Some of the most beautiful and common plants have leaves, petals, and branches that can kill! Never chew the leaves, flowers, or branches of any plant unless you are sure they are safe to eat. ...
Plants that make you itch and burn
> poison ivy The plants shown on this page can hurt you. If you should happen to touch one of them, it can make your skin burn and sting and itch. Learn to recognize these plants so you can stay...
Deadly berries and seeds
Many kinds of berries and seeds are poisonous! People have died from eating mistletoe berries, yew berries, and castor beans. There are several kinds of nightshade plants with green, red, and black...
A magic plant
Clover is a common plant. Its little red, white, pink, or yellow blossoms peep up from meadows and lawns everywhere. Long ago, people believed that clover was a magic plant. They believed that...
The plant that cats love
Many cats love the plant called catnip. A cat that finds a clump of catnip may happily roll about among the leaves. Many cat owners give their pets balls or toys made of dried catnip leaves. Most...
The carrot’s lacy cousin
From May until late August you can see the white, lacy flowers of a plant called Queen Anne's lace nodding at you along roads and in fields. The plant is named after a real queen who ruled England...
The Indian lemonade plant
> staghorn sumac Sumac is a small tree or bush with narrow, pointed leaves. It tells people when fall arrives. Its leaves are usually the first to change color. They turn from green to a bright,...
Pot-cleaning plants
When people clean pots and pans, they probably use scratchy pads of steel wool or plastic. But long ago, people cleaned pots with plants called horsetails. Horsetails, also called rushes, are short,...
Cossack asparagus
Cattails grow in marshes, on riverbanks, and near water-filled ditches. Their flowers become fuzzy, brown rods that look and feel like the tip of a cat's tail. Cattail roots are good to eat. The...
The day’s eye and a cup of butter
Did you ever wonder how some wild flowers got their names? The daisy looks somewhat like an eye. And, like an eye, it opens up at the beginning of each day. So, long ago in England, people named it...