Botany is a branch of biology focused on the study of plant life. Learn about the science of botany in this section.
Topics to Explore:
Heavy rains have set the Southern California desert near San Diego on fire — with wildflowers. The phenomenon known as a "super bloom" is peaking for the next few weeks.
We may not be able to judge a book by its cover, but plants? A smartphone app has that covered.
Saying what the oldest thing alive is can be tough, because you have to define "alive" as well as "thing." But still, this Greek tree's got serious years.
Advertisement
Are trees and shrubs as cute as pandas? As awe-inspiring as whales? Maybe not, but many are in danger of going the way of the dodo — just like countless leafy greens before them. Learn about some amazing plants we lost to history.
Amazing images of the current wildflower "super bloom" in the desert park, a once-in-a-decade occurrence that can happen in El Nino years.
A newly discovered plant on a subtropical Japanese island survives without sunlight, and only rarely rears its head above ground. How is that possible?
Orchids might be the sexiest flower in the greenhouse. Its very name comes from the Greek word for "testicle!" And its reproduction methods are pretty exotic too.
By Alia Hoyt
Advertisement
Thinking allows us to solve problems, plan ahead and defend ourselves from outside threats. It's what separates us from "lower" life-forms like plants, right? Well, maybe not.
Though they may be stuck in one place, plants have proven to possess a surprising array of capabilities. But the ability to feel pain? Scientists are learning that the possibility isn't as crazy as it sounds.
The Titan Arum is also known as the "corpse flower" because of its rotting-flesh scent. The flower rarely blossoms, even in the wild. See pictures of the corpse flower in this gallery.
Pollen grains are, in essence, plant sperm. But how do the grains get where they need to go, and what's the advantage of trusting your genetic future to the winds?
Advertisement
If you like poppies, you're in good company -- they're the favored flower of the Greek goddess Demeter. Learn more about poppy flowers in this article.
Urushiol is the active chemical in poison ivy. Learn more about urushiol and how to properly remove poison ivy.
Many people think of cinnamon simply as a condiment that makes sweet treats taste even better, but the spice has had many, diverse uses over time. Could it have some medicinal properties, too?
By Diana Bocco
How can something as delicate and delicious as a cranberry thrive in something as filthy as a bog? Blame it on the durability of this most unusual and hardy plant.
By Russel Avery
Advertisement
They call kudzu the plant that ate the South for a reason. How did this leafy green legume make its way here all the way from Asia, and how has it managed to devour entire buildings?
The corpse flower looks like a giant phallus and smells like a rotting animal, the perfect addition to any garden. So how can gardeners get their gloved hands on one of these unique specimens? Or can they?
For Jack and his beanstalk, the sky was the limit, but nature's giants hit a point at which they can't grow any taller. What prevents lofty trees like sequoias from soaring any higher?
Ten-tier wedding cakes, bagels slathered with cream cheese and slim, crusty baguettes -- we owe them all to wheat. What's the story behind this ancient, ubiquitous food crop?
By Robert Lamb
Advertisement
Have you ever suspected your neighbor was up to something illegal? He's always home and he gets midnight deliveries. Doesn't he have a job? Maybe he does, just not the kind you think.
By Robert Lamb
Poison ivy is often very difficult to spot. But if you come into contact with it, you'll soon know by the itchy, blistery rash that forms on your skin. Learn how poison ivy causes that rash, and how to get rid of it.
Plants that eat other creatures? It sounds like a genetic experiment gone awry. But there's actually nothing unnatural about it; carnivorous plants have been around for thousands of years. Find out all about the Venus Flytrap.
Nature uses color in lots of different ways. Find out why some types of cabbage are purple and what this means.
Advertisement
How can the grass on the greens at a golf course be so perfect? What are they doing that's different from a normal lawn? Could my lawn look like this?
There is a good chance that if you go to the grocery store and buy a bunch of grapes that they will be of the seedless variety. If the grapes are seedless, how are they able to produce new grapes? Find out the answer to that question in this article.