Botany
Botany is a branch of biology focused on the study of plant life. Learn about the science of botany in this section.
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You can't find trees taller than these behemoths. But do you know which is the tallest tree in the world?
In the quest for the title of world's oldest tree, there's some stiff competition, as well as questions surrounding the way we define "oldest."
Snake plants are attractive and virtually ironclad houseplants, almost impossible to kill, though some of the hype about them acting as air purifying filters has been overblown.
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Mangroves provide a habitat for wildlife such as fish, birds, deer and insects. They also stabilize shorelines, protect against storm surges and improve water quality. What's not to love?
Time to get nutty! How much do you know about all of the different types of nuts out there? Take this quiz and find out!
By Alia Hoyt
Even if you've never seen a saguaro in person, when you think "cactus," you're probably thinking "saguaro."
Autumn rolls out its very own red carpet to make a fashionable arrival. So why do falling leaves change colors to vibrant hues of crimson, yellow and orange?
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Ashwagandha, sometimes called Indian ginseng or Indian winter cherry, is one of the most prized herbs in the Indian Ayurvedic science of life.
By Katie Carman
Found along beaches and in the mangrove swamps of tropical climates, the fruit of the manchineel tree was called the 'little apple of death' by Spanish conquistadors.
By Katie Carman
Requiring little care and upkeep, daffodils are bright, showy perennials that symbolize rebirth and new beginnings.
By Wendy Bowman
Cork is the go-to material for wine stoppers and bulletin boards. So are we really running out of it? And if so, what happens?
By Wendy Bowman
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On Johns Island, South Carolina, stands an oak tree so big and beautiful that people come just to stand under its branches and feel the magic.
These majestic trees send their roots down in pillars from branch to ground, can form a canopy over 80 feet high and can live to be 250 years old.
Poison sumac is even more toxic than its cousins, poison ivy and poison oak, in its ability to cause allergic reactions and respiratory problems.
By Alia Hoyt
In a high-traffic city like Denver, a booming cannabis industry could make air quality even worse.
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A massive white oak in the hometown of the University of Georgia has many wondering whether a tree can even have legal rights — and about the future of the environmental and animal rights movements.
By Jamie Allen
Researchers are studying the chemistry behind what makes cats go crazy for catnip. And whether or not the chemical compound could have medicinal benefits for treating diseases like cancer.
Machines can translate some of the biological functions of plants into synthesizer sounds. But are these synthesized translations the same thing as music?
Hundreds of crops in developing countries are relatively unknown in the developed world because they're often hard to grow or export. But scientists have found that CRISPR editing can speed up traditional plant breeding techniques.
By Dave Roos
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How does a plant — incapable of waving its arms or screaming — attract attention and spread its seed? By evolving a powerful stink or an attractive color, of course.
Can a plant disappear for more than a century and then come back? Unicorn root, gone for 130 years, reappeared in the summer of 2018, completely out of the blue.
Like a phoenix from the ashes, fireweed is the first thing to sprout, helping reestablish areas decimated by fire and deforestation.
By Mark Mancini
The towering, invasive giant hogweed has been discovered in Virginia, and residents are understandably concerned.
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Nine of the 13 oldest baobab trees researchers examined over the past 12 years have died. What's killing off these majestic trees?
By John Donovan
Germinated in medieval times, the pine named Italus now holds the record as Europe's oldest tree.