Latin name: Calendula officinalis, of the daisy family (Asteraceae). In Damascus it is called "zahrat al-gharib". Widely grown in gardens and found in fields and orchards. Cultivated varieties grow 50 to 120 cm tall, with yellow or light orange flowers, single or double; the wild form is an annual up to 50 cm tall, with […]
Read moreLatin name: Hordeum vulgare Barley is a grain eaten in many countries, in packaged foods and soups. Malt extract from barley is used to make beer, and a sweetener called malt sugar is also made from it. Most studies have used foods containing barley rather than barley alone. Studies suggest barley may help lower blood […]
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Native to North Africa, where it grows wild in the desert, the artichoke is an important vegetable that has been grown in southern Europe for 2,000 years. Galen wrote that its root, boiled, increases urine a lot, and al-Razi said it increases urine more than asparagus and helps asthma and cough when boiled. The flower […]
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Latin name: Arnica montana Found in sandy fields and on mountain slopes, especially in high forests and plateaus. It grows 30 to 50 cm tall, with a hairy stem, a rosette of large oval leaves at its base, and large, round, orange flowers. Its roots spread sideways and are dark brown or black, and the […]
Read moreLatin name: Malus sylvestris, of the rose family (Rosaceae) The plant The apple tree is deciduous, with simple clusters of flowers. It is grown widely in temperate regions around the world, and more than 1,000 varieties are known. History The apple has long been valued as food. Folk medicine has used it for cancer, diabetes, […]
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Sorrel has a refreshing, sour taste with a slight bitterness and is very rich in vitamin C. It grows wild and is also cultivated; a home kitchen needs no more than 3 or 4 plants. Growing it Divide clumps from plants 3 or 4 years old in April, or sow the seed in April in […]
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Garlic is one of the oldest cultivated plants, long believed to give strength and keep illness away. It is good for the heart and arteries, may help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and has antioxidant, antimicrobial and diuretic properties. Its relative, Chinese chives, has been eaten in China since ancient times; like garlic, onions and […]
Read moreLatin name: Apium graveolens, of the carrot family (Apiaceae) A biennial (sometimes perennial) cultivated herb, 50 to 100 cm tall. In its first year it forms a rosette of leaves 30 to 50 cm tall; in the second it sends up a flowering stem up to 1 m. The leaves are toothed and divided like […]
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A vegetable of the lily family, in white and red varieties, used since ancient times for cooking and medicine. It is eaten raw and cooked. Raw onion is believed to help lower blood cholesterol and may play a part in preventing some cancers. It contains a substance that thins the blood, which may help people […]
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Latin name: Crocus sativus, of the iris family (Iridaceae) A slow-growing perennial bulb plant, 30 to 50 cm tall, with small corms and narrow green leaves. It flowers in autumn (September to December), producing a few violet flowers. Each flower has a long, thread-like pale yellow style ending in a three-lobed, reddish-purple stigma. The stigmas […]
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Latin name: Syzygium aromaticum An evergreen tree up to 12 m tall, with oval leaves with smooth edges. The flowers grow in clusters and turn brown as they ripen; they are nail-shaped, with overlapping petals curled into a ball. The mature flower buds are the source of clove oil. It is native to hot regions, […]
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Latin name: Viola, of the violet family (Violaceae) A perennial plant that lives in sunny fields and on walls up to about 1,100 m, with many species. It is grown for decoration, for its lovely scent and for its precious perfume. It grows 10 to 20 cm tall, with fragrant dark blue flowers on a […]
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