Plants

Tuesday, 22 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 ...

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Turmeric
The usable part of the plant is the rhizome.
Often branched, it is oblong, ovoid, cylindrical, or pear-shaped.
Watercress
For medicinal purposes, watercress is harvested just before flowering.
It is then dried in the shade, separated from other herbs due to the strong odor given off by the cress. A decoction of the cut herbs can be used, or fresh juice diluted with water can be drunk.
Vanilla
Vanilla blooms every 2-3 years, and the flowering period lasts about 2-3 months.
The fruit is a green, pod-like seed bag.
Chestnuts
Chestnuts can be eaten both raw and after heat treatment.
When eaten raw, they can be a bit tart, especially if the skin is not removed. Another method is to ...
Kale
It is a good source of calcium and potassium.
Pears
It contains many vitamins in small amounts.
100 g of the fruit provides 5 percent of the daily intake of vitamin C, 4 percent of vitamin K, and ...
Aloe vera
It is widely consumed in Japan.
The Japanese add aloe vera to their yogurts and drink aloe vera water. They believe it is crucial in preserving a youthful look.
Dragon blood tree
The resin is also used in the production of varnish.
It was commonly used by 18th-century violin-makers in Italy.
Sycamore maple tree
The two tallest sycamore trees in Europe grow in Denmark and England.
Both trees measure about 40 m (131 ft). Two slightly lower specimens are found in the Netherlands and Germany, with heights of 37 m and 36.9 m respectively (~121 ft).
Avocado
Its name comes from the Spanish word aguacate.
The name derives from Mexicano – the Uto-Aztecan language family –  āhuacatl.