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Plants & History
Top 10

Apple (Malus spp.)
If the story is to be believed, Newton’s theory of gravity would never have happened without the apple.

Clove (Eugenia caryophyllata)
Along with other precious spices, cloves funded many journeys of exploration. Columbus discovered America when he was looking for a new spice route to India.

Crack willow (Salix fragilis)
Charcoal made from burning crack willow was used in the manufacture of gunpowder.

English oak (Quercus robor)
A hard, durable wood, ships were traditionally made from oak because of its ability to weather the elements.

Hemp (Cannabis sativa)
Hemp has been used to make fabric and twine for thousands of years. The Magna Carta was written on paper made from hemp.

Lime (Citrus aurantifolia)
When lime juice was found to prevent scurvy by James Lind in the 1700s, it saved thousands of sailors’ lives and allowed much longer sea voyages to take place.

Papyrus (Cyperus papyrus)
The ancient Egyptians produced the first paper made from papyrus about 3000 BC; fragments still remain today.

Potato (Solanum tuberosum)
The failure of the potato crop due to blight was a contributory factor in the Irish famine of the 1840s and the subsequent mass emigration to America.

Sugar cane (Saccharum spp.)
The slave trade arose out of the need to supply the sugar plantations in the West Indies with cheap labour.

Tobacco (Nicotiana spp.)
Tobacco has had a profound effect on society and economies. This most common addiction is now a worldwide health issue.