Lamiales

What science is finding about Lamiales

Every article on Plant News that mentions a member of this order, newest first.

Latest finding

Leftover sesame and perilla seed pulp may guard liver cells

Byproducts left over from pressing sesame and perilla seeds for oil contain compounds that protected liver cells in the lab from fat buildup, hinting at a cheap way to repurpose seed waste into a tool against fatty liver disease.

Sesame

An oregano compound coating could keep strawberries fresher longer

The strawberries that turn mushy in your fridge within two days could last noticeably longer with a natural coating instead of...

Oregano food-forest / crop-improvement

Asian culinary herb shiso found growing wild in Alabama parking lot

That scrappy purple-leaved weed poking through pavement cracks near big-box stores might be shiso, the same herb wrapping your...

Perilla invasive-species / urban-ecology

Compounds from common herbs calmed asthma symptoms in mice

The peony blooming in your garden and the licorice root in your herbal tea cabinet both contain compounds that researchers are...

Catalpa medicinal-plants / ethnobotany

Anise hyssop spotted thriving along Manhattan's riverside greenway

If you're hunting for a tough native plant that bees and butterflies love, a confirmed city sighting like this one proves...

Anise hyssop native-plants / pollinators

Fuzzy giant weed confirmed growing on California's central coast

If you've spotted a towering plant with soft, felt-like leaves and a single flower spike along a trail or vacant lot, this...

Great Mullein native-plants / invasive-species

Satellite greenness timing reveals where invasive plants hide in cities

If you've ever wondered why that aggressive shrub or weed seems to pop up in the same spots every year, this study shows...

Lantana camara invasive-species / urban-ecology

Removing hidden air bubbles reveals plant cells in sharp detail

Every leaf and petal in your garden holds tiny air pockets that scientists had to learn to vacuum out before they could...

Asian Plantain plant-science-methods / microscopy

Root fungi help mangrove trees survive salty, harsh coastlines

Coastal restoration crews and mangrove nurseries could cut losses and speed up shoreline replanting by inoculating seedlings...

Grey Mangrove mycorrhizal-networks / climate-adaptation

Needle-prick method speeds up gene editing in a key medicinal herb

Danshen root extract shows up in heart and circulation remedies across Asia, and faster gene-editing tools mean breeders can...

Danshen crispr / medicinal-plants

A shrub compound tunes plant growth up or down by dose

A compound from a tropical shrub's leaves can nudge a plant's own hormone signals to grow faster, flower earlier, or toughen...

Callicarpa macrophylla plant-signaling / crop-improvement

An herbal compound makes cow's milk fat healthier

The jug of milk in your fridge carries a microbiome of its own, and this study shows that a flower-derived compound can tilt...

Baikal skullcap medicinal-plants / ethnobotany

eco

Two Iranian wildflowers show promise killing cancer cells in lab tests

A scraggly mullein-family wildflower growing wild on a hillside in Iran just outperformed dozens of other plants at...

Verbascum kurdicum medicinal-plants / ethnobotany

Plant compound apigenin blocks breast cancer's immune-cell helpers

Apigenin is a flavonoid you've likely grown without knowing it, found in parsley, celery, chamomile flowers, and citrus peels,...

Scutellaria barbata medicinal-plants / ethnobotany

Native blue vervain spotted thriving along Buffalo's urban waterfront edge

Blue vervain's purple flower spikes feed native bees and butterflies, and it grows happily in damp, sunny spots where many...

Blue Vervain native-plants / urban-ecology

Parasitic weeds react to many plant chemicals, not just one famous hormone

Mustard-family plants in your vegetable beds release compounds that can wake up seeds of parasitic weeds like broomrape, so...

Broomrape plant-signaling / invasive-species

Sewage bacteria found to fully digest a tough whale-derived fragrance molecule

Terpenes like the ones that give sage, clary sage, and conifers their scent end up in soil and compost, and this study shows...

Clary sage soil-health / microbiome

Statistical tool helps breeders pick the best sesame parent plants

Crossing two nearly identical sesame plants wastes a growing season, so knowing which varieties are genetically farthest apart...

Sesame crop-improvement / seed-saving

Wildflowers evolved fast during drought, but only at range edges

Watching how a single wildflower species shifts its flowering timing and survival within just a few generations gives home...

Erythranthe laciniata climate-adaptation / phenology

Some medicinal plant varieties shrug off toxic city dust better

If you're growing medicinal or edible plants near a busy road, the shape and texture of a plant's leaves can determine whether...

Andrographis paniculata phytoremediation / medicinal-plants

A single scent gene switches mosquitoes from flowers to blood

The lantana bush blooming in your yard isn't just pretty, it's a mosquito buffet, and understanding why young mosquitoes crave...

Lantana plant-signaling / pollinators

Plant compound sponge speeds up healing of mouth wounds

Chinese skullcap, a plant long used in traditional medicine, keeps turning up in modern labs because its main compound,...

Baikal skullcap medicinal-plants / ethnobotany

Ancient Chinese root herb protects heart tissue in animal studies

The deep purple-flowered sage growing in traditional medicine gardens has spent centuries treating heart disease in China, and...

Danshen medicinal-plants / ethnobotany

eco

Traditional African plants show promise for fighting gum inflammation

These are the same plants used for generations in traditional medicine across southern Africa, and this study gives real lab...

Sesamum senecioides medicinal-plants / ethnobotany

Clary sage compound kills livestock parasites within 90 minutes

The fuzzy-leaved clary sage some gardeners grow for its fragrant flowers contains a compound potent enough to destroy...

Clary sage medicinal-plants / ethnobotany

Ashwagandha extract kills wound bacteria in livestock trials

The ashwagandha you might grow as an ornamental or the prickly chaff flower weed at the edge of a pasture both carry compounds...

Mullein medicinal-plants / ethnobotany

Iron nanoparticles help a mint relative survive salty soil

Salty soil is creeping into farmland worldwide as irrigation water and coastal aquifers turn brackish, and this study shows a...

Ziziphora clinopodioides medicinal-plants / crop-improvement

Gas treatment helps cut lavender stay fresh longer

If you've ever bought a bunch of lavender at a farmers market only to watch it wilt within days, this points to a simple...

Lavender postharvest-technology / plant-signaling

Catnip relative shows promise for protecting DNA from damage

The catmint growing in your pollinator border isn't just cat entertainment, it may harbor compounds that guard cells against...

Nepeta grandiflora medicinal-plants / ethnobotany

This medicinal herb's chemical fingerprint barely changes with the seasons

If you grow or forage medicinal herbs, this shows that harvest timing matters less than which individual plant you pick, since...

Lippia alba medicinal-plants / ethnobotany

Fungi and biochar help a medicinal herb survive drought stress

If you garden in a dry climate or water sparingly, mixing biochar into your soil and encouraging mycorrhizal fungi around your...

Dracocephalum kotschyi mycorrhizal-networks / soil-health

A natural spray helps rosemary cope with salty water

If you grow rosemary in containers near a coastal garden or use reclaimed water with a bit of salt in it, this compound could...

Rosemary plant-signaling / climate-adaptation

Tree bark's seasonal swelling can fool growth measuring instruments

If you've ever strapped a growth band around a favorite tree to track its progress, this explains why those numbers can...

Manna ash phenology / climate-adaptation

Two wild plants show promise fighting crop-damaging fungus

The scraggly rue growing along field edges and hedgerows might hold a natural alternative to synthetic fungicides for...

Narrow-leaved ash medicinal-plants / crop-improvement

Ancient memory herb shows real promise against Alzheimer's disease

That low, creeping succulent-looking herb sold at nurseries as an aquarium or bog plant has active compounds now being studied...

Brahmi medicinal-plants / ethnobotany

Traditional herbs show liver safety limits and brain activity effects

If you brew herbal teas or forage wild plants for home remedies, this study is a reminder that 'natural' dosing matters: the...

Ziziphora clinopodioides medicinal-plants / ethnobotany

Methanol pulls the most healing compounds from this medicinal shrub's leaves

If you grow Vitex negundo (chaste tree relative) as an ornamental or windbreak, this study confirms the folk remedies your...

Chinese chastetree medicinal-plants / ethnobotany

eco

Wild thyme extract kills stored-grain beetles, no pesticides needed

The thyme growing in your herb bed isn't just for the kitchen: compounds in its leaves can kill and repel the beetles that...

Thymus carmanicus medicinal-plants / ethnobotany

Sesame oil may shield fertility from a common transplant drug

The sesame seeds you might toss in a stir-fry come from a plant whose oil is showing real promise as a low-cost way to protect...

Sesame medicinal-plants / ethnobotany

Invasive honeybees are starving bat-pollinated trees of fruit

If you've ever planted a tree hoping for fruit, this shows how a well-meaning backyard beehive can quietly wreck pollination...

Crescentia alata invasive-species / pollinators

The weed in your lawn may fight gum disease

That low, purple-flowered creeper spreading through your lawn or shady beds is ground ivy, a plant European herbalists have...

Creeping Charlie medicinal-plants / ethnobotany

Rosemary extract eases fibromyalgia-like pain in animal study

The rosemary bush on your windowsill or in your herb bed contains compounds now shown to calm the kind of nerve-pain...

Rosemary medicinal-plants / ethnobotany

Invasive butter-and-eggs plant spotted along Wisconsin roadside

This cheerful yellow flower spreads aggressively through underground roots and can crowd out native prairie plants in the...

Common toadflax invasive-species / native-plants

Insect waste compost cuts toxic metal uptake in medicinal herb

If you grow herbs or vegetables in soil with a questionable history, this points to a low-cost amendment, insect frass, that...

Baikal skullcap phytoremediation / soil-health

Wild mountain plants sort into metal-trapping and metal-pulling specialists

If you've ever wondered whether the scrappy weeds growing on an old mine site or industrial lot could actually help clean the...

Stachys inflata phytoremediation / native-plants

Predictive breeding doubles medicinal compounds in a healing herb

The red-leaved shiso in your herb garden, prized for cooking and traditional remedies, could soon come in far more potent...

Shiso medicinal-plants / crop-improvement

Ancient healing plants hold clues to fighting drug-resistant infections

Many of the herbs your grandmother might have grown for tea or tonics, like licorice root or barberry, contain compounds...

Andrographis medicinal-plants / ethnobotany

Brazilian folk remedy bark extract eases inflammation and pain in mice

The traditional herbal remedies passed down through generations often turn out to have real, measurable biological effects...

Handroanthus heptaphyllus medicinal-plants / ethnobotany

Carnivorous underwater plant confirmed growing in Alberta wetland

Any pond or slow-moving ditch you pass on a walk could be hiding a plant that traps and digests tiny insects underwater, and...

Common bladderwort native-plants / phenology

Native mint spotted growing wild in rural Alberta roadside

If you're planting a pollinator patch or foraging edge habitats, Canada mint is a native perennial that spreads readily and...

Canada mint native-plants / foraging

Sesame's wood-building genes ramp up during disease and salt stress

Sesame is a staple oilseed for millions of small farmers, and knowing which genes help it fight off soil fungus and salty...

Sesame crop-improvement / climate-adaptation

This purple lawn weed is popping up everywhere right now

That low-growing patch of purple flowers dotting your lawn or the trail edge isn't just a weed to mow over: it's common...

Common Selfheal foraging / medicinal-plants

Bee-loved native wildflower is popping up everywhere right now

If you've got a patch of purple, shaggy-flowered blooms buzzing with bees and hummingbird moths along a roadside or meadow...

Wild Bergamot native-plants / pollinators

Small native wildflower confirmed growing in remote northern Ontario

Every confirmed sighting like this helps map where native wildflowers still hang on in wild, undeveloped forest, data that...

Narrowleaf cow wheat native-plants / citizen-science

Old-world heart herb confirmed growing wild in Ontario

Motherwort spreads readily along fence lines and garden edges, so if you've seen a scrappy mint-family plant with jagged...

Common motherwort medicinal-plants / foraging

Plant compound quiets bacterial chatter to fight lung infections

The same plant chemistry that gives pine forests and herb gardens their scent is showing up as a lead ingredient in...

Verbena medicinal-plants / plant-signaling

This tiny purple flower is popping up in yards everywhere

That low, purple-flowered plant sneaking into your lawn between mowings isn't a weed to spray, it's an edible, medicinal herb...

Common Selfheal foraging / native-plants

Wild bergamot is blooming everywhere right now, and people are noticing

If you've got bees, hummingbirds, or swallowtails visiting your yard this week, wild bergamot's lavender blooms are likely...

Wild Bergamot native-plants / pollinators

Toxic mint relative spotted growing wild in Eugene, Oregon

If you've got a dog that likes to nibble roadside greenery, pennyroyal's pretty purple flowers hide an oil that can cause...

Pennyroyal native-plants / urban-ecology

Ancient herbal formula boosts arthritis drug's bone protection in rats

The two plants behind this formula, Chinese privet and false daisy, are staples of traditional herb gardens grown for...

Chinese privet (Ligustrum lucidum) medicinal-plants / ethnobotany

Community compost beats manure-based compost for drought-proofing plants

If you compost at home using kitchen scraps and yard trimmings, this study suggests your pile could be doing more than feeding...

Rosemary composting / soil-health

Mercury pollution stunts spearmint and damages its stem tissue

If you grow mint near old industrial sites, painted structures, or areas with legacy mercury contamination, this shows the...

Spearmint phytoremediation / soil-health

Fragrant native wildflower spotted thriving in West Texas town

Lemon beebalm's minty-citrus scent and long summer bloom make it a bee and butterfly magnet you can add to a dry, sunny bed...

Lemon Beebalm native-plants / pollinators

Native wetland wildflower confirmed growing on New Jersey trail

If you hike wet, shady trails in northern New Jersey, this tall purple-flowered native is a sign the streamside habitat is...

Allegheny monkeyflower native-plants / urban-ecology

Sage leaf extract soaks up mercury, lead, and copper from water

That sage plant on your windowsill or in your herb bed contains natural chemistry that latches onto toxic metals, hinting at a...

Common sage phytoremediation / medicinal-plants

This purple lawn weed is popping up in nature logs everywhere

That low, purple-flowered plant creeping through your lawn or the edge of the trail isn't just a weed to mow over, it's an...

Common Selfheal native-plants / foraging

Wild bergamot is blooming everywhere and pollinators are noticing

If you've got a patch of dry, sunny ground you don't know what to do with, wild bergamot fills it with months of lavender...

Wild Bergamot native-plants / pollinators

Root-stealing Mediterranean weed confirmed spreading in Humboldt County

If you tend a native meadow or pasture near the Northern California coast, this is the plant quietly tapping into your grass...

Yellow Glandweed invasive-species / native-plants

Invasive snapdragon relative confirmed spreading along Anchorage roadside

If you garden anywhere near Anchorage, this yellow-flowered escapee spreads by aggressive underground roots and can crowd out...

Common toadflax invasive-species / urban-ecology

Charcoal-like soil additive doubles down on mint fertilizer benefits

If you've ever struggled with sandy or fast-draining soil letting water and fertilizer run right through, this study shows a...

Spearmint soil-health / crop-improvement

Scientists map sesame's internal drought survival toolkit

The oil in your kitchen pantry likely traces back to sesame fields where water scarcity already cuts yields, and this roadmap...

Sesame crop-improvement / climate-adaptation

Two natural compounds help a medicinal herb survive metal pollution

If you grow medicinal herbs or garden in soil with any history of industrial contamination, this shows a low-tech way to...

Andrographis paniculata phytoremediation / medicinal-plants

Common medicinal plants show strong antimicrobial action against skin pathogens

Plants like neem growing in your yard or neighborhood have been fighting skin infections for centuries, and this research...

Lantana medicinal-plants / ethnobotany

Common medicinal plants show strong antimicrobial power against skin pathogens

Neem, a tree you may know as a garden pest repellent, turns out to be one of three traditional-medicine plants with real,...

Lantana medicinal-plants / ethnobotany

Fifteen herbs from turmeric to lion's mane protect the aging brain

The saffron crocuses you plant in fall, the turmeric on a sunny windowsill, and the lemon balm spreading in your herb bed all...

Brahmi medicinal-plants / ethnobotany

Citizen scientists spot common selfheal blooming across the landscape

Common selfheal grows in almost every lawn, meadow, and trailside you pass through in summer, and recognizing it turns an...

Common Selfheal citizen-science / medicinal-plants

Wild bergamot blooming across North America draws record observer attention

Wild bergamot blooming in your neighborhood right now is one of the best plants you can add to a sunny border: it feeds native...

Wild Bergamot native-plants / pollinators

Blue vervain spotted and verified in Kaukauna, Wisconsin neighborhood

Blue vervain growing near residential streets signals healthy pollinator corridors in your community, as this native...

Blue Vervain native-plants / citizen-science

Heath speedwell spotted and verified in Michigan's Iron County

Heath speedwell creeping through a lawn or forest edge is easy to overlook, but spotting and logging it helps naturalists...

Heath speedwell citizen-science / native-plants

Invasive Eurasian weed spotted and confirmed in rural Maine town

Bifid Hemp-nettle spreads quickly into disturbed soils and garden edges, so spotting it early near you gives your community a...

Bifid Hemp-nettle invasive-species / citizen-science

Clay coating helps native tree seedlings survive harsh sun during reforestation

If you've ever tried to establish a native tree seedling in a bare, sunny patch of yard only to watch it scorch and stall,...

Citharexylum myrianthum native-plants / climate-adaptation

Iranian spearmint varieties differ wildly in oil yield and chromosome number

If you grow spearmint in your garden, the specific variety you chose matters far more than you might think: plants with extra...

Spearmint medicinal-plants / crop-improvement

The "weed" in your lawn is quietly feeding thousands of bumblebees

Selfheal is almost certainly already growing in your lawn or garden path and most people pull it without a second thought, but...

Common Selfheal citizen-science / phenology

Prairie woundwort spotted along rural Ontario roadsides supporting native pollinators

Prairie woundwort is a native perennial that attracts bumblebees and supports wild pollinator populations, so spotting it...

Prairie Woundwort native-plants / citizen-science

Fuzzy European mullein found thriving along Erie County's Gull Point Trail

Great mullein growing along a trail you hike is easy to spot and harvest for its long history as a respiratory herb, but it...

Great Mullein invasive-species / citizen-science

Scarlet Beebalm confirmed thriving in Ohio, welcoming hummingbirds and bees

Scarlet Beebalm is one of the few native perennials that draws hummingbirds, bumblebees, and swallowtails to the same bloom,...

Scarlet Beebalm native-plants / pollinators

Garden herbs and kitchen plants show promise against Alzheimer's brain plaques

The sulforaphane in the kale and broccoli you grow is now showing up in lab studies as one of the sharpest tools against the...

Lantana medicinal-plants / ethnobotany

Climate change will push bluebeard shrubs northeast but fragment their Asian heartland

Bluebeard shrubs, beloved in late-summer gardens for their blue flower spikes and drought tolerance, may colonize new regions...

Bluebeard climate-adaptation / native-plants

Bloom timing shapes how a bumblebee gut parasite spreads between flowers

The wild bergamot blooming in your pollinator garden isn't just pretty - when it peaks relative to the rest of your season can...

Wild Bergamot pollinators / phenology

Ancient skullcap herb's healing compound finally explained at the molecular level

Chinese skullcap grows readily in herb gardens and has been brewed as tea for centuries, and science is now mapping out...

Baikal skullcap medicinal-plants / ethnobotany

RESILIENCE STRATEGIES AND PATHWAYS TOWARD ROOT TO CAPSULE FOR SESAME YIELD ENHANCEMENT UNDER WATERLOGGED CONDITION

Sesame—the seed behind your tahini and toasted noodle toppings—is quietly disappearing from flood-prone farms worldwide, and...

Sesame climate-adaptation / crop-improvement

RESILIENCE STRATEGIES AND PATHWAYS TOWARD ROOT TO CAPSULE FOR SESAME YIELD ENHANCEMENT UNDER WATERLOGGED CONDITION

Sesame oil in your kitchen comes from one of the most flood-sensitive crops on earth, and as monsoon rains grow more erratic,...

Sesame climate-adaptation / crop-improvement

Chemical Fingerprinting and Antimicrobial Potential of Selected Ethnomedicinal Plants: Correlation Between Quercetin Content and Bioactivity.

Rosemary growing in your herb bed turns out to be one of the more potent natural antibacterials among common kitchen plants —...

Rosemary medicinal-plants / ethnobotany

Trending: common selfheal (Prunella vulgaris) — 1179 observations this week

Common selfheal is almost certainly already growing in your lawn or a nearby path edge — it's one of the few flowering plants...

Common Selfheal citizen-science / native-plants

wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) observed in Tennessee, US

Wild bergamot growing in Tennessee roadsides and meadows is a magnet for native bees, hummingbirds, and sphinx moths — plant...

Wild Bergamot native-plants / pollinators

common toadflax (Linaria vulgaris) observed in N 15th St, New York, NY, US

Common toadflax thrives in disturbed urban soils and sidewalk cracks — spotting it in your neighborhood is a sign of how...

Common toadflax urban-ecology / invasive-species

eco

A Multidisciplinary Review of Phytoremediation Strategies for Heavy Metal-Contaminated African Soils: From Geochemical Assessment to Genetic Enhancement.

Vegetables grown in soil near old mine sites or industrial zones can quietly accumulate toxic metals like lead and...

Haumaniastrum robertii phytoremediation / soil-health

Medicinal Plants Used During Childbirth and Maternal-Neonatal Healthcare in Punjab, Pakistan

Fenugreek growing in your herb garden has been trusted by mothers across Punjab for generations to boost milk supply — and...

Corn Mint ethnobotany / medicinal-plants

foxglove beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis) observed in Windber, PA, US

Foxglove beardtongue is one of the easiest native perennials to establish in a sunny border, and confirmed local sightings...

Foxglove Beardtongue native-plants / citizen-science

Integrating pharmacologically important flora into phytoremediation: The role of bacillus strains in mitigating chromium toxicity and enhancing rhizostabilization.

Contaminated brownfields near tanneries and factories could one day be restored using garden-worthy medicinal shrubs paired...

Malabar nut (Justicia adhatoda) phytoremediation / soil-health

Monochromatic light reprograms transcription, metabolism, and rhizosphere microbial communities in Salvia miltiorrhiza.

If you grow medicinal herbs under grow lights, the color of that light — not just its brightness — actively shifts which...

Danshen medicinal-plants / light-spectrum

Integrated genomic and phenotypic analysis of an endophytic bacterium reveals biocontrol and plant growth-promoting mechanisms.

Soil-drenching beneficial bacteria like this one are already available to home gardeners, and understanding which strains...

Danshen soil-health / biocontrol

Traditional Knowledge and Biocultural Roles of Edible Flowers in Local Food Systems of Baise City, Guangxi, China.

Dozens of the wild flowers locals in Guangxi have eaten for generations—gathered from roadsides and forests, not farms—turn...

Asian Plantain ethnobotany / foraging

Endophytic Xenodidymella from Iranian medicinal plants: description of three novel species and a new host record.

Fungi living invisibly inside your garden thyme and sage may be quietly protecting them from disease rather than causing it —...

Clary sage medicinal-plants / ethnobotany

Trending: foxglove beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis) — 804 observations this week

Foxglove beardtongue blooming in your yard or along a roadside right now is prime habitat for native bumblebees and specialist...

Foxglove Beardtongue native-plants / pollinators

wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) observed in Franklin County, KY, USA

Wild bergamot is one of the best native plants you can add to a sunny garden border — it blooms mid-summer when many natives...

Wild Bergamot native-plants / pollinators

Lantana (Lantana strigocamara) observed in Shamrock Park and Nature Center, Venice, FL, US

Lantana growing in a park you might walk through this weekend can crowd out native wildflowers and poison dogs or children who...

Lantana invasive-species / urban-ecology

common selfheal (Prunella vulgaris) observed in N Oakwood Ave, Oconomowoc, WI, US

Common selfheal growing in a lawn or sidewalk strip is one of the easiest medicinal wildflowers to cultivate — it fixes itself...

Common Selfheal citizen-science / urban-ecology

Dakota mock vervain (Glandularia bipinnatifida) observed in Fort Worth, TX, US

Dakota mock vervain blooming in a Fort Worth yard or vacant lot is a signal that your local pollinators — especially native...

Dakota mock vervain native-plants / urban-ecology

Investigating the mechanism of Rehmannia glutinosa-Ephedra sinica in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction by network pharmacology, metabolomics and experimental validation.

Rehmannia, the waxy-leafed, crimson-flowered plant sold at Chinese herb markets and grown as a perennial ornamental in...

Chinese Foxglove medicinal-plants / ethnobotany

Phenolic fraction of Elsholtzia penduliflora W.W.Sm. ameliorates influenza A virus-induced acute lung injury by inhibiting the IDO-1-mitochondria-STAT1 signaling axis.

An herb long brewed by Miao healers in southwestern China to fight respiratory infections has now been shown in lab and animal...

Elsholtzia ethnobotany / medicinal-plants

Associations of meteorological variability with sesame yield in semi-arid Bundelkhand region of India.

If you grow sesame in your garden or edible landscape, knowing that this drought-tolerant crop thrives with warmth but...

Sesame climate-adaptation / crop-improvement

Compost from decentralized composting models used for improving soil quality and plant-rhizosphere microbial community response to salinity stress.

If your garden soil is getting saltier from road runoff, irrigation buildup, or coastal spray, the type of compost you reach...

Rosemary soil-health / composting

Dakota mock vervain (Glandularia bipinnatifida) observed in Lake Shore Dr, Canyon Lake, TX, US

Dakota mock vervain's clusters of bright purple blooms are one of the best low-water natives you can plant to keep butterflies...

Dakota mock vervain native-plants / citizen-science

Mexican Giant Hyssop (Agastache mexicana) observed in Keller Springs Rd, Carrollton, TX, US

Mexican Giant Hyssop's confirmed presence in suburban DFW means you can likely grow this drought-tolerant, hummingbird-magnet...

Mexican Giant Hyssop native-plants / urban-ecology

Microbial dysbiosis and macrofungal outbreaks induced by long-term plant essential oil biocide application in a humid archaeological earthen site.

Oregano and cinnamon sprays marketed as natural pest controls for your greenhouse or indoor plants can quietly reshape the...

Oregano soil-health / medicinal-plants

Trending: black ash (Fraxinus nigra) — 294 observations this week

Black ash trees woven into the soggy edges of northern swamps and river corridors are disappearing faster than most people...

Black Ash native-plants / citizen-science

ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata) observed in Brookfield

Ribwort plantain growing along roadsides and lawns in Brookfield is one of the most underappreciated wild edibles and...

Narrowleaf Plantain citizen-science / foraging

foxglove beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis) observed in Jackson Township, IN, USA

Foxglove beardtongue is one of the most reliable native perennials for attracting long-tongued bees and hummingbirds, and...

Foxglove Beardtongue native-plants / pollinators

Carbon-fixing bacteria and sediment organic carbon response to the introduction of mangrove plant Sonneratia caseolaris.

Coastal mangrove forests lock away carbon at rates far exceeding most terrestrial forests, and understanding which planted...

Acanthus ilicifolius soil-health / climate-adaptation

Neuroprotective effects of Uncaria rhynchophylla alkaloid extracts against amyloid-β toxicity via regulation of oxidative stress pathways.

A woody vine used in Chinese herbal medicine for centuries is now showing laboratory evidence that its compounds can slow the...

Cat's claw vine medicinal-plants / ethnobotany

Lavandula angustifolia and microbial bioaugmentation synergistically reshape rhizosphere microbiome and enhance heavy metals removal in historically contaminated soils.

Contaminated lots near old industrial sites or roads could one day be cleaned up by planting lavender and inoculating the soil...

English Lavender phytoremediation / soil-health

Foliar pathogens and drought drive plant-soil feedback between two co-occurring herbaceous plant species.

The powdery mildew you spot on your garden plants isn't just a leaf problem — it's quietly reshaping the soil microbes beneath...

Bee Balm soil-health / plant-pathogen

Rapid disruption of pollination function by the invasive plant Impatiens glandulifera.

That pretty pink-flowered plant spreading along your local riverbank or woodland edge could be quietly starving native...

Hedge Woundwort invasive-species / pollinators

Comprehensive review on Cistanche polysaccharides: Structure, gut microbiota and processing characteristics.

Cistanche grows by stealing nutrients from the roots of desert shrubs like saxaul, and the same complex sugars that make it a...

Cistanche medicinal-plants / gut-microbiome

Editing strigolactone biosynthesis genes in tomato reveals novel phenotypic effects and highlights D27 as a breeding target for parasitic weed resistance.

If you've ever grown tomatoes near fields plagued by broomrape — a rootless parasite that latches onto tomato roots and can...

Broomrape crispr / crop-improvement

Gold nanoparticle-mediated elicitation enhances andrographolide biosynthesis via auxin signalling in optimized hairy root cultures of Andrographis paniculata.

Andrographis is the bitter herb behind some of the most widely sold immune supplements in health food stores, and this...

Andrographis medicinal-plants / plant-signaling

Dawn of a new era for parasitic plant biology.

Dodder, that orange thread-like tangle strangling plants in your garden beds, and the ghost-like broomrape erupting under your...

Witchweed parasitic-plants / genomics

The role of soil microbiota in the control of parasitic weeds.

If you grow tomatoes, carrots, or sunflowers, broomrape parasites can latch onto their roots invisibly underground and drain...

Witchweed soil-health / biocontrol

Progress and prospects of parasitic plant biodiversity genomics.

Witchweed and broomrape, the vampires of the plant world, already devastate staple crops across Africa and the Mediterranean —...

Witchweed parasitic-plants / crop-improvement

Shotgun metagenomic dataset of leaf endophytic microbiome of the garden sage (Salvia officinalis L.).

The microscopic hitchhikers living inside your sage plant's leaves may be shaping the very oils and compounds that make it...

Common sage plant-microbiome / metagenomics

Volatile compounds of volatile oils and hydrosols: intra-specific comparison in seven Lamiaceae species.

The fragrant water left in your pot after steaming lavender or rosemary is packed with unique aromatic compounds you won't...

Oregano essential-oils / herbal-extracts

Charcoal rot in sesame: infection biology, host resistance mechanism, and genomic-enabled strategies for durable resistance breeding.

The sesame seeds in your tahini and hummus come from plants increasingly threatened by a soil fungus that grows more...

Sesame crop-improvement / climate-adaptation

Forensic botany clues: Development of a novel Osmanthus fragrans STR multiplex system.

Sweet osmanthus lines the streets, parks, and gardens across much of the world, and now a leaf or twig left behind at a crime...

Fragrant olive forensic-botany / plant-dna

Mealy Blue Sage (Salvia farinacea) observed in Austin

Mealy Blue Sage is a drought-tolerant native perennial that pollinators love, making it a smart, low-maintenance pick for...

Mealy Blue Sage urban-ecology / native-plants

red deadnettle (Lamium purpureum) observed in Versailles, KY 40383, USA

Red deadnettle is one of the earliest spring bloomers in lawns and garden beds, providing crucial nectar for bumblebees and...

Red Deadnettle citizen-science / invasive-species

Phytochemistry and Bioactivities of Thymol and Carvacrol: Molecular Pathways, Metabolism, and Therapeutic Insights.

The thyme and oregano growing in your herb garden contain powerful natural compounds that researchers are actively studying as...

Oregano phytochemistry / plant-medicine

Florida Hedgenettle (Stachys floridana) observed in Central, LA, US

Florida Hedgenettle can quietly spread into your garden beds and lawn edges, so knowing it's established in your area helps...

Florida Hedgenettle invasive-species / urban-ecology

Comparative transcriptomic and co-expression analyses enable the discovery of key enzymes responsible for oleuropein biosynthesis in olive (Olea europaea).

The bitter kick in a quality extra-virgin olive oil comes from oleuropein, and now that we know exactly which genes produce...

Jasmine crop-improvement / plant-biochemistry

NLRP3 inflammasome as a therapeutic target in oral squamous cell carcinoma: implications for tumorigenesis and immunomodulation.

Plants in your garden or local herbal market — like brahmi (Bacopa monnieri), used for centuries in traditional medicine — are...

Brahmi plant-derived-medicine / inflammation-biology

red deadnettle (Lamium purpureum) observed in Lewisburg

Red deadnettle is one of the earliest spring bloomers to appear in gardens and lawns, meaning its spread into new areas like...

Red Deadnettle urban-ecology / invasive-species

Blue light regulates terpenoid biosynthesis via jasmonic acid signaling in the medicinal plant Andrographis paniculata.

It suggests that the healing potency of medicinal herbs you grow or buy could one day be enhanced simply by controlling the...

Andrographis plant-signaling / medicinal-plants

Mechanism of Astragali radix combined with Salviae miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma in alleviating diabetic nephropathy: Focus on the AGEs/RAGE/MAPK signaling Pathway.

Two common garden herbs — Astragalus, grown widely as an ornamental and medicinal plant, and Chinese sage — have now been...

Danshen herbal-medicine / plant-signaling

Complexity and innovation in carnivorous plant genomes.

Understanding how exotic plants like the Venus flytrap evolved their remarkable insect-trapping abilities could one day help...

Humped Bladderwort convergent-evolution / genome-complexity

Dakota mock vervain (Glandularia bipinnatifida) observed in Bexar County, US-TX, US

Tracking where native wildflowers like Dakota mock vervain are actually growing helps gardeners, conservationists, and city...

Dakota mock vervain urban-ecology / phenology

great mullein (Verbascum thapsus) observed in Morewood Rd, Hardy, VA, US

Great mullein is a prolific colonizer of disturbed soils — roadsides, fields, and garden edges — and tracking its spread helps...

Great Mullein citizen-science / invasive-species

CLE peptides in plant-biotic interactions.

Same molecular signals that help legumes team up with soil bacteria to naturally fertilize themselves also get hijacked by...

Witchweed plant-signaling / crop-improvement

Beyond the crop: the role of medicinal and aromatic plants in soil carbon sequestration and nitrogen cycling.

Herbs you grow in your garden or see at the farmers' market may actually be quietly rebuilding the soil beneath them, making...

Lavender soil-health / climate-adaptation

Comparative Analysis of Lavandula Dentata Rhizosphere Microbiota Across Different Developmental Stages in a Semi-Arid Area.

Understanding which microbes help lavender thrive in near-desert conditions could lead to natural, microbe-based fertilizers...

Lavender mycorrhizal-networks / soil-health

Blockade of GPX4-mediated ferroptosis underlies the protective effect of Forsythiae Fructus water extract against poly(I:C)-induced inflammation.

That forsythia hedge in your neighborhood or garden isn't just pretty — its fruit contains compounds that scientists are now...

Forsythia plant-signaling / medicinal-plants

Steps to transform African opportunity crops into reality crops.

Foods we rely on are increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather, and investing in hardier, nutrient-rich crops like okra and...

Sesame crop-improvement / climate-adaptation

An eco-friendly alkaline lignin/sodium alginate/β-cyclodextrin composite hydrogel for enhanced foliar deposition and sustained control of Botrytis cinerea with azoxystrobin.

Researchers developed an eco-friendly composite hydrogel that delivers fungicide more effectively to plant leaves while...

Osmanthus crop-improvement / sustainable-agriculture

Elucidating the therapeutic mechanism of Orthosiphon aristatus in hyperuricemic nephropathy: An integrated microbiome-metabolomics approach.

It validates a humble garden herb — Cat's Whiskers, which many people grow as an ornamental — as a scientifically credible...

Java tea plant-signaling / gut-microbiome

Synergistic phytohormone crosstalk enhances nickel detoxification, antioxidant defense and yield in isabgol (Plantago ovata).

It offers a low-cost, chemical-free toolkit — using plant's own signaling molecules — that farmers could spray on crops...

Isabgol phytoremediation / plant-signaling

Valorization of ligustrum species: biosynthesis, metabolic engineering, and pharmacology of bioactive compounds.

Privet hedges common in gardens and parks worldwide are far more than ornamental — they contain potent medicinal compounds...

Ligustrum lucidum crop-improvement / plant-signaling

Henbit deadnettle is blooming now and feeding the season's first bees

Henbit deadnettle is likely blooming in your yard, garden beds, or local park right now — and understanding its seasonal...

Henbit deadnettle phenology / urban-ecology