Mental Floss

PLANTS

Muhaiminah Faiz via Instructables //CC BY-NC-SA 2.5

13 Creative Ways to Plant Succulents

Creative ways to show off your succulents.

Dick Culbert via Wikimedia // CC BY 2.0

11 Plants That Look Like Animals

Some species have evolved to look like an entirely different type of living creature.

Library of Congress, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

10 Crazy Creations of “Plant Wizard” Luther Burbank

Even if you haven't heard of Luther Burbank, you've probably tasted his work.

Nicolas Raymond // CC BY 2.0

D.C.’s Cherry Blossoms Will Arrive Extra Early This Year

An unseasonably warm winter (what is seasonal anymore, anyway?) has forced organizers to start the capital’s beloved annual Cherry Blossom Festival one week early.

Cliff via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 2.0

The 392-Year-Old Bonsai That Survived Hiroshima

It eventually made its way to Washington, D.C.

Nicole van Dam

Plants Tailor Their Chemical Weapons to Match Their Opponent

Researchers say field mustard plants can identify their attackers and select offensive gases accordingly.

iStock

8 of Nature's Smelliest Plants

Fish, feces, and vomit, oh my!

NX1Z via Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

Famous Giant Sequoia Topples in California Storm

The giant tree had a tunnel big enough to drive through.

iStock

Why Are Poinsettias Associated with Christmas?

Certain Christmas traditions never seem to go out of style. Along with wreaths, gingerbread cookies, and reruns of 'A Christmas Story' sits the poinsettia, a red-tinged leafy arrangement that’s become synonymous with the holiday.

Xtalk via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 3.0

Beware of Buying "Aloe Vera" That Contains No Aloe Vera

New lab tests find that "aloe vera" gels sold by major retailers don't contain chemical traces of the plant.

Frederick Sander via Wikimedia // Public Domain

The Dangerous and Highly Competitive World of Victorian Orchid Hunting

The quest for orchids once involved fierce rivalries, huge sums of money, and several grisly deaths.

iStock

Plant Can Transmit Light to Its Roots, Study Reports

Plant stems act like fiber-optic cables running light down to underground roots.

Cherry Point Farm & Market

West Michigan Is Home to a Giant Lavender Labyrinth

It takes about an hour to amble to the center of the maze.

ISTOCK

Fig Pollination Is Incredible (And Probably Results In You Eating Mummified Wasps)

The fruit and its wasp have been evolving together for millions of years.

iStock

Want to Breathe Easier Indoors? Get These Houseplants

New research finds that some plants are better than others at cleaning the air.

Getty Images

Why Are There Suddenly So Many Corpse Flowers in Bloom?

The flower's infrequent blooms are popping up everywhere, and scientists aren't sure why.

Michael Ocampo via Flickr Creative Commons // CC BY 2.0

How Tomatoes Fend Off Parasitic Vines

This tomato plant can sense and defend itself against invading plants.

tylerjaywood via Nest

It’s Up to the Internet to Keep This House Plant Alive

Jeff the zebra plant is counting on you.

ISTOCK

Don’t Have a Garden? Regrow Vegetables in Your Kitchen

Here's a good reason to avoid ditching those veggie scraps.

iStock

Trees 'Sleep' at Night Too, Study Finds

Sophisticated laser scans of trees at night showed the trees’ branches drooping after dark and perking up around dawn.

iStock

8 Edible Plants With Potentially Deadly Doppelgängers

The difference between delicious and deadly can be deviously small.

ben britten, Flickr // CC BY 2.0

Scientists Have Calculated the Number of Plant Species on Earth

Earth is home to a staggering 390,900 different types of flora, but a large percentage of them are at risk.

iStock

What Are Loofahs Made Of?

Something to ponder during your next bubble bath.

Rebecca O’Connell // Mariomassone via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

Japanese Bears are Moving (and Conserving) Cherry Trees with Poop

The trees are migrating up the mountain with help from the bears that eat their fruit.