Kids Encyclopedia

Deutzia — Deutzia is a genus of about 60 species of shrubs in the family Hydrangeaceae, native to eastern and central Asia (from the Himalaya east to Japan and the Philippines), and Central America and also Europe. By far the highest species diversity is in China, where 50 species occur. The species are shrubs ranging from 1-4 m in height. …

Delphinium — Delphinium is a genus of about 250 species of annual, biennial or perennial flowering plants in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, native throughout the Northern Hemisphere and also on the high mountains of tropical Africa. The common name, shared with the closely related genus Consolida, is Larkspur. The leaves are deeply lobed with 3-7 toothed, pointed lobes. The main …

Day Lily — Daylilies comprise the small genus Hemerocallis of flowering plants in the family Hemerocallidaceae. They are not true lilies which are Lilium in Liliaceae. The flowers of most species open at sunrise and wither at sunset, possibly replaced by another one on the same stem the next day. Some species are night-blooming. Daylilies are not commonly used as …

Dahlia — Dahlia is a genus of bushy, tuberous, perennial plants native to Mexico, Central America, and Colombia. There at least 36 species of Dahlia. Dahlia hybrids are commonly grown as garden plants. The Aztecs gathered and cultivated the dahlia for food, ceremony, as well as decorative purposes , and the long woody stem of one variety was used for …

Daffodil — Narcissus is the botanic name for a genus of mainly hardy, mostly spring-flowering, bulbs in the Amaryllis family native to Europe, North Africa, and Asia. There are also several Narcissus species that bloom in the autumn. Though Hortus Third cites 26 wild species, Daffodils for North American Gardens cites between 50 and 100 excluding species variants and wild …

Cyclamen — Cyclamen is a genus of 20 species of flowering plants, traditionally classified in the family Primulaceae, but in recent years reclassified in the family Myrsinaceae. The genus is most widely known by its scientific name cyclamen being taken into common usage; other names occasionally used include sowbread and sometimes, confusingly, persian violet (it is not related to the …

Crown of Thorns — Crown-of-thorns (Euphorbia milii or Christ Plant) is a species of Euphorbia native to Madagascar. It is a succulent climbing shrub growing to 1.8 m tall, with densely spiny stems, the straight, slender spines up to 3 cm long, which help it scramble over other plants. The leaves are obovate, up to 3.5 cm long and 1.5 …

Croton — Codiaeum is a genus of plants under the family Euphorbiaceae. It comprises about 16 species, found from Malesia to the Pacific. They are shrubs with leathery leaves and often confused with the genus Croton. Some species, especially Codiaeum variegatum, are cultivated as houseplants. Codiaeum variegatum (Commonly called a “croton”, or “variegated croton”) is a species of plant in …

Crotalaria — Crotalaria is a genus of herbaceous plants and woody shrubs in the Family Fabaceae (Subfamily Faboideae) commonly know as rattlepods. Some 600 or more species of Crotalaria are described world-wide, mostly from the tropics; at least 500 species are known from Africa. Some species of Crotalaria are grown as ornamentals. The common name rattlepod or rattlebox is derived …

Crocus — Crocus is a genus of perennial flowering plants, native to a large area from coastal and subalpine areas of central and southern Europe (including the islands of the Aegean), North Africa and the Middle East, across Central Asia to western China. The genus Crocus is placed botanically in the iris family (Iridaceae). The plants grow from corms and …