Black-eyed pea A widely cultivated variety of cowpea, the black-eyed pea is a nutritious, drought-tolerant legume with deep cultural and culinary importance across Africa, the Americas, and Asia.
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia): appearance, habitat, and uses Black-eyed Susan Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia) is a North American coneflower known for yellow rays and a dark central cone. Common in meadows and gardens, it supports pollinators and is easy to gro…
Blackberry (Rubus): description, cultivation, ecology and uses Blackberry Blackberries are aggregate fruits from several Rubus species in the rose family. Shrubs known as brambles or caneberries produce edible black drupelets; many species, cultivars and…
Bladderwort (Utricularia): suction‑trapping aquatic and wet‑soil carnivores Bladderwort Bladderworts (genus Utricularia) are carnivorous plants with minute suction bladders that capture microscopic and small aquatic prey. About 230 species occur worldwide in fresh wat…
Blephilia: wood mints of eastern North America Blephilia Blephilia is a small genus of three perennial herbaceous plants in the mint family native to eastern North America, known for tubular, two-lipped flowers, aromatic foliage, pollina…
Blight (plant disease symptom and group of diseases) Blight Blight is the rapid discoloration, withering and death of plant tissues caused by fungi, oomycetes, bacteria, viruses or environmental stress. It includes important crop and tree d…
Bloom (flowering and related meanings) Bloom Bloom refers to a plant's production or display of flowers and the period when they open; the term also appears as a cultural metaphor and in other contexts such as algal blooms, f…
Blossom (flower) Blossom A blossom is the flowering stage of many fruit trees and plants; valued for pollination, fruit production, cultural symbolism, and ornamental beauty.
Bluebell (Hyacinthoides) — spring-blooming woodland plant Bluebell Bluebells (genus Hyacinthoides) are bulbous spring flowers in the Asparagaceae family, noted for drooping, bell-shaped blooms that carpet shaded ancient woodlands and for several c…
Blueberry: description, cultivation, uses, and notable varieties Blueberry Common name for sweet, edible berries from Vaccinium shrubs; valued for flavor, culinary uses, and cultivation across temperate regions.
Bodhi Tree (Ficus religiosa) — the Sacred Fig of Bodh Gaya Bodhi Tree The Bodhi Tree is the sacred fig under which Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment at Bodh Gaya. It is venerated, widely propagated and preserved as a living symbol of Buddhist…
Boldo (Peumus boldus): Chilean evergreen used for cooking and traditional remedies Boldo Boldo (Peumus boldus) is an evergreen tree native to central Chile, valued for aromatic leaves used in cooking and herbal teas; it has traditional medicinal uses and distinctive bo…
Bolivian coriander (Porophyllum ruderale) Bolivian coriander A pungent leafy herb used fresh in salsas and condiments across Mexico and South America. Known as pápalo or quillquiña, it is grown as an annual and has a sharp flavor likened to…
Borage (Borago officinalis): description, cultivation, uses and cautions Borage Annual herb with star-shaped blue flowers, rough hairy leaves and culinary, ornamental, and medicinal uses; attractive to pollinators and historically cultivated in the Mediterrane…
Boraginaceae (borage family): characteristics, uses, and notable genera Boraginaceae Boraginaceae, the borage family, is a diverse group of mainly herbaceous flowering plants with rough hairs, scorpioid inflorescences and four‑nutlet fruits; includes forget‑me‑nots…
Botanic (South Belfast district) Botanic Botanic is a neighbourhood in south Belfast named for the adjacent public Botanic Gardens. It combines green space, Victorian architecture, university influence and a lively local…
Botanical garden: purpose, collections, and role in conservation Botanical garden An overview of botanical gardens: definitions, typical collections and facilities, research and conservation roles, public uses, and how they differ from parks or arboreta.
Botanical Garden of Curitiba (Jardim Botânico) Botanical Garden of Curitiba Public botanical garden in Curitiba, Brazil, noted for its Art Nouveau greenhouse, landscaped French gardens, conservation collections and cultural significance to southern Brazil.
Botanical name — the scientific naming of plants Botanical name Formal, standardized scientific names for plants governed by international codes; includes binomial names, infraspecific ranks, authorship citations, hybrids and cultivar notation.
Botanist: the plant scientist — roles, specialties, and importance Botanist A botanist studies plants and plant-like organisms, examining their structure, growth, evolution, ecology and uses. This article outlines the profession, major subfields, methods,…
Botany: the science of plants Botany Botany (plant biology) is the scientific study of plants, their structure, function, diversity, evolution and uses in ecosystems, agriculture, medicine and industry.
Bothriolepis Bothriolepis, a diverse genus of antiarch placoderms from the middle–late Devonian, was a widespread, armored, bottom-dwelling fish known for its jointed pectoral appendages and be…
Bottle tree: swollen‑trunk plants and the glass bottle tradition Bottle tree Plants with swollen, water‑storing trunks found in arid regions and the distinct folk art of glass bottle trees; covers biology, notable genera, uses, cultural meanings and distinc…
Bougainvillea: Ornamental climbing shrubs from South America Bougainvillea Bougainvillea is a genus of woody vines and shrubs known for vibrant papery bracts and small flowers. Native to South America, it is widely cultivated in warm regions for ornament…
Brachychiton: bottletrees and kurrajongs — description, history, and uses Brachychiton Brachychiton is a genus of about 31 Australian and New Guinea trees and large shrubs (bottletrees, kurrajongs). This article describes their features, taxonomy, ecology, uses and n…
Bract (botany): modified leaves associated with flowers and inflorescences Bract A bract is a specialized or modified leaf that occurs beneath a flower or cluster of flowers; it may protect buds, attract pollinators, or form structures distinct from petals and…
Braeburn (apple cultivar) Braeburn Braeburn is a New Zealand apple cultivar known for its balanced sweet-tart flavor, crisp texture, and distinctive red-orange streaked skin; used fresh, cooked, and in commercial pr…
Branch (tree limb): structure, growth, uses and ecological role Branch A branch is a woody or herbaceous lateral extension that grows from a plant stem or tree trunk. This article explains anatomy, growth patterns, functions, human uses, and key disti…
Brassica (genus of vegetables, oilseeds and mustards) Brassica Brassica is a genus in the mustard family that includes cabbage, broccoli, turnip and canola. Species provide vegetables, condiments and oilseeds and are important in agriculture,…
Brassica juncea (mustard greens and Indian mustard) Brassica juncea Brassica juncea is a mustard species grown for leafy greens, seeds and oil. Cultivated across Asia and worldwide, it is used in cooking, condiments, soil remediation and as a cover…
Brassica oleracea (wild cabbage): species, diversity and uses Brassica oleracea Wild cabbage native to coastal Europe; the wild species from which cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts and kohlrabi were developed. Salt- and lime-tolerant, foun…
Brassica rapa — turnip, leafy vegetables, and oilseed forms Brassica rapa Brassica rapa is a versatile Brassica species including turnips, bok choy, napa cabbage and some oilseed varieties; used as food, forage and a model plant in education and research…
Brassicaceae — the mustard and cabbage family Brassicaceae Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) is a widespread family of flowering plants including mustards, cabbages, radishes, wasabi and the model Arabidopsis; notable for cross-shaped flowers and…
Brassicales: the mustard order of flowering plants Brassicales Brassicales is an order of flowering plants noted for mustard oils (glucosinolates), including cabbages, mustards, papaya and the model Arabidopsis; economically important and taxo…
Brazilwood (Pau-Brasil, Pernambuco): timber, dye, and cultural history Brazilwood Brazilwood (Pau-Brasil, Paubrasilia/ Caesalpinia echinata) is a dense, orange-red tropical hardwood prized for red dye and for making Pernambuco violin bows; historically importan…
Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis): tropical staple tree and its fruit Breadfruit Breadfruit is a large evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia and the Pacific whose starchy, versatile fruit has been a staple food and cultural resource across tropical regions fo…
Broccoflower: green cauliflower and romanesco cultivars Broccoflower Broccoflower refers to green-headed cultivars of Brassica oleracea, including smooth green cauliflower types and the fractal Romanesco; valued for a mild flavor and versatile culin…
Broccoli: varieties, cultivation, uses and nutrition Broccoli Broccoli (Brassica oleracea) is a cruciferous vegetable with compact green flower heads and edible stalks. This article summarizes its appearance, history, varieties, cultivation,…
Bromeliad (Bromeliaceae): tropical rosette plants, pineapple and air plants Bromeliad Bromeliads are a diverse family of mostly Neotropical plants—many epiphytes—known for rosettes, water-holding 'tanks', air plants and the cultivated pineapple. They are important o…
Brooklyn Botanic Garden Public botanical garden in Brooklyn, New York, founded in 1910. Encompasses 52 acres and features specialized gardens, a conservatory with a bonsai museum, education programs, seas…
Broom (shrub): overview, biology, distribution and uses Broom (shrub) Brooms are leguminous shrubs with slender green stems, small leaves and pea-like flowers. This article summarizes their description, taxonomy, ecology, cultivation, and interaction…
Brown algae (Phaeophyceae): biology, ecology and human uses Brown algae Brown algae are large, mostly marine multicellular algae (Phaeophyceae) noted for brown pigments, kelp forests, alginate products and complex life cycles with flagellated spores.
Brussels sprouts: overview, cultivation, culinary uses and nutrition Brussels sprout Brussels sprouts are small leafy green vegetables related to cabbage. This article covers their characteristics, history, growing and storage, common culinary uses, nutritional pro…
Bryophyte: simple non-vascular land plants (mosses, liverworts, hornworts) Bryophyte Bryophytes are non-vascular land plants—including mosses, liverworts and hornworts—characterized by small size, a dominant gametophyte stage, and key ecological roles in soil forma…
Buckwheat: biology, uses, cultivation, and culinary traditions Buckwheat Buckwheat is a pseudocereal cultivated for its triangular seeds. Not a true grass, it is used worldwide as groats, noodles, and flour; it has agricultural, nutritional, and ecologi…
Buddha's hand (Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis) — fingered citron Buddha's hand Buddha's hand is a fingered citron cultivar noted for its segmented 'fingers', intense floral aroma and cultural roles across Asia; used ornamentally, for zest, perfumery and candi…
Buddleja (butterfly bush): description, cultivation, and ecological notes Buddleja Buddleja, commonly called butterfly bush, is a genus of flowering shrubs valued for nectar-rich blooms. This article covers appearance, taxonomy, history, cultivation, uses and eco…
Bulb (botany): underground plant storage organ and ornamental/food source Bulb A bulb is a subterranean plant storage organ (a geophyte) that stores nutrients during dormancy and enables annual regrowth. Common in ornamental and food plants, bulbs differ from…
