Trees, Plants and Flowers

We are blessed to have such a vast abundance aand variety of trees.  There are more than 600 species just of oak trees alone.  Trees account for 82% of the earth’s biomass.  There are approximately 3 trillion trees on earth (422 trees per person).  There are at least 60,065 species of trees on our planet.  More than 36 trees are mentioned throughout the Old and New Testaments.  Trees are among the oldest living things on the planet.  Oak trees are one of the most and widely spread trees throughout the planet.  Oak trees are hardy, tall-standing and long-lived.  They can grow to quite a large size. They have very strong trunks and root systems that can withstand incredibly strong storms.  Their sturdy branches can block extremely strong winds, even hurricane-force winds. The oldest one is thought to be about 1,500 years old.  Just one oak tree can produce up to a stunning 10 million acorns during its lifetime, but only 1 in 10,000 acorns will grow into a new oak tree.  Oak tree leaves and acorns provide a prime food source for a variety of birds and animals.  Acorns supply food for over 100 vertebrate species.

Trees are a feat of fantastic divine engineering.  There are tens of thousands of species of trees.  Giant sequoia trees can grow to 300 feet tall and can be the heaviest living things on earth.  Some are over 3000 years old.  Among the tallest trees alive today are redwoods.  The largest can reach nearly 400 feet tall (about equal to a 37 story skyscraper), and redwood trunks can have huge girth.

After God made dry land, He caused the earth to bring forth the vast variety of plants to fill the land.  There is detailed perfection contained in every seed, root, stem, branch and leaf.  Seeds can lie dormant and appear seemingly lifeless for years, yet these miraculous tiny pieces of Creation carry within them the power to grow into amazing life-giving plants that convert elements from the earth into life-sustaining food.  Planted seeds plus water and sunshine transform and flourish into massive crops that provide abundant produce.  To our benefit, plants give off oxygen, provide nourishment, medicines, and raw materials of every sort for making useful products that enhance our lives.  Plants offer safe shelter and food for birds and other creatures.  They color our planet with beauty and are an intricately designed, necessary component that supports life on earth.

There are around 400,000 species of flowering plants on earth, and the list keeps growing.  Only about 85% have been cataloged as yet.  There are around 30,000 different species of orchid flowers, and they can be found all over the world.  Orchids come in a variety of some very unusual shapes and gorgeous colors.  Orchid seeds are very tiny, but just one plant can scatter 10 million seeds in 1 year!  There are 35,000 species of roses.  There are more than 80,000 species of edible plants.  70,000 plant species are utilized for medicines.

Grass is one of the most abundant and highly valued plants on earth as well as being a #1 food source for animals.  There are more than 10,000 species in the grass family.  Surprisingly, grass accounts for 26% of earth’s plant life.  Multiple varieties of grass can be found on every continent including Antarctica.  The U.S. alone has around 1,400 grass species.  Grass provides food and shelter for certain insects and provides nesting material.  Grass lawns hold soil in place which prevents erosion on hillsides and prairies. Grass lawns can absorb lots of water which aids in preventing water runoff and flooding.  Grass lawns have a pleasing cooling effect.  They lower noise pollution and improve our air quality by trapping environmental contaminants.  Landscaped homes featuring grass, trees and shrubs can lower air temperature around the home by 14%.

Bamboo is the fastest-growing plant on earth.  Some species of bamboo can grow amazingly fast – up to 3 feet per day.  The planet’s tallest bamboo can grow to the height of a 10-story building.  Though bamboo can have sturdy stems, bamboo is not a tree; it’s a kind of grass.

The beautiful, delicate, ultra-thin (thinner than your skin), papery-petaled poppy flower comes in many vivid colors other than the typical red (e.g. yellow, fiery red, orange, white, pink and even blue, such as the Himalayan blue poppy found in East Asia).  Poppies grow in many places, such as Africa, Europe, North America, Asia, and even the icy Arctic.  Interestingly, a poppy seed may lie dormant for 50 years in the soil and still grow.

Earth’s natural pharmacy yields many remedies with powerful healing properties.  Therapeutic plants, herbs, teas and so forth have been used for centuries to improve health and boost physical and mental well-being.  Peppermint is used to help indigestion.  Lemon balm is used to relieve headaches.  A major common medicinal herb is eucalyptus, used to treat sore throats, coughs and colds.  The leaves contain an essential oil which is both antiseptic and a bronchodilator.  Goldenseal is an antibacterial agent and is effectively used as an anti-inflammatory and antiseptic treatment.  Saint John’s wart (flower, leaf) is used as an antidepressant.  Valerian (root) may help sleeplessness and anxiety.  Chamomile (flower) promotes relaxation, aids in reducing anxiety and may relieve insomnia.

Lilies are not just one of the most favorite, fascinating, prevalent and beautiful species of flowers in the world, some are purposely cultivated as a food source.  The edible bulbs are grown for food in Japan, Korea and Asia.  Lilies have been widely used medicinally for many ailments such as fever, depression, stomach disorders, ulcers, skin problems and wound healing.