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Plants & Architecture

Top 10

Acanthus (Acanthus mollis)
The leaves of the acanthus were a decorative feature of Corinthian columns in ancient Greece. More recently, they influenced many of William Morris’s designs.

Bamboo (Phyllostachys spp.)
The fastest growing plant in the world, yet it has a tensile strength greater than steel.

Beech (Fagus sylvatica)
Fine-grained and pale, used most often in veneers and plywood, beech wood is used for furniture.

Cedar (Cedrus libani)
Cedar wood contains oils that naturally repel insects. It is resistant to water, weather and decay.

English oak (Quercus robor)
A hard, durable wood; examples of oak structures still exist from medieval times.

Giant water lily (Victoria amazonica)
Giant water lilies have an incredibly strong structure and were the inspiration for the Crystal Palace in London.

Pine (Pinus spp.)
A softer wood, but a very fast growing one, pine provides a good, sustainable building material.

Rushes (Juncus effusus)
Rushes were used to form floor covering and as an alternative to straw in thatching.

Sisal (Agave sisalana)
This tough, fibrous plant originated in Mexico and is used to make strong twine and rope. Historically, it was used in scaffolding and construction.

Teak (Tectona grandis)
Teak is durable and weather resistant, and because it is a fast growing hardwood, it is also a sustainable timber.