One of the earliest questions in botany was how plants knew where the sun was, and how they grew towards the light. With more attention on the plant world, it was found that all plants – not just sunflowers – reached for the sun.

This phenomenon is called phototropism, and in this HerbSpeak article, you will learn why plants experience phototropism, how it works, the effects of different types of light, and much more.

Have you ever wondered how a great redwood can bring water from its roots to its leaves? It can seem like a simple process for a small shrub or food crop, but the uptake and transport of water that defies gravity is a feat of natural engineering.

The Venus Flytrap is a common impulse buy at many grocery stores and plant nurseries, with the plant’s unique carnivorous features enthralling many children and adults alike and inspiring the creative minds of many writers and movie directors in popular culture. Unfortunately, not many people understand how to care for the Venus flytrap, leading to the plant’s early demise and an unfair reputation for being a difficult plant to care for.

The Venus Flytrap is a carnivorous plant that has captured the love of many quirky houseplant owners. Unlike other carnivorous plants, these plants developed a unique snapping-mechanism to trap unsuspecting prey once they have been felt on the inside of the sticky traps with a set of trigger-hairs.

It is no wonder why these plants are becoming more popular as houseplants, even though they are a challenge for many indoor gardeners; Charles Darwin himself fell in love with these plants, calling these plants “one of the most wonderful plants in the world.”