The Story of Plants

Dinosaurs | Egypt | Mesopotamia |Human Ancestors

Welcome to The Story of Plants : MUSEUM BOTANICALS. The following pages expand upon the text that comes with each MUSEUM BOTANICAL product. Inside the site you will find the history of man's interaction with the plants in question, some of their natural history, and things like recipes for using the harvest of the plants you grow.

Each MUSEUM BOTANICAL kit contains viable seed, an illustrated booklet, growing instructions, and even instant peat moss pots to sprout your seeds! All packaged in an attractive, reusable tin.

Open Exibits :

Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) Three varieties of seed. Emphasizes Native American domestication and cultivation, as well as, a source for commercial vegetable oil production.

Coffee (Coffea arabica) seeds. History of coffee from obscure beginnings in Ethiopia to its role as second most important beverage in the western world.

Opening Soon:

Mesquite-It's more than a flavor; this native of the desert southwest has long been a food souce for creatures great and small that endure the severe conditions of the American west.

Corn-Three varieties of seed. The most important story in pre-columbian agriculture in the Americas. Corn was the foundation crop of every major Native American culture and has assumed world wide importance since its introduction to Europe in the 1500s.

Dye Plants-We take our colored fabric for granted, now you can find out how it all got started. Old World and New World dye plant seeds and dyeing activities.

Chocolate-Chocolate! Seeds of the Theobroma cacoa tree. Here's the story of chocolate from its humble origins in the tropical rainforests of Central and South America to the candy counters of the world.

Tallgrass Prairie-The seemingly endless sea of grass that covered the Great Plains of North America was a world unto itself. Here's a close look at this unique environment. Assorted seeds representing major plants inlcuded.

Chilé-This is a hot one with roots deep into the Native Cultures of the Americas as well as a leading place in today's cuisine. Several of the coolest (hottest?) seeds in every pack.

Aloe vera-This versatile plant is finding more uses every day. Here's the story of how an African desert plant rose to fame and fortune.

Herbs, Part 1-This small collection will open the study of the many herbs that human kind has incorporated into daily life as companions in health and food preparation. This first installment focuses on four cooking herbs: corriander, basil, thyme, and rosemary.

Wheat & Barley-Along with barley, the Þrst domesticated food crop in the Old World and the important stepping stone to the advanced civilizations of Sumer and Egypt.
and more...