Tropical
Species native to equatorial regions where monthly mean temperatures stay above ~18 °C (64 °F) year-round. They require consistent warmth and often high humidity, suffering damage in even mild frosts.
Ayahuasca: Amazonian Plant Lessons
Ayahuasca, a traditional Amazonian psychoactive brew, has spread globally since the late 1990s, especially through New Age practices and ecotourism. Its deep Indigenous roots and evolving meanings highlight the complex human-plant relationships that have been reshaped in the global marketplace.
vine, psychoactive, medicinal, tropicalBananas: Chaos out of Order
The banana’s familiar image hides a complex history of human intervention and global migration. This story explores the banana’s botanical roots, challenges cultural stereotypes, and highlights the ongoing confusion in its scientific classification.
fruit, tropical, stapleThe Breadfruit's Reinvention: Pacific to Caribbean
Breadfruit, a towering tree with nourishing fruit, has long been a staple across the Pacific, spread by human migration and cultivation. This story explores how its movement reveals patterns of settlement, and how selective breeding over millennia transformed the plant into the seedless, resilient form we know today.
fruit, tropical, stapleCacao: Indigenous Network to Global Commodity
Cacao, the source of chocolate, has a deep history rooted in ancient Mesoamerican cultures where it held spiritual and social significance. This story traces its journey from Indigenous traditions to a global commodity, revealing its role in colonial encounters and cultural exchange.
fruit, beverage, tropical, stimulantCassava: From Toxic Tuber to Food Staple
Cassava is a vital global food source, feeding millions despite its raw form being toxic. This story explores how human ingenuity transformed it from a poisonous South American tuber into a staple crop cultivated and consumed around the world.
root, tropical, drought-tolerant, stapleCinnamomum verum: Discovering "True" Cinnamon
Once just a kitchen spice—and briefly an internet stunt—cinnamon has a much deeper story rooted in centuries of global trade and discovery. This narrative traces the quest to identify and control “true” cinnamon, revealing its lasting impact on medicine, commerce, and history.
spice, medicinal, tropicalContrayerva
Francis Drake’s 16th-century voyage around the globe helped spark a wave of European interest in exotic plants, feeding the rise of botanical science. This story follows how naturalists like Charles Clusius used explorers’ accounts to build networks, botanical gardens, and a new culture of plant collecting in early modern Europe.
herb, medicinal, root, tropicalThe Corpse Flower - Amorphophallus titanium
The corpse flower, known for its massive size and foul odor, draws huge crowds when it blooms—an event that happens only once every 5 to 10 years. This story explores the plant’s rare and spectacular flowering, its unique pollination strategy, and its rising popularity as a star attraction at botanic gardens across the U.S.
flower, ornamental, tropicalEggplant: Food, Sex, and Poison
The eggplant is more than just a versatile global ingredient—it’s also a cultural symbol, from culinary staple to emoji innuendo. This story traces its journey from domestication and dietary use to its surprising role in digital expression, revealing how food carries layered meanings across cultures.
vegetable, tropicalHeliconia: Evolution at Work
Heliconias, known for their striking tropical beauty, have long been popular in gardens but understudied by scientists due to collection challenges. This story highlights recent discoveries that reveal their complex relationships with animals and their remarkable role in shaping ecosystems.
flower, ornamental, tropicalIndigo: Layers of Paint, History, and Art
Vermeer’s *Girl with a Pearl Earring* once featured a rich indigo background, now faded with time—along with the memory of the dye’s colonial origins. This story uncovers the global history of indigo, linking its artistic and agricultural uses to the exploitation that fueled its trade, while also highlighting its enduring cultural significance.
shrub, dye, legume, tropicalThe Sensitive Plant: Meaning and Movement
Mimosa pudica, known for its touch-sensitive leaves, has captivated observers for centuries, sparking fascination with plant intelligence. This story traces how the plant’s responsiveness inspired both scientific curiosity and colonial exploitation, while highlighting the resilience of diverse cultural knowledge systems surrounding it.
shrub, ornamental, nitrogen-fixer, tropicalOkra: An Enduring Kitchen Staple
Okra, a cultivated plant with no clear wild ancestor, has deep roots in tropical regions from Southeast Asia to West Africa. This story traces its botanical history and celebrates its enduring role as a symbol of African diasporic resilience and cultural heritage.
vegetable, tropical, heat-tolerantThe Broad-Leaf Paperbark: Friend or Foe?
The paperbark tree (Melaleuca quinquenervia) was introduced by colonial powers to reshape landscapes—from Hong Kong’s rocky hillsides to Florida’s swamplands—under the guise of progress and productivity. This story reveals how a once-valued symbol of development became a cautionary tale of ecological disruption and unintended consequences.
tree, medicinal, tropicalTamarind: From Shady Refuge to Versatile Foodstuff
The tamarind tree (Tamarindus indica) is both revered and feared—praised for its medicinal and culinary uses, yet shrouded in myth and mystery. This story explores its deep cultural roots, global spread, and symbolic contradictions as a plant of refuge, resilience, and supernatural lore.
fruit, tropical, condimentTurmeric: Herb of the Sun
Turmeric, prized for its vivid yellow-orange rhizome, has long been used as a spice, medicine, and dye across South and Southeast Asia. This story traces how its distinctive color and flavor not only shaped South Asian cuisine but also played a role in British imperial identity and cultural performance.
root, spice, medicinal, tropicalWatermelon: Stereotypes of Race and Class
Though now beloved for its sweet red flesh, watermelon was historically a pale, sometimes bitter fruit valued for its rind, medicinal uses, and hydration. This story explores how Citrullus lanatus evolved over time and became entangled with cultural stereotypes, revealing its complex global and social history.
fruit, tropical, temperate
