A History Wrapped in Banana Leaves
How hallacas and the banana plant became intertwined in Venezuelan cultural memory.
Sassafras: From Scent to Science in American Medicine
How did sassafras go from cure-all to carcinogen? Its history links Indigenous knowledge, colonial trade, and modern scientific debate.
Cucumber: The Plant That Moves More than You Think
Be it with its curling tendrils or because of its desirable properties, the cucumber is defined by motion: vertical, horizontal, geographical, and digital.
Wild Rice and the Rights of Nature
A groundbreaking lawsuit asks whether wild rice, or manoomin, can hold legal rights under tribal law and the growing rights of nature movement.
The Medicinal Wood That Turned Water Blue
For nearly half a millennium, botanists sought the "true" identity of Lignum nephriticum, a mysterious marvel that confounded early modern science.
Za’atar: From Ancient Texts to Modern Conflict
More than an herb, za’atar shapes, narrates, and anchors identity and political dynamics of the Eastern Mediterranean and Sinai Peninsula.
Tonka Bean: The Tale of a Contested Commodity
The rise and fall of the sweet-smelling seeds of Dipteryx odorata stands in stark contrast to the tree’s lasting presence in global markets.
The Pomegranate in History and Myth
Used heavily in early medicine and at times for opposing aims, the pomegranate shows a marked versatility in its cultural connotations and connections.
Saguaro Cactus: A Desert Sentinel’s Prickly Plight
The saguaro cactus has evolved to endure dry days and high temperatures, but even this resilient plant struggles to cope with the effects of climate change.
Juneberry: A Summer Sweet for People, Pollinators, and Birds
For millennia, Indigenous peoples in North America derived sustenance from the juneberry, known also as the misâskwatômin, serviceberry, shadbush, or saskatoon.