the papaw, pawpaw, paw paw, paw-paw, or common pawpaw, is a species of Asimina (the pawpaw genus) in the same plant family (the Annonaceae) as the custard-apple, cherimoya, sweetsop, ylang-ylang and soursop. The pawpaw is native to the Eastern,…

Family: Fagaceae Synonyms: Quercus velutina var. missouriensis Quercus velutina, the eastern black oak or more commonly known as simply black oak, is a species in the red oak ( Quercus sect. Lobatae) group of oaks. It is widespread in eastern and central North America, found in all the coastal states from Maine to Texas, inland as far as Ontario, Minnesota,…

Synonyms: Cerasus serrulata, Padus serrulataOther names: Japanese Flowering Cherry Prunus serrulata or Japanese cherry; also called hill cherry, oriental cherry or East Asian cherry, is a species of cherry native to Japan, Korea and China and is used for its spring cherry blossom displays and festivals. Prunus serrulata is a small deciduous tree with…