How Do I Learn About Plants?

Plant love is a therapeutic hobby

Kumquat tree: Image by author

I love plants. I have published so many science articles in plants. In Medium, I have a publication ‘Phytophilia’.

I think everybody should know plants in their vicinity. We evolved with plants, and we should know them. It’s sad we only turn to them, when we need, food, timber, medicine, shade.

I live in Southern California, a region different than the one I grew up in. I am from India.

But that’s not grounds to not know the plants here. In fact, the very first day in July 2011, when my spouse drove me from LA airport, I started my plant learning journey.

There are apps people use to identify plants. They don’t work for me. I have my own way. Longer, but fulfilling.

Suppose in my neighborhood walk I see the above tree. It would enchant me. I would take a picture.

Then I would ask in Google, ‘Shrub, orange-colored ovoid fruits, South California’. I will go trough the Google Images, and it’s very likely that I will find the tree!

This way, I know 90% of plants in the heavy biodiversity region of Southern California.

A great source of comfort and power to me.

It’s a joy to me when people ask me the identity of a plant, and I can tell them, ‘Oh, that’s a ‘sycamore’, ‘Pride of Madeira’, or ‘desert grapes.’ Shadowing me, my 4-year-old kid talks my language. ‘Crepe myrtle’, ‘magnolia’, ‘elephant food’, ‘boxwood’, and so much more.

We feel confidence to forage a variety of edible things. Example, below we have gathered passion fruits, and Carissa.

Foraged fruits: Image by author

Loving plants is a beautiful commune with nature.

I can confidently say that I could make a home in a foreign land because I forged friendship with the plants.

Try it. If you have never learned biology, it will be quite a learning curve, but it will be worth it.

In fact, you can tag me if you need help in identification.

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