Crops
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The genus Lagenaria includes several species, such as the calabash (Lagenaria siceraria). Fruits of Lagenaria are either used as vegetables, when harvested young, or as utensils (bottles) when harvested mature. The name 'bottle gourd' is also used for some other crops.
Bilimbi has a sour taste and is usually not eaten fresh but is used to make jams or chutney. The bilimbi fruits are also used in some rice and fish recipes.
Bilimbi is a close relative of the Carambola.
Bignay is native to Malaya and Asia.
Fruits of bignay grow in grape-like clusters with often twenty or thirty fruit per cluster. Fruits are used to make jelly, jam or wine. The fruits ripen unevenly so within a cluster the fruits have different colors.
Henna is a shrub or small tree. It is leaves are ground to a powder which is used as a red dye to dye skin, hair, fingernails, leather and wool.
Roots of the common madder are used to produce a red dye that is used for leather, wool, cotton and silk. This vegetable dye is sometimes called rose madder or Turkey red.
Root chicory is used as a substitute for coffee. Names Scientific Cichorium intybus var. sativumEnglish Root chicoryDutch KoffiecichoreiFrench Chicorée à café Chicorée à torréfier Taxonomy Order AsteralesFamily AsteraceaeGenus CichoriumSpecies Cichorium intybus var. sativum (Root chicory) Crop categories Cool temperate crops Mediterranean crops Minor crops Subtropical crops Temperate crops
An Asian tree of which the waxy coating of the seeds can be used ta make candles or soap. Another use of the wax is to produce bio-diesel. The leaves are sometimes used as a herbal medicine.
Chinese tallow tree is also planted as an ornamental tree.
Khorasan wheat is an ancient cereal which probably originates from the Fertile Crescent. It is probably a natural hybrid between Triticum durum and Triticum polonicum. The ears and grains of this type of wheat are longer than in modern wheat (Triticum aestivum).
White currants belong to the same species as red currants (Ribes rubrum). The difference is just a variation in color.
Common rue can be grown as a deterrent for cats and is also used as an insect repellent. It is a herb with a bitter taste. In Ethiopia leaves of common rue are dipped in coffee to give the coffee an additional flavor. Also used as a medicinal plant to improve appetite and digestion.
Wasabi is a Japanese plant in the cabbage family and is related to cabbage, horseradish and mustard. It is grown for its root which is used as a spice often used in Japanese cuisine.
Feverfew is a herb which is sometimes used as a herbal medicine for example to prevent headaches, migraines, and to reduce fever.
The pretty flowers look a bit like daisies and are therefore sometimes planted in gardens as an ornamental plant. Leaves smell a bit like citrus.
Bunium persicum is often confused with Nigella sativa because both plant species are called "black cumin". The dried fruits are used as a spice and also the tuber-like root is edible and can be used as a vegetable.
There are two different species of plant that are called Black cumin which can create some confusion. Nigella sativa is an annual plant which originates from south and southwest Asia. The fruit is a capsule which contains many black seeds which are used as a spice.
A walnut is an edible seed of trees of the genus Juglans. The best known species is the Common walnut (Juglans regia).
Zucchini are usually grown for their fruits which, usually cooked, are eaten as a vegetable. But also zucchini flowers are edible and may be used as garnish.
Pisum sativum var. saccharatum is a variety of the pea (Pisum sativum) where the entire pod can be eaten.
Balsam of Mecca is the gum of a tree originating from southern Arabia. It is used to produce perfume. Sap, wood, bark, and seeds have medicinal properties.
Aloe vera is grown for its medicinal properties. It is used to treat wounds and as a skin moisturiser.
The tobacco plant originates from America where it was 'discovered' by Columbus on his first trip to the new world. The local population had already discovered that the plant can be used for smoking.
Velvet bean is a tropical legume grown in Africa, India and the Caribbean. The plant produces serious itchiness on contact, especially the young leaves and seed pods. The German name 'Juckbohne' means 'itch bean'.
Pigeon pea is a legume which can grow in any warm climate and is mostly found in tropical regions. It originates from India where it probably has been cultivated for over 3500 years. Nowadays it is common in many countries with a suitable climate including East Africa and the Caribbean islands.
The cashew nut is a small evergreen tree which originates from Brazil. It is now planted in many tropical regions. The cashew nut is an edible seed. Also the so called 'cashew apple' is edible or can be used to produce juice.
Sweet potato originates from North and South America, but its highest production is in China.
Sweet potato is usually grown for the sweet tasting tuberous roots. The young leaves and shoots are sometimes used as a leaf vegetable.
Kava is a plant that is related to black pepper. It originates from the western Pacific. The roots of the plants have medicinal properties and are used to prepare a drink which works as a sedative and has also anesthetic effect.
Grains of Paradise is the name of a plant in the ginger family, which originate from West Africa. The ground seeds are used as a spice. It has a peppery flavor and was therefore in Europe used as a black pepper substitute during the 14th and 15th century.
Buddha's hand is a variety of the citron. The fruits are segmented into finger-like sections. Buddha's hand originates from Northeastern India or China.
The kiwifruit, or just kiwi, was first known as "Chinese Gooseberry". It got its new name from the kiwi bird, one of the national symbols of New Zealand.
The kiwi fruit is a fuzzy brown egg-shaped fruit with green flesh.
Pecan nuts originate from North America. In the past, the nuts would be collected from wild pecan trees and only relatively recently (since the 1880s) the trees have become domesticated.
Gac fruit is a gourd shaped fruit that grows on a perennial vine. It is often grown in home gardens in Southeast Asia. The fruit is sometimes called the "fruit from heaven".
Names Scientific Rosmarinus officinalisEnglish RosemaryDutch RozemarijnSpanish RomeroFrench RomarinGerman RosmarinItalian Rosmarino Taxonomy Order LamialesFamily LamiaceaeGenus RosmarinusSpecies Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) Crop categories Arid crops Herbs Mediterranean crops Minor crops Subtropical crops
Brussels sprouts is a cole crop which is cultivated for the small, leafy green buds, which look like miniature cabbages.
Pistachio originates from Asia but is grown a lot in Europe for the edible green seeds.Pistachio nuts are eaten as a snack (either fresh or roasted and salted) or can be processed, for example to make ice cream.In the Pistacia genus, several other species exist which may also be known as pistachio. This may create some confusion.
Sago is a starch extracted from the stem of sago palm. It is eaten as a staple food in some countries (New Guinea, Moluccas).
Cacao is a tropical tree. The seeds of the cacao tree are used to make cocoa powder and chocolate. The origin of cacao is the Amazon area in South America, but highest production is in Ivory Coast and Ghana.
Cacao contains a bitter alkaloid called Theobromine, which has a similar, but lesser, effect to Caffeine.
Sugar maple is a forest tree originating from North America. The trees are famous for their bright colors during autumn.
Sap of the sugar maple is used to produce maple syrup or maple sugar. The wood is used to produce pool cues and musical instruments.
Tree cotton is an old type of cotton plant known for growing like a small tree or large bush. For thousands of years, people have grown it to get its soft fibers, which they then spin into thread to make clothes and other fabrics.
Creole cotton is a cotton species with long fibers. There are several varieties each know with their own names, for example American Pima.
Cotton is a fiber crop. The seeds are covered with fibers which can be removed (ginning) and are then twisted together to make thread, which is then used to make textiles.
Cotton was already cultivated in Mexico about 5,500 years ago
The almond is not a true nut but a drupe. The "nut" is the seed inside the hard shell. Almonds are often used as snacks, for example smoked and salted, in chocolates, or as sugared sweets, and are often used in baking, for example to decorate cakes.
Khat originates from east Africa and is mainly grown in Kenya, Ethiopia, Oman and Yemen.
Khat leaves are chewed because they contain a stimulant alkaloid that causes euphoria and excitement. It also causes a loss of apetite and loss of self control.
Khat is classified as a drug which can produce mild to moderate psychological dependence.
The turnip or white turnip is a root vegetable. Some smaller varieties are grown for human consumption while others are used as fodder. The leaves are sometimes eaten as "turnip greens".
Black pepper is the most important and most widely used spice in the world. It should not be confused with other 'peppers' such as chili peppers and bell peppers, which belong to the genus Capsicum.
Opium poppy is the plant which is grown to produce opium and poppy seeds. It is used to produce many narcotics, such as morphine and heroin.
Soybean is often processed into soybean meal and vegetable oil. It is used as a source of protein in many types of processed foods or as a fodder for farm animals.
Soybean is a crop which has been genetically modified.
Cinnamon is a spice made of the dried bark of the True cinnamon or Ceylon cinnamon. It is a small evergreen tree which originates from Sri Lanka.