Ghost of the Forest: Monotropa uniflora
Look for this other-worldly plant in moist, shaded areas of mature forests throughout much of North America, East Asia, and northern South America.
Cloves: The Spice that Enriched Empires
Behind one humble spice lies a complex history of empires and profit, commodities and globalization.
Alfalfa: A Crop that Feeds Our Food
In 2023, American farmers grew more than 9 million acres of alfalfa. What makes this legume hay so special?
Saffron: The Story of the World’s Most Expensive Spice
Appearing in the written record as early as 2300 BCE, saffron can be traced in foodways around the globe, despite the finicky nature of its harvest.
Camellia sinensis: Labor and the Tea Plant
Consumed as tea around the world, Camellia sinensis raises questions about plantation labor practices and the environmental impact of monocultures.
Switchgrass: An Old Grass Gets a New Use
The perennial prairie grass used to cover large swaths of the American Midwest, creating vibrant ecosystems where birds, butterflies, and bison roamed.
Cinchona: A Legacy of Extraction and Extirpation
The source of quinine, cinchona tells a story about the value placed on parts of plants and how that value can be extracted and distorted in support of empire.
Quinoa: Rise of an Andean Superfood
Once considered a minor crop for Indigenous communities, quinoa’s journey to worldwide stardom was centuries in the making.
Cyanea Pohaku: The Plant Discovered Right Before Extinction
Cyanea pohaku, the extinction of which can be traced to human interventions in the environment, was gone before we had a chance to really study it.
Guaraná: Stimulation from the Amazon to the World
Long cherished by Indigenous peoples for its medicinal and stimulating properties, guaraná remains a key element of Brazilian identity.