The peace lily prefers Bach. The cactus craves heavy metal, the spider plant grooves on classic rock, and the Dieffenbachia digs Brubeck. We’re being facetious, of course. We know that plants respond to music, but we haven’t determined their playlists —...
Some beautiful things are deadly. The F-22 Raptor Japanese katana swords Box jellyfish Blue-ringed octopi Lava flows You will rarely encounter them in your living room. More common and a few rungs down the hazard scale are many popular houseplants. When ingested, they...
We tolerate some high-maintenance things without much complaint: The classic English sports car with finicky mechanics Saltwater aquariums with precise water chemistry and temperature demands High-end fabrics like silk, cashmere, and leather with special cleaning and...
Staghorn ferns don’t grow in soil. In the wild, they cling to trees, rocks, or cliff faces, absorbing moisture and nutrients from rain and decaying leaves. Over time, multiple ferns fuse into a giant colony that can blanket entire tree trunks. They don’t...
There are coffee drinkers and coffee lovers. Voltaire fell into the latter category, guzzling up to 70 cups per day (and living into his 80s). Beethoven hand-counted precisely 60 beans per cup. Once he perfected the formula, he never strayed. Voltaire and Beethoven...
Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) is a fragrant perennial grass commonly used in Southeast Asian cuisines. The plant’s citrus-like scent and flavor add a distinct accent to soups, teas, and stir-fries. Tall, graceful blades and clustered growth make it a striking...
