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Plants & Farming
Top 10

Apple (Malus spp.)
There have been orchards in Britain since Roman times and British apples are still prized for their flavour as well as for cider making.

Barley (Hordeum spp.)
 Barley was one of the first wild grains to be domesticated. It is mainly grown today for animal feed, but it is also widely used for brewing.

Field bean (Vicia faba)
 Beans contain twice the protein of cereal crops like wheat, which has contributed to their continued use in the UK for 3,000 years.

Garden pea (Pisum sativum)
As part of a crop rotation, peas, along with other species of the Legume family, return nitrogen to the soil that is lost by growing cereal crops.

Maize (Zea mays)
Maize originated in Mexico and is now the third most planted crop after wheat and rice. The kernels, oil and starch are used for food, animal feed and industry.

Meadow grass (Poa trivialis)
Grazing animals rely on grass. It needs very little maintenance and it constantly reseeds itself.

Oats (Avena spp.)
Oats can be grown in the wetter western and northern areas of the UK that are unsuitable for other cereals. They are high in energy and protein.

Oilseed rape (Brassica napus)
With its bright yellow flowers, this crop changes the British landscape in early summer. It is also an important and profitable break crop for farmers.

Rice (Oryza sativa)
Rice has always been the staple carbohydrate in Asia, but consumption has risen dramatically in Europe. Vietnam is the world’s biggest exporter of rice.

Wheat (Triticum spp.)
The staple diet of millions of people, the cultivation of wheat was central to the formation of Western civilisation.