Botanica
‘Botany, the science of the vegetable kingdom, is one of the most attractive, most useful, and most extensive departments of human knowledge. It is, above every other, the science of beauty.’ – Sir Joseph Paxton
Here you’ll find all sorts of juicy botanically inspired information. The more obscure and curious, the better. Think plant sex, history, zombie plants, plant profiles, plant mythology and more.
117 Results
Indoctrinated by Plants
Botanica, CultureDiving into psychedelic medicine via profiles of three common, natural sources of psychedelics. By Liam Engel and Prue Gibson.
Conversations with Plants
BotanicaEvolutionary biologist Monica Gagliano tunes into the desires of plants.
My Pal Mel: An Ecstatic Encounter with an Endangered Plant
BotanicaRobert Champion makes friends with an endangered plant.
Memories of Soil
BotanicaIf soil could speak, 'unprecedented' would not be in its vocabulary.
Making Meaning not Mulch
BotanicaDavid Godshall chats with tree death-walker Jeff Perry.
Crime Pays but Botany Doesn’t
Botanica, Culture, PeopleFelix de Rosen roams the streets with Youtube botanist Joey Santore
Deity, Demon or Somewhere In-between: Eucalyptus Trees in California
Botanica, CultureJeff Perry explores the complex story of gum trees in California.
The Dwindling Glades of Gondwana
Botanica, CultureEssayist Peter Grant on the plight of Tasmania's endemic, and imperilled, Pencil Pine.
How-To: Propagate Plants Using Soft-Tip Cuttings
Botanica, How-ToGo maximal plant! Learn how take soft-tip cuttings with horticultural expert Jac Semmler.
The Wonder of Seeds (and How to Successfully Germinate Them)
Botanica, How-ToOur horticultural expert, Jac Semmler, offers the ultimate seed-sowing guide.
New Shoots: Bushfire Recovery, One Year on
BotanicaWhat has happened in the forests and on the ground one year on from Australia's Black Summer bushfires?
Australia-first research reveals staggering loss of threatened plants over 20 years
BotanicaWhen it comes to threatened species, charismatic animals usually get the most attention. But many of Australia’s plants are also in grave danger of extinction, and in many cases, the problem is getting worse.
The New World, Tomatoes and Mortgage Lifters
Botanica, CultureOn tomatoes, discovery and creativity in trying times.
A Celebration of Variegation
BotanicaVariegated plants are the sequins and glitter of the botanical world.
Saving Seeds With Jac Semmler, Seed Queen
Botanica, How-ToSave those seeds! Jac Semmler will show you how.
Calling all Citizen Scientists and Dead Tree Detectives
BotanicaDust off your Hamburg hat, dig out your camera and get your notebook ready. There’s a mystery unfolding across Australia, and your help is needed to unravel it.
Seven Billion Burnt Trees
BotanicaA conversation about plants and bushfire with Brett Summerell, Chief Botanist at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney.
Stefan Burger is a Cacti Chaser
BotanicaStefan is the real, spiky, deal. We chat with him about his cacti hunting adventures in Chile, weird plant adaptations and more.
In the Stars: Astro-Gardening and Horticultural Horoscopes
BotanicaWhat can your zodiac sign tell you about your gardening persona?
Microbial Love: An Earthy Chat With the Land Gardeners
Botanica, HarvestA guide to deep soil appreciation with two of the most fanatical composters we've ever met.
Dancing with Diversity: Climate-Proofing Nardoo Hills Reserve
BotanicaAn innovative and ambitious approach to restoration ecology at Nardoo Hills Bush Heritage reserve
Seeking Refuge: How Australian Plants use Soil for Shelter
BotanicaRobert Champion explores the clever fire-shelter tactics of Australian plants.
In a Tangle: the Debate over New Zealand’s Small Leaved Shrubs
BotanicaRobert Champion untangles the mystery of New Zealand's small leaved, divaricating plants.
Bonsai and the Cult of Cute
Botanica, CultureAn exploration of our obsession with the tiny world of bonsai!
A Trillion Trees Can Save the World
Botanica, CultureThe simple solution you can put into action to kick climate change to the curb!
Battlefield Botanicals: Plant Use During War
BotanicaThe bloodstained history of plants as healers, harmers and sustenance in warfare.
Zombie Plants!
BotanicaWhat is dead may never die, as these resurrected zombie/mutant plants will show you...
Horticultural Therapy: Finding Ground in Nature
Botanica, CultureKathryn Tam takes us on a mindfulness walk in the New York Botanical Gardens.
Stefano Mancuso’s Nation of Plants
BotanicaAn upcoming exhibition from neurobiologist & author Stenfano Mancuso explores the concept of plants as living & sentient beings.
Madness and Wonder: An Excerpt from The Gardener’s Year
Botanica, CultureAn excerpt from Karel Čapek's glorious book, The Gardener's Year
The World’s Ugliest Plants
Botanica, CultureIs a gerbera uglier than a penis shaped plant that stinks of rotting meat?
A Succulent Love Story
BotanicaNatasha Grogan used to HATE succulents. But not anymore!
Plant Obsessives Unite!
BotanicaObsessive about plants? Join a plant society. There's one for every genus!
Tulipomania: A Tale of Obsession, Greed and Flowers
Botanica, CultureThat time when tulips were more expensive than houses.
Get a Rheum! Plant Hunting in the Himalayas
BotanicaGo hunting botanical oddities in Bhutan with Chris Brown!
Native Orchid Rescue
BotanicaDive into the complex dynamics of Australian native orchid propagation.
Plants: Nature’s Aphrodisiacs
BotanicaSexy-time with Plants! You'll be happy to find many an aphrodisiac lurking in your veggie patch or pantry...
Abandoned Garden Anarchy
BotanicaWhat happens to a garden when it’s left to its own devices? Anarchy, of course.
Suburban Parks as Native Plant Refuges
BotanicaHow closely have you looked at the plants in your local park lately?
Aphids and Abandon: A Surprising Tale
BotanicaMother Nature always has a few surprises up her sleeve!
Abandon and Opportunity in the Veggie Garden
BotanicaA tale of hope and in the wake of garden destruction (by rats!).
A Guide to Growing Native House Plants
BotanicaLearn how to grow native Australian plants and trees indoors!
The Wasp and the Orchid: A Remarkable Partnership
BotanicaEdith Coleman was the foremost Australian female naturalist of her generation.
Pet Friendly Plants: A Guide
BotanicaA guide to pet friendly plants by Lucy Munro.
Forgotten Garden Corners
BotanicaA tale of mysterious and forgotten spaces in suburban gardens!
Botanical Names are Hot! A Love Letter/Explainer
Botanica, CultureWant to be on trend in 2018? Start learning the language of plants NOW!
Max Out Your Plant Life Balance
BotanicaPlants make you happier and healthier. It's in the science.
The Desert Reborn: Restoring the Mojave in the Middle of Las Vegas
BotanicaAn inspiring tale of the re-birth of a desert landscape by writer Sonja Swanson.
Stefano Mancuso: Behind the Plant Revolution
BotanicaPlants are the answer, according to leading plant scientist and writer Stefano Mancuso.
Naming the Rose
Botanica, Culture“What’s in a name?” Shakespeare asked. Quite a lot actually, according to Lucy Munro's mother.
Plant Profile: Rosa gallica
BotanicaA rose is a rose is a rose is a rose. Or is it?
Terrifying Plants: Be Scared, Very Scared
BotanicaBe scared of this bunch of bad guys, killers, parasites and two-faced-never-to-be-trusted plants...
Collectors’ Plant Fair is COMING!
BotanicaPut it in your diaries, plant people!
Banking Soil: A Thought Experiment
Botanica, CultureWhat's the real value of the dark, 'dirty' world beneath our feet?
We’re all Made of Dust (An ode to Humus)
Botanica, CultureIn the beginning there was The Word. And that word was Humus.
The Plants we Play
Botanica, CultureAn exploration of the role plants play in the creation of music.
Plant Profile: Selenicereus chrysocardium
BotanicaWe profile the particularly ephemeral fern leaf orchid cactus!
Soil: Nature’s Intestines
BotanicaThe incredible importance of the zombie world beneath our feet.
Brilliant Green: Plant Intelligence Explained
Botanica, CulturePlants are WAY more brilliant than we realise. Be surprised!
Nightshade Flights
Botanica, CultureEscaping with help from the plant kingdom can be dangerous business indeed.
Jellyfish Barges: The Future of Urban Farming?
BotanicaFloating urban farms could just be the future!
The Manscape: A Watery Love Letter
BotanicaRead this if you want to know how to water your plants properly.
Killer Plants! Be Alert, not Alarmed
BotanicaIt's not all beer and skittles in the botanical world. Here are some sinners...
The Manscape: Edible Flowers For Sinners
BotanicaRedeem your sins with a bunch of edible flowers!
Petrol Station Plants: The Bold and Un-Beautiful
Botanica, CultureAn investigation into the horticultural merits of petrol station 'gardens'.
Amanita muscaria: A Cautionary Tale
Botanica, CultureA cautionary tale about reindeer urine, an Angelina Jolie-like fungi, and a bad trip.
The Euphorbia Journal
BotanicaThe Euphorbia Journal is a euphorbophile's wet dream. Or thereabouts.
Life Lessons from a Frankincense Tree
Botanica, CultureThe exquisite scent of the desert is borne of hardship
Plant Profile: Althaea officinalis (Marshmallow)
BotanicaMmm... Marshmallow! Eat for dessert in the desert
When Families Become Trees
Botanica, CultureWhat if we thought about community in terms of trees?
Plant Profile: Anthurium andraenum
BotanicaWe profile Anthurium andraenum for Man month.
What’s in a Name? A Guide to Shameless Erections and Plant Taxonomy
Botanica, CultureHave you ever wondered why plant names are in Latin?
The Australian PlantBank
BotanicaThe Australian PlantBank is saving seeds for the future.
The Manscape: A Boy’s Own Adventure
BotanicaCharlie Lawler takes us on plant inspired journey to the highlands of Tasmania.
Dear Hunter: Ponytail Palm Pain
BotanicaAunty Hunter is back! In this response to a concerned ponytail palm owner she gets rather hot and flustered!
The Half-life of Plants
Botanica, CultureIn 'The Chernobyl Herbarium' an artist and author reflect on nuclear disaster, 30 years after the event.
Life at Soho Rose Farm (it’s blooming)
Botanica, HarvestMeaghan Cook visits Soho Rose Farm in Drysdale, Victoria.
Plant Profile: The Murderous Pitcher Plant
BotanicaLearn how to grow pitcher plants. Here! Now!
Dear Hunter: A Fiddly Fig Problem
BotanicaOur first Dear Hunter letter is from a distressed fiddle leaf fig owner.
The Manscape: Origin Stories of Super Plants
BotanicaLoose Leaf's Charlie Lawler explores the origin stories of three of his top indoor plants in our brand new Manscape column!
Plant Profile: Cosmos
BotanicaLearn how to grow the most cosmic of blooms!
Protea Peepshow
BotanicaEmma Perry's photo series reveals the sexy side of proteas!
Big Trees: The Aire Valley Redwoods
BotanicaWalk with us through a towering redwood grove in the Aire Valley, Victoria.
Plant Profile: Pineapple
BotanicaLearn more about this strange fruit here. Grow it, eat it. Boom.
Plant Profile: Monstera deliciosa
BotanicaLearn how to care for this Pinterest–worthy plant here!
Oliver Sacks: Fern Crazy
Botanica, CultureAs well as a regarded neurologist and author, Oliver Sacks was a mad fern lover!
Sir Joseph Banks: Botanical Rock Star or Bastard?
Botanica, CultureWas Sir Joseph Banks a botanical rock star or a 'cantankerous old bastard'? You decide.
A History of Botanical Illustration
Botanica, CultureThe Amazon, a moonflower, and a .32 revolver. Botanical illustrators are so rock n roll.
Tea Tree: The Protector
BotanicaAn exploration of the historical, medicinal and cultural uses of the Australian Tea Tree. A lovely read!
The Lavender Project
Botanica, HarvestSally Wilson visits a lavender farm in the heart of cactus country.
Scratch-n-Sniff: Fragrant Plants For Your Garden
BotanicaLinda Ross on her favourite fragrant garden plants. And dill pickle scented scratch-n-sniff stickers.....
The Titan Arum: Blooming Psychedelic
BotanicaThe titan arum is the largest and stinkiest flower in the world!
Flower Colour & Scent: There’s a Link…
BotanicaGarden designer Michael McCoy ponders the unexplored link between flower colour and scent.
Saffron: The Priciest Spice
Art & Design, BotanicaDid you know saffron is more expensive than gold? Check out these stunning images (and a time-lapse video) by Peter Whyte of the most precious spice.
Wormwood: The Goddess Herb
BotanicaNamed after the Greek goddess Artemis, the humble wormwood (Artemisia) is an enigmatic plant indeed, perhaps known best for its involvement in the famous psychotropic green liquid, absinthe....
Plant Profile: The Fig
BotanicaFigs are beautifully designed fruits. This story explores their history and botany, and shares some tips on growing these luscious, lascivious delights.
Indian Tree Veneration: The Art of Valuing Trees
Botanica, CultureIs there a role for art and spirituality in challenging us to change the way we look at nature in the west? This article by David Whitworth explores this idea. It's a great read!
Marigolds & the Mexican Day of the Dead
Botanica, CultureA beautiful story by Sally Wilson about memory, marigolds, and the Mexican Day of the Dead.