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 —...
Does the name evoke images of steamy tropical romance? It shouldn’t. “Passion” refers to the Passion of Christ. 17th-century Spanish missionaries in South America saw the flowers as symbols of the crucifixion and named the plant accordingly. Passion...
You can’t see them. You don’t pay them. They work for free. Are we talking about nocturnal elves? Only if you’re a fairytale cobbler. In the garden, soil microbes are your champion workers and BFFs. They keep your plants healthy, boost soil...
Mark Twain called it “the most delicious fruit known to men.” He was referring to the cherimoya, a living fossil from the highland valleys of Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. Ripe cherimoya spoils quickly and is hard to ship, so it’s considered a luxury...
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...
