One of the best signs of spring for many nature lovers is when flowers start to bloom. Whether it is a spring bulb in a garden or a tree in blossom, it adds life and joy after a bare winter. But have you ever thought about why those flowers are there and their whole purpose …
Mosses are one of the oldest forms of land vegetation on Earth. They have been around for more than 400 million years and constitute one of the largest divisions in the plant kingdom. There is a common misconception that moss grows only on the damp, shady ground, but that is not true moss will grow …
If you have walked past a pond, you may have seen algae on top of the water. Some of it is microscopic but can build up into a dense covering. Certain species of algae can even move around and swim. Pond algae are one-celled plants. You can spot them floating on the surface of ponds …
Shorthand descriptions about flowers were used to pass information about them on to others. These descriptions allowed people to pass on information quickly about where a plant can be found, what it looks like, and if it is edible or poisonous. Flower names are generally based on the distinctive features of the plant. Some flower …
If you have any plants indoors, you may notice that their stalks bend and turn towards the light. To keep the plant’s shape, you may have to turn it around until it leans toward the light again. Plants turn towards the light automatically, growing in that direction. These movements allow the plants to get their …
Fungi cannot move in the same way that animals do and cannot produce their food. Someone recently asked me what fungi feed on, so I wanted to put together a short article to answer them. Fungi get their nourishment from a variety of sources, including both plants and animals. Many fungi are parasitic and will …
Walking through the woods the other day, I was surprised at how many trees had holes. Some of them had birds flitting in and out of them, and I could see plenty of insects around them. The holes in trees are home to many bird species, including doves, starlings, owls, and nuthatches. As do amphibians …
While walking the other day, I was overcome by the smell of giant hogweed and was surprised at how many flies were flying around it. This made me wonder why they were attracted to the scent. Flowers use a combination of chemicals to emit a smell. Some flowers attract insects to pollinate, while others use …
If you have ever felt the spiky thorn of cactus or a hawthorn, then you know these can be very sharp and painful. In this article, I wanted to give a quick overview of the reasons that plants have thorns. Plants with thorns are an excellent deterrent to any animal that wants to eat them. …