Plant News

Tumblemageddon: Utah Town Overwhelmed by Tumbleweed Onslaught (March 5, 2024): South Jordan, a town in Utah, has experienced Tumblemageddon. Tumbleweeds rolled in to the town by the thousands and piled up over cars and around homes.

Cherry Grown in Experimental Garden is World's Heaviest Cherry (March 23, 2021): A cherry grown in an experimental garden by __ has been confirmed as the heaviest cherry in the world.


Around the Web


Study Suggests Carrying for a Small Work Plant Can Reduce Stress (January 2, 2020): A new study suggests that carrying for a small work plant like an air plant can help office workers reduce stress.

Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt is World's Largest Seaweed Bloom (July 5, 2019): The Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt is the world's largest seaweed bloom containing over 20 tons of biomass.

Camouflaged Plants in South-West China Resemble Rocks (June 6, 2018): Study finds camouflaged plants in south-west china can resemble rocks with different colors in different locations.

Scientists Plan to Destroy Weeds With Laser Equipped Robots (June 19, 2017): German scientists are developing lasers that will help kill weeds. The lasers will be carried by robots.

Tree Climbing Goats Help Argan Trees Disperse Seeds (May 27, 2017): Scientists have discovered that tree climbing goats help trees disperse seeds. The goats eat the fruit but spit out the seeds.

New Plant Species Belonging to Custard Apple Genus Identified in Africa (September 12, 2016): Scientists have identified several new plant species belonging to the custard apple genus in Africa.

Scientists Puzzled by Unkillable Biofilm on Jefferson Memorial (August 10, 2016): A biofilm growing on the Jefferson Memorial is puzzling scientists who have failed to stop it.

Newly Discovered Orchid Species Resembles Devil's Head (July 13, 2016): A newly discovered species of orchid looks like a devil's head. It has been named Telipogon diabolicus.

Scientists Have Decoded the Olive Tree Genome (July 11, 2016): Scientists have decoded the genome of the olive tree. Scientists have detected over 56,000 genes.

Tiny Wasp to Help Battle Emerald Ash Borer Beetles (May 27, 2016): A tiny wasp is being brought in to fight the ash borer beetle which is devastating ash trees across the United States.

Hybridized Tumbleweed Species Rapidly Expanding Range in California (May 5, 2016): A recently discovered species of hybridized tumbleweed is rapidly expanding its range and California.

Four New Orchid Species Discovered in Remote New Guinea Region (March 25, 2016): Scientists have identified four new species of orchids discovered on Lengguru, a mountainous area of New Guinea.

New Plant Species Discovered on Japan's Yakushima Island (March 8, 2016): A new plant species has been discovered on Japan's Yakushima island. The subtropical island is located off the southern coast of Kyushu.

New Bush Tomato Species Named After Mark Watney from The Martian (March 7, 2016): A new species of bush tomato has been named after Mark Watney, the main character in The Martian.

Dwarf Species of Giant Rafflesia Flower Discovered in the Philippines (March 3, 2016): The smallest species of Rafflesia has been discovered in the Philippines. Rafflesia is known for having some of the world's giant flowers.

Hairy Panic Tumblewed Clogs Homes and Yards in Australian Town of Wangaratta (February 18, 2016): A tumbleweed named hairy panic is causing problems for residents in Wangaratta, Australia.

Ancient Flowering Plant Preserved in Amber Was Probably Poisonous (February 15, 2016): Scientists have found an amber fossil of a flowering plant that belongs to the Strychnos genus which is known for being a source of the strychnine poison.

Dandelions Use Latex to Protect Roots From Hungry Insect Larvae (January 15, 2016): Dandelions are a hardy weed. One of the tricks to their survival is a latex they produce to fend off feeding from insects like cockchafer larvae

New Plant Bug Genus Discovered in Australia (December 7, 2015): A new genus of plant bug and four new species have been discovered in Australia.

Cardiff Researchers Unearth Tropical Fossil Forests in Svalbard, Norway (November 20, 2015): Cardiff research team discovers a tropical fossil forest in the Svalbard Archipelago. The find explains a major climate change event that happened 400 million years ago.

New Coffee Tree Species Discovered in Honduras (October 15, 2015): Scientists have discovered a new species of coffee tree in Honduras. The tree is crticially endangered.

Plant Tricks Dung Beetles With Smelly Seeds (October 11, 2015): A plant uses smelly seeds to trick dung beetles into burying them. The researchers are calling it fecal mimicry.

Big Pink is a Newly Described Orchid Species (October 1, 2015): The orchid known as Big Pink is a newly described orchid species. It is found in the Philippines.