Plants & Trees Encyclopedia

Cottonwood — The cottonwoods are three species of poplars in the section Aegiros of the genus Populus, native to North America, Europe and western Asia. The name is also commonly used for any species of poplar in the United States, including some poplars not in the section Aegiros, notably the Swamp cottonwood Populus heterophylla (in the section Leucoides) and the …

Cosmos — Cosmos is a genus of about 20-26 species of annual and perennial plants in the family Asteraceae, native to scrub and meadow areas in Mexico (where the bulk of the species occur), the southern United States (Arizona, Florida), Central America and northern South America south to Paraguay. A cosmos flower is said to represent the ‘heart of a …

Corn — Maize, usually called corn in some countries, is a cereal grain that was domesticated in Mesoamerica and then spread throughout the American continents. Maize spread to the rest of the world after European contact with the Americas in the late 15th century and early 16th century. The term maize derives from the Spanish form (maíz) of the indigenous …

Cork Tree — Phellodendron or Cork-tree, is a genus of deciduous trees in the family Rutaceae, native to east and northeast Asia. It has leathery, pinnate leaves and yellow, clumped flowers. The name refers to the thick and corky bark of some (but not all) species in the genus. As an ornamental plant, Phellodendron is a tree for all seasons. …

Kingdom: Plantae Family: Fagaceae Order: Fagales Genus: Quercus Cork Oak Tree — The Cork Oak (Quercus suber) is a medium-sized, evergreen oak tree in the section Quercus sect. Cerris. It is native to southwest Europe and northwest Africa. It grows to up to 20 m, although it is typically more stunted in its native environment. The leaves are 4-7 cm …

Coriander — Coriander, Coriandrum sativum, also commonly called cilantro, is an annual herb in the family Apiaceae. Coriander is native to southwestern Asia and west to north Africa. It is a soft, hairless plant growing to 50 cm [20 in.] tall. The leaves are variable in shape, broadly lobed at the base of the plant, and slender and feathery higher …

Coneflower — Rudbeckia is one of at least four genera within the flowering plant family Asteraceae whose members are commonly known as coneflowers; the others are Echinacea, Dracopis and Ratibida. They are herbaceous, mostly perennial plants (some annual or biennial) growing to 0.5-3 m tall, with simple or branched stems. The leaves are spirally arranged, entire to deeply lobed, 5-25 …

Columbine — Aquilegia (columbine) is a genus of about 60-70 species of herbaceous perennial plants that are found in meadows, woodlands, and at higher altitudes throughout the Northern Hemisphere. They are known for their distinctive flowers, generally bell-shaped, with each petal modified into an elongated nectar spur. Its fruit takes the form of a follicle. Several species are grown in …

Collard — Collards, also called borekale (from the Dutch boerenkool (farmerskale), Brassica oleracea Acephala Group), are various loose-leafed cultivars of the cabbage plant. The plant is grown for its large, dark-colored, edible leaves and as a garden ornamental, mainly in Brazil, Portugal, the Southern United States, many parts of Africa, Montenegro, Spain and in Kashmir as well. They are classified …

Coconut — The Coconut Palm (Cocos nucifera) is a member of the Family Arecaceae (palm family). It is the only species in the genus Cocos, and is a large palm, growing to 30 m tall, with pinnate leaves 4-6 m long, pinnae 60-90 cm long; old leaves break away cleanly leaving the trunk smooth. The term coconut refers to the …