The spice ginger is the underground rhizome of the ginger plant. The flesh of the ginger rhizome can be yellow, white or red in color,...

In a technical sense, cucumbers are actually fruits, not vegetables (because they contain seeds). All cucumbers belong to the botanical...

In the northern hemisphere, apple season begins at the end of summer and lasts until early winter. Apples available at other times have...

There are about 25 different species of mints, while peppermint and spearmint are the most widely known. Peppermint leaves are especially...

Most species of blueberries are native to North America. However, there are many different varieties throughout many regions of the...

Eggplant, or aubergine as it is called in France, is a vegetable long prized for its beauty as well as its unique taste and texture....

Summer squashes belong to the Cucurbitaceae family of plants and are relatives of winter squashes (including pumpkins), melons (including...

Raspberries belong to the rose (Rosaceae) family of plants, which also includes apples, apricots, blackberries, cherries, loquats,...

Basil is a highly fragrant plant whose leaves are used as a seasoning herb for many different types of foods. The round, often pointed...

Throughout much of the world corn is referred to as "maize." Corn is classified as a grain. It comes in many different colors including...

Peaches are one of the most delicious and popular fruits of summer. They were native to China, from where they spread to the rest of the...

Green beans are commonly referred to as string beans, the string that once was their trademark (running lengthwise down the seam of the...

Bell peppers belong to the nightshade family of plants, along with chili pepper, cayenne pepper, eggplant, tomatoes and potatoes. They...

In the 1600s, settlers brought cherry trees to America; by the late 1800s, cherry orchards flourished in northern Michigan and the...

Onions are native to Asia and the Middle East and have been cultivated for over 5,000 years. The Egyptians highly regarded onions and...

Spinach is thought to have originated in ancient Persia (Iran). Today, the United States and the Netherlands are among the largest...

Avocados are the fruit (due to the presence of the middle pit or seed) from Persea americana, a tall evergreen tree.  They vary in weight...

The almond that we think of as a nut is technically the seed of the fruit of the almond tree, a medium-size tree that bears fragrant pink...

Celery was cultivated in parts of Europe and the Mediterranean as early as 1000 BC, and we have evidence of celery being used as a...

Grapefruits were discovered in Barbados in the 18th century. Many botanists think the grapefruit was the result of a natural...