48 Types of Cucumbers (Origin & Characteristics)

The cucumber is a widely-cultivated creeping vine plant in the family Cucurbitaceae that bears cylindrical to spherical fruits, which are used as culinary vegetables. Considered an annual plant, there are three main types of cucumber—slicing, pickling, and seedless—within which several cultivars have been created. The cucumber plant is a sprawling vine with large leaves and … Read more

18 Types of Eggplants, Explained

Eggplant, Solanum melongena, is a tropical, herbaceous, perennial plant, closely related to tomato, in the family Solanaceae which is grown for its edible fruit. The plants has a branching stem and simple, long, flat. coarsely lobed leaves which are green in color and are arranged alternately on the branches. Solanum melongena is grown worldwide for its … Read more

18 Types Of Date Fruits, Explained

Date fruits, often simply called dates, are the fruit of the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera), a tree native to the Middle East and North Africa, where it has been cultivated for thousands of years. Dates have been a staple food in the Middle East since ancient times, with evidence of their cultivation dating back to … Read more

Plumeria (Frangipani): Origin, Characteristics & Cultivation

Plumeria also known as frangipani is a genus of flowering plants in the subfamily Rauvolfioideae, of the family Apocynaceae. Most species are decidous shrubs or small trees. The species are native to the Neotropical realm (in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, and as far south as Brazil and as far north as Florida in the United States), but are often grown as cosmopolitan ornamentals in tropical regions, especially in Hawaii, as well as hot desert climates in the Arabian Peninsula with … Read more

Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima): Characteristics & Cultivation

The poinsettia is a commercially important flowering plant species of the diverse spurge family Euphorbiaceae. Indigenous to Mexico and Central America, the poinsettia was first described by Europeans in 1834. It is particularly well known for its red and green foliage and is widely used in Christmas floral displays. It derives its common English name … Read more

Zinnia Flowers: Explained With Pictures

Zinnia is a genus of plants of the tribe Heliantheae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to scrub and dry grassland in an area stretching from the Southwestern United States to South America, with a centre of diversity in Mexico. Members of the genus are notable for their solitary long-stemmed 12 petal flowers that … Read more

Schefflera (Umbrella Plant): Characteristics & Cultivation

Heptapleurum actinophyllum is a tree in the family Araliaceae. It is native to tropical rainforests and gallery forests in northern and northeastern Queensland coasts and the Northern Territory of Australia, as well as New Guinea and Java. Common names include Australian umbrella tree, Queensland umbrella tree, octopus tree and amate. This small tree is commonly grown indoors, but survives outdoors … Read more

10 Types of St. Augustine Grass

St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum), also known as buffalo turf in Australia and buffalo grass in South Africa, is a species of grass in the family Poaceae. The grass has bluish-green leaves with 1/3-inch wide, flat blades. It has a low, creeping habit and spreads via stolons. forming dense mats that outcompete weeds. St. Augustine … Read more

Prayer Plant (Maranta leuconeura): Characteristics & Cultivation

Maranta leuconeura, widely known as the prayer plant due to its daily sunlight-dependent movements, is a species of flowering plant in the family Marantaceae native to the Brazilian tropical forests. Prayer Plant has oval-shaped leaves, which have unique and vibrant patterns. The leaves often display a mix of greens, with darker green veins or spots, … Read more

Jacob’s Ladder Flower: Characteristics & Cultivation

Polemonium reptans is a perennial herbaceous plant native to eastern North America. Common names include spreading Jacob’s ladder, creeping Jacob’s ladder, false Jacob’s ladder, abscess root, American Greek valerian, blue bells, stairway to heaven, and sweatroot. It is an interesting perennial plant known for its ladder-like arrangement of leaves and delicate, often blue or purple flowers. Characteristics Cultivation