Knowing a little about which plants belong to which plant families can be fascinating, especially when you are hit with a surprise like learning that cacao and hibiscus are from the same family.
It is also really helpful when trying to identify plants since they often share similar characteristics when they are from the same family.
If you are a gardener, knowing which plants are related can help in deciding on crop rotations, managing garden pests, and knowing what growing preferences they might have.
Read these OGP articles to learn a little more about some of the most common plant families.
1. Pea Family
The pea or Fabaceae family of plants is a sprawling one. There are around 670 genera and nearly 20,000 species of plant in this family. The plants may come in the form of trees, shrubs, vines, and herbs, and many of them will likely be quite familiar to you. Lots of plants in the Fabaceae family are really simple to grow for yourself to use culinarily and medicinally. Note that not all legumes are edible. Some are very toxic to humans. Read on to learn more about Fabaceae: How to Grow Plants from The Pea Family.
2. Daisy Family
The Asteraceae, or daisy, family is a group of plants filled with not only beautiful but lots of edible and medicinal members, too. Some of the members will seem very obvious, such as, well, the daisy. Others, however, might come as a surprise! The great thing is that many of these plants might already be growing wild in your area while others are super easy to grow for yourself. Click here to learn more about the Edible and Medicinal Plants in The Daisy Family.
3. Mallow Family
Plants in the mallow, or Malvaceae, family are numerous and beautiful, and some of them are downright delicious! Plants from this family often have very similar showy flowers reminiscent of the classic hibiscus flower associated with the tropics. This family is home to many ornamental, edible, and medicinals. Some it the members are even quite surprising. Did you know that both okra and cacao belong to the same family? Durian and marshmallow, as well as roselle hibiscus, are also cousins. And, let’s not forget cotton and pretty hollyhocks. Read on to learn more about Edible and Medicinal Plants in the Mallow Family.
4. Nightshade Family
The nightshade family, or Solanaceae family, is a group of plants that contains many a familiar culinary friend as well as a couple of surprises. Tomatoes, eggplant, and white potatoes all belong to the same family, as well as all varieties of bell and hot peppers. You may not know that goji berries, tomatillos, ground cherries (Physalis spp), and even tobacco (Nicotiana spp) also belong to the nightshade family! Here is a list of Useful Plants in the Nightshade Family and How to Grow Them at Home.
5. Mint Family
The Lamiaceae family, or the mint family, is made up of an enormous variety of plants. There are said to be 236 genera and more than 7000 species within this plant family. Plants from the mint family are commonly used by humans as ornamentals, herbs, and medicine. Such plants tend to have rather aromatic leaves and small delicate flowers that pollinators are attracted to. Check out these 5 Members of The Mint Family: Mint, Catnip, Lemon Balm, Basil, and Salvia.
6. Carrot Family
The Apiaceae, or carrot family of plants, is a wide and varied family with many beloved and well-used members. Some will seem like obvious cousins, while others might come as a surprise. The wonderful news is that there are so many delicious plants in the Apiaceae family that are easy to use in many dishes and easy to grow for yourself, too. Growing plants from the carrot family in your garden is safe and fun and will broaden your garden harvest for evermore delicious dinners. Learn more about the Apiaceae Family: Wonderful Plants in the Carrot Family and How to Grow Them.
7. Rose Family
The rose, or Rosaceae family, is a family of plants with over 2000 species within more than 90 genera. When you come across different plants within this family, often similarities can be seen, especially when it comes to the formation of blossoms or leaf patterns. One of the wonders of the Rosaceae family is that it contains many sweet edibles and medicinals. Many of these plants can be foraged in the wild, while others are easy to grow for yourself in your yard. Learn more about the Edible and Medicinal Plants in the Rose Family and How to Grow Them for Yourself.
8. Cabbage Family
Brassicas are a genus of plants that belong to the Brassicaceae family. Though the name might not sound familiar, cabbages, turnips, mustards, broccoli, cauliflower, arugula, radishes, and kale (to name but a few) are very familiar. In their various forms, brassicas show up on our dinner plates as intentional and delicious parts of our meals. They grow wild along roadsides and show up in force as ‘weeds’ in our gardens. Read more about how to grow Cabbage, Turnip, Broccoli, Radish, and More: The Easiest Brassicas to Grow at Home.
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