Plants

Saturday, 12 September 2026
21 facts about olives
21 facts about olives
"Where the olive refuses to grow, there the Mediterranean world ends"
It is not known exactly when and where the first olive tree, characteristic of the Mediterranean region, grew. Paleobotanists claim that wild olives g ...

Did you know?

Brussels sprout
Brussels sprouts have the highest amount of vitamin C, 94 mg per 100 g, of all brassicas.
It also contains B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6), folic acid, vitamins A, E, and H, beta carotene, and is a source of potassium, calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, copper, iron, omega-3 fatty acids.
Corn
After the arrival of Europeans in Mesoamerica in 1492, Spanish settlers consumed corn, although they much preferred wheat bread.
It was also related to the fact that wheat flour could not be substituted for corn flour when making ...
Pumpkin
The genus Cucurbita - pumpkin - includes about 20 species. The best-known cultivated species are giant, musk, and classic orange pumpkin.
A giant pumpkin is a valuable raw material for industry (distilling, baking, fruit and vegetable pr ...
Mayflower
It requires moist, acidic soil and a harsh climate to thrive.
It won’t grow in a humid environment.
Pumpkin
Researchers at East China Normal University in Shanghai have found that a substance - D-chiro-inositol - found in fig-leaf gourd (Cucurbita ficifolia) pulp extract can replace insulin.
This substance stimulates the regeneration of beta-pancreatic cells in diabetic rats and regulates insulin activity.
Olives
The ability to survive in such harsh climatic conditions and thus to take up water is related to the morphological and anatomical structure of the leaves.
Leaves have a layer of hairs on the surface, a high density of tissues, and a thick cuticle. The constriction of the stomata also affects the regulation of the plant's water economy.
Sugar maple
The oldest sugar maple tree in Canada is the Comfort Maple in Pelham, Ontario.
Its age is estimated at between 446 and 546 years old.
Chia seeds
Chia seeds are often used as an ingredient in salads, yogurt, baked goods, desserts and smoothies.
They can be consumed both raw and after soaking, in gel form. Unlike flax seeds, chia seeds do not n ...
Broad beans
To prevent the eaten broad beans from causing flatulence, soak them in very hot water for an hour, then pour it out and cook the broad beans in fresh water.
Corn
By the 17th century, corn had become a common food for the agricultural population in southwestern Europe.
In the 18th century, it was the primary food of the peasantry of southern France and Italy, where it was consumed mainly in the form of polenta (a dish of cooked corn flour).