Green onions, also known as scallions or spring onions, originated in Central Asia. Records indicate their culinary use in ancient civilizations, including the Egyptians and the Chinese. European settlers introduced them to America in the 17th century, where they...
To the ancient Persians, the pomegranate represented fertility and abundance. In Greek mythology, the pomegranate symbolized prosperity and eternal life. The fruit is a powerhouse of health benefits — rich in antioxidants like punicalagin and anthocyanins, which...
The Aztecs gave us words like “chocolate,” “tomato,” and “avocado.” They developed chinampas, or floating gardens, to feed their large population. And they were the first to cultivate zinnias, a flower they called...
Dracaena is a genus of flowering plants with more than 170 species, including some too big to be grown indoors. The name comes from the Greek word drakaina, the feminine form of “serpent”. The plants trace back to Africa, Madagascar, and Southeast Asia,...
Avocados are delicious and nutritious (said Captain Obvious). They’re also remarkably easy to grow in Southern California yards. The plant hails from Mexico, which also gave us the poinsettia and the zinnia. Persea americana dates back thousands of years and was...
