Tag: Plant facts

Despite the coca plant's notoriety for being the source of cocaine, the red berries it produces are considered edible, though they are not widely consumed. This is largely due to the plant's reputation, which overshadows the actual nature of its fruit, and a significant lack of information about its taste and potential effects.

According to the Office for Science and Society at McGill University, bananas are technically berries, while raspberries are not. This intriguing fact highlights a significant difference between the everyday, culinary definition of a fruit and its precise botanical classification. So, does banana count as berry? The answer is a clear 'yes'—from a scientific perspective.

Native to the central and eastern United States, the Kentucky coffeetree (*Gymnocladus dioicus*) has a name that suggests a stimulating brew, but does the Kentucky coffee tree have caffeine? The answer is a definitive no, as its seeds are completely caffeine-free.

While watermelon is often celebrated for its juicy content, it's not actually the wateriest fruit. A lesser-known but botanically correct fruit takes the top spot with a higher water percentage. In fact, the fruit with the highest water content is the cucumber.

Grape tomatoes burst onto the American produce scene in the late 1990s, where they quickly gained immense popularity. Their small, oblong shape and robust texture set them apart from other varieties, making them a pantry staple for salads, snacks, and cooking.

While many leafy greens like spinach and lettuce are low in calories and high in nutrients, the answer to the question "Are leaves a vegetable?" is surprisingly complex and depends on perspective. The simple term holds different meanings in the kitchen and the scientific lab.

While there are over 300,000 known plant species on Earth, a tiny fraction of that number is considered edible for humans. In fact, humans rely on a very limited number of crops for the vast majority of their food supply.

Avocados are botanically considered a single-seeded berry, and the large, hard center is, therefore, a seed. This clarifies a common point of confusion, as many people colloquially refer to it as a 'nut' due to its hard shell and central placement.

Despite their nutty name, water chestnuts are not nuts at all, but are actually edible corms from an aquatic plant. This fact leads many to question: do water chestnuts count as vegetables? The answer is a clear yes, in a culinary context, even though their botanical classification is more complex.

According to the U.S. Forest Service, the attractive red, raspberry-like fruits of the goldenseal plant ($Hydrastis canadensis$) are considered inedible for humans due to their toxic properties. So, can you eat goldenseal berries? The answer is a definitive no, and ignoring this can lead to serious health complications.