Plant questions

Real questions from home gardeners, the kind people post with a worried photo, answered by GrowPls: what's likely going on, what to do about it, and when to worry.

Showing questions tagged #edible-gardening · show all

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  coriander (cilantro)

  What is this leafy herb I picked from my garden for cooking?

  This looks like coriander (also called cilantro), a common leafy herb used fresh in cooking. Rub a leaf and smell it—if it has a strong, lemony-spicy aroma, it’s safe to use as coriander greens.

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  papaya

  What plant is this tall tree with lobed leaves and green elongated fruits?

  The plant in the photo is a papaya tree (Carica papaya). It produces the familiar papaya fruits, which start out green and turn yellow or orange as they ripen.

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  mulberry (Morus)

  What is this plant with serrated leaves and mulberry-like catkins?

  This looks like a mulberry tree (Morus), grown for its sweet berries and as food for silkworms. Let it grow in full sun, water regularly while young, and you’ll soon get edible fruits once the catkins develop and ripen.

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