Plant Families - 2021

Our Botany plan is to look at the ancient beginnings of plants -- via the Montessori First and Second Great Lessons -- and then examine their family tree more in depth, focusing on plant families which we can have direct experience of through growing them in our garden this year. So my next step is to categorize the plants from my Plant Adoption Notes post and then I'll begin to place them in a rough order for study. We won't be able to dive into every family represented here, but I can choose which will give us the most "bang for our buck" and which I think the children will find most interesting!

Amaranthaceae

beet, Swiss chard

quinoa and spinach would also go here

Amaryllidaceae / Alliums

garlic, onion

Anacardiaceae

fragrant sumac

this is also the family of poison ivy!!!

Asparagaceae

asparagus

Asteraceae / Sunflowers / Daisies

black-eyed Susan, calendula, chamomile, coreopsis, elecampane, Joe Pye weed, lettuce, marigold, prairie sage, purple coneflower, Jerusalem artichoke (sunchoke), sunflower, tall boneset, wormwood

artichoke would also go here

Brassicaceae / Mustards

cabbage, honesty (lunaria), horseradish, kale, radish, rutabaga, turnip, woad

Borages

comfrey

Bromeliads

pineapple

Buckwheats

rhubarb

Cucurbits

acorn squash, butternut squash, cucumber, pumpkin, summer squash, watermelon, zucchini

Custard Apples

pawpaw

Dogbanes

milkweed

Ebenaceae

persimmon

Fabaceae / Legumes / Peas

bush bean, sugar snap pea, alfa;fa

I would love to grow popcorn plant!

Grapes

grapevine, Virginia creeper

Hazels

hazelnut

Honeysuckles

valerian

Laurels

avocado, sassafras

cinnamon would also go here

Magnoliaceae

magnolia

Mallows

marshmallow, okra

cotton and cacao would also go here

Mints

basil, holy basil, lamb's ear, lavender, lemon balm, lemon thyme, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme

Morning Glories

sweet potato

Moraceae

mulberry, fig

Palm Trees

date

coconut would also go here

Rosaceae

black cherry, hawthorn, plum, strawberry

Rutaceae

lemon

Solanaceae / Nightshades

eggplant, potato, tomato, bell pepper

Tropaeolaceae

nasturtium

Umbellifers

carrot, celery, dill, fennel

Urticaceae / Nettles

stinging nettle

Walnuts

pecan