Fun Facts About Plants

Well I am not what you would call a green thumb. However, this past summer I grew to have a new appreciation for plants and planting. My father-in-law is an avid gardener and we planted an entire garden in my back yard for my wedding. It was definitely hard work and eye opening in the process. When the flowers and plants began to grow the sense of accomplishment and the positive comments were well worth the work. Plants were here well before anything else on earth and give oxygen. There are actually around 260,000 different plant species.

I learned after we re-seeding our entire back yard that a very invasive plant is the dandelion. They started popping up everywhere and needed to be dug out. I thought I would start there with some interesting facts about these little pests.

• -dandelion comes from the french "dents de lion" which means the teeth of the lion

• -the other name is pis-en-lit which mean wet bed- this comes from the fact that if eaten they remove water from the body

• -the dandelion originated in Asia

• -fifty five tonnes of coffee substitutes are sold from roasted dandelion roots- It doesn't sound to tasty but I could be wrong?

• -this plant is an important food source for bees and 93 other types of insects

• -the seeds are an important food source for small birds

Here is another strange and consuming plant. The facts on this plant are scary yet interesting at the same time. The Venus Flytrap definitely lives up to it's name and is one of the "carnivourous plants". It grows in a cluster of leaves some 7-8cm in length with deadly traps at the ends for thier insect prey.

It actually has a sweet nectar on the inside that attracts insects. Hairs on the inside of the leaves trigger it to snap shut when it has it's prey. The hairs are so attuned that they have to be touched more then once to know that they have a live creature ready for capture. When the insect touches the hairs it send an electric current through the leaf and causes it to close.

Digestive juices go to work on the insect for up to a week. All that remains is a skeleton which is whisked away in the wind. After each meal the plant grows. When the leaves dies it grows new ones.

You may not be aware but plants are considered living things just like animals. However, there are characteristics that set them apart. These are:

• -plants contain chlorphyll, a pigment for photosynthesis

• -there cell walls are stronger from cellulose

• -they don't move-well except maybe to bend in the wind and hopefully not snap!

Plants and houseplants especially are very popular. We all like to brighten our homes or offices and perhaps fill that corner with some plants. However, did you know they also fight pollution? They actually remove harmful gasses and release oxygen into the air.

Another miraculous plant is the aloe-vera. I have had them in my home and used them so I know that thier properties work. It has antibiotic and antiseptic qualities and can help heal wounds especially cuts and abrasions. It is also used for stomach ailments. Pregnant women are thankful for it's healing properties when it comes to stretch marks.