botanical legends Archives

Plant Lore and Legend by Ruth Binney

As Heard on The Daily Gardener Podcast: Plant Lore and Legend by Ruth Binney This small, giftable book gathers the stories that cling to plants, myths, customs, remedies, symbols, and superstitions passed down through generations. It does not ask readers to believe every tale, but it reminds us that long before charts and databases, people…

From Amazon to Windsor: The Water Lily Tale

Water lily pads form a floating community. The leaves of the Victoria amazonica, also known as the Amazon water lily or giant water lily, which is the largest species in the water lily family.

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. November 13, 1849 On this day, a most extraordinary presentation took place at Windsor Castle. Queen Victoria, known for her love of botanical wonders, was about to encounter her magnificent namesake – the…

Michel Adanson: The Botanist Behind Baobabs and Plant Mutation

Michel Adanson, a prominent 18th-century French botanist and naturalist.

The Methodology of Flowering Plants April 7, 1727 Today is the birthday of the 18th-century Scottish-French botanist and naturalist Michel Adanson. Michel created the first natural classification of flowering plants. In fact, the great botanist Jussieu (“Juice You”) adopted Michel’s methodology to create his masterpiece called Genera Plantarum (1789). Although today we think mainly of Darwin and…

Ferdinand Jakob Lindheimer: The Father of Texas Botany and His Wild Discoveries

Ferdinand Jacob Lindheimer, a German Texan botanist known as the "Father of Texas Botany". He was the first permanent-resident plant collector in Texas, and his extensive collections significantly contributed to the understanding of Texas flora.

The Father of Texas Botany Today is the anniversary of the death of the Father of Texas Botany and legend, Ferdinand Jakob Lindheimer, who died on this day in 1879. Lindheimer immigrated from Frankfurt, Germany, and spent more than a decade searching the wilds of Central and Southeast Texas for new species of plants. The…