Cyperus Papyrus was originally from Syria, Palestine and Africa, but it also grew along the banks of the rivers Anapo and Ciane. It is an elegant swamp plant that grows close to abundant water and in hot climates. The ancient Egyptians used the internal part of the stems to make the famous Papyrus that they used as paper. The techniques the Egyptians used to make sheets of Papyrus was the only cut the stems into narrow strips, which were then immersed in water. After a certain number of days, during which the strips turn into a brownish colour, they are laid out in horizontal and vertical layers and then pressed. The natural substances found in the stems allow the strips to slowly stick together firmly as they dry. The result after several days is a very ... read more

Soap tree (Sapíndus mukorossi) is originally from Asia. It produces roundish fruits that contain saponin in their pulp which are still used today for washing clothes in a natural way. This can be done by rubbing a drupe (the fleshy fruit that contains a single seed) in one's hands to obtain an immediate cleansing effect. Just 5 to 6 fruits put into a cloth bag and placed directly into a washing machine gives an absolutely clean wash. Each drape contains a shiny black seed. These can be used for the manufacture of necklaces, bracelets and various objects. REFERENCES APP: ■coopculture.it The Botanical Garden of Palermo ▪written up and sent to travelblog.org ... read more

It is a deciduous tree. It is originally from China and Japan, and is considered to be a living fossil. The generic name Ginkgo comes from Chinese, yin meaning 'silver' and 'xing' meaning apricot. Silver apricot refers to the appearance of the seeds. The Ginkgo is well known for its medicinal properties. Recent clinical studies have highlighted the positive effects in the treatment of various artery and neuro degenerative diseases. THEMES ■Gingko TERMS ■deciduous trees - trees which shed leaves in autumn REFERENCES APP: ■coopculture.it The Botanical Garden of Palermo ... read more

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I see bitter orange trees all over Liguria and they are delightful. Bitter orange trees originally came from South East Asia, through Oman, Persia and Egypt. They arrived in 1000AC on the coasts of the Arabian Mediterranean Sea (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Lebanon.) In the course of the crusades, the French and Genoese loaded it on to their ships and brought it home to garnish their gardens. The bitter orange tree then arrived in Liguria and Provence, and as a result the areas grew prosperous. The citrus groves on the Ligurian west coast were called 'The Ligurian Gardens of the Hesperides' Now there are many bitter orange trees placed between Sanremo and Ventimiglia. REFERENCES ■Sanremo ■Ventimiglia ■orange trees ... read more