Curated category
Fruit trees
- CherryThe genus Prunus holds the true cherries within its subgenus Cerasus. These plants differ from other relatives by possessing a single winter bud per axil.
- PeachIn 1753, Carl Linnaeus named the peach tree Amygdalus persica in his book Species plantarum. The name changed to Prunus persica when August Batsch published…
- GrapefruitIn 1750, a Welshman named Rev. Griffith Hughes wrote about a strange citrus plant in his book The Natural History of Barbados.
- WalnutThe walnut tree belongs to the genus Juglans, a group of trees producing edible seeds known as walnuts. The most common variety is the Persian or English…
- LemonThe lemon tree stands as a genetic compromise between two ancient citrus ancestors. Botanists identify the species Citrus × limon as a hybrid of the citron…
- AlmondCarl Linnaeus named the almond Amygdalus communis in his Species plantarum of 1753. August Batsch placed the species in the genus Prunus for the first time…
- CoconutA fossilized fruit from New Zealand dates back to the Miocene epoch, roughly 23 million years ago. This specimen, named Cocos zeylandica, measured only about…
- Mandarin orangeThe wild mandarin evolved in a restricted region of South China and Vietnam. Genetic studies confirm this species is one of the original citrus taxa.
- AvocadoThe avocado tree stands as a living relic of an ancient world. Scientists describe its large seed and thick skin as an evolutionary mismatch for modern…
- Juglans regiaThe Latin name Juglans combines two ancient words. Jovis refers to Jupiter, the chief god of Roman religion. Glans means acorn or nut in that same language.