American ginseng, Panax quinquefolius, is a beauty to behold and sought after in markets all over the globe. American ginseng still grows wild, but its population is dwindling as overharvesting takes its toll, even from years past. The key to keeping this species...
You can identify wild ginseng by following the information laid out in the article below. It is important to be able sift through your own natural underbrush to identify the ginseng crop, so let’s learn a bit about how to distinguish the plant before we go digging up our cultivated crop.
Read the transcript below:Welcome to today’s episode of Plants of the Amazon! As the largest tropical rainforest in the Americas, the Amazonian rainforest has unparalleled biodiversity. One in ten species in the world lives in this rainforest, making it a habitat...
What is a Chrysanthemum? The chrysanthemum is a popular gardening flower all over the world, commonly referred to as chrysanths or mums. It is an herbaceous perennial with alternate leaves divided into leaflets. These leaflets are typically toothed; occasionally,...
There’s a beautiful succulent that is gaining popularity with houseplant enthusiasts. You might have heard of it, with its cute, rounded leaves and a beautiful stem that pops with color. The elephant bush, or Portulacaria afra, is native to South Africa from the Little Karoo of the Western Cape, into the thickets of the Eastern Cape.
Watching grass grow might not sound exciting, but it’s quite incredible when you understand what’s going on. Learn about plant movement and just how much these sessile organisms move on the regular.
Let’s pretend the latest James Bond villain had a How To guide to climate change. This villain wants nothing more than to see the world burn – in a figurative, but also very literal sense – so how would he do it?
In this article, HerbSpeak author D.K. Hall addresses the importance of climate action, several recent and significant climate events, why you should care about it, and why it is happening at such a rapid pace.
Ecological planting is a transformative approach to land restoration that everyone can participate in. The focus of this growing movement is to utilize the resilience and genetic diversity of native flora to restore ecosystem relationships, creating healthier habitats for resilience in the face of change. But, what exactly does that mean?
The naturalists of today may not spend most of their time sailing the seas and looking under crude microscopes, but there is still plenty to explore in the world. With the advancement of science comes an advancement in technology - which further aids science. While...
Keeping houseplants is a hobby that is on the rise in recent years. The more time you spend at home, the more you want to fill your home with beautiful foliage. In fact, plants are great at helping reduce the stress we experience on a daily basis. But what do you do if you also have pets?
Over the last few years, a lot of people have begun turning to alternate methods of gardening. One ‘alternative’ method is planting native plants in lieu of the typical garden plants we might be familiar with today. Let’s take a look at why – and how – this can be...
When you’re first learning how to identify ginseng, you’ll hear a lot about ‘prongs,’ It may leave you wondering whether ginseng has thorns or not. Furthermore, there is confusion about a plant that commonly goes by the name ‘Siberian Ginseng’ that does indeed have...
Eating microgreens is a great way to add variety and nutrition to your diet. But these days, you’ll spend a pretty penny stocking up on greens at the grocery store every week. If you’re anything like us, you’ve started wondering about growing microgreens yourself....
In recent years, microgreens have become a popular choice for small-scale farmers for its ease of growing and fast turnaround. (1) Best of all, it doesn’t look like microgreens are going anywhere, as customers love them, too.“[…] quick-growing, high-yield crops...
Not only are they easy to grow, but they also pack a nutritious punch. However, before you start sprouting your first seed, you'll need to know how to select the right seeds and determine the correct amount to use for your growing setup.
Tucked neatly at the base of the Berkshire mountains of western Massachusetts, Nasami Farm is a unique native plant nursery with a wide reach. What makes this nursery so special? Let’s take a look:Spotlight: Native Plant Nursery in Massachusetts As a local plant...
There are so many books to read, so many possibilities. But which ones are good? See the HerbSpeak recommendations for the upcoming months!
In this article, HerbSpeak will cover the pros and cons of several popular microgreens trays to help you decide which one is right for you – and which ones just aren’t worth the money for what you’re looking for.
Take a break and photosynthesize a little. With monthly emails from HerbSpeak delivered right to your inbox, you can develop your botanical literacy in a way that is fun and accessible.
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