Read the transcript below:Welcome to the show! In this podcast, we air episodes within a series so you can jump around and skip to what you are interested in. In this series, we're going to be covering several plants from the Amazon. The news recently broke that...
Mimosa pudica is an annual tropical plant native to South America, but has been established and thrives in many countries, of which it is most often considered invasive. It is most often grown as an ornamental, as it is a fast-growing leafy shrub.
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.
It’s one thing to think about the cycle of life in terms of seasons. In northern climates, winter is a time of snow cover and cold. A few plants have specialized to live in these climates, but most begin life in the spring or summer and die (or go dormant) in the autumn. In this article, we answer how that works and dive into the life cycle of a plant.
One spring morning, eight botanists packed into carpools and drove to a small town on the far edge of western Massachusetts to find a small white butterfly, Pieris virginensis, and its host plant, Cardamine concatenata and C. diphylla.
Chances are, while you are in lockdown, you’ve popped up a bird feeder, or you’ve taken to birdwatching, even if it’s off-and-on from your new home office window. You might have even found yourself asking “have these brightly-colored birds always been here?” They...
Update 3/01/24 No longer accepting samples. Instead, please report images of both infected AND healthy beech trees using iNaturalist. These reports help scientists determine the timeline and path of spread, helping them discover any potential beech tree...
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.
A lot of states have regulated the harvest of ginseng plants to specific seasons, requiring a state license to collect the plant. Like other hunting seasons, there are stipulations for what you are allowed to collect – and what you are not. How Old is a 4-Prong...
Ginseng used to be plentiful in the United States and southern Canada, but the ‘gold rush’ of ginseng in the colonial era left the population on the decline. Today, we can change the trend and help steward in a new generation of plants. There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing ginseng pop out of the ground year after year in a thriving ecosystem.
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.
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.
People who buy microgreens want to improve their diets in a sustainable way. If your packaging is the wrong shape, size, or material, you’ll struggle to turn a profit, let alone stay open for business. By the time you’re done reading, you’ll understand the importance of great packaging and the best options for every scenario.
There is nothing not to love about the recent series from BBC Earth 'The Green Planet' narrated by David Attenborough. Originally airing in 2022, it was primarily celebrated in the UK as a groundbreaking series focused on the world from the perspective of plants. Unfortunately, it was not available in the United States, and as time went on, many of the potential audience forgot about this series. Now that it's available in the US - is it any good? Let's find out.
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?
There are so many books to read, so many possibilities. But which ones are good? See the HerbSpeak recommendations for the upcoming months!
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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