The spiky shape of sunflower pollen may clear bee guts of parasite
16 April 2023
Sunflower pollen’s spiky texture dramatically reduces the prevalence of a widespread gut parasite in eastern bumblebees
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Premium
How daisies make deceptive petals that look like female flies
23 March 2023
South African daisies co-opt the genes they usually use to grow root hairs and transport iron to create petals that resemble female flies – enticing males to land and pollinate the plant
Stunning new orchid species grows in lawns and parks in Japan
17 March 2023
It was thought that Japan was home to only one species of Spiranthes orchid, but researchers have now found another
Learn the secrets of poinsettias to help them thrive
7 December 2022
Shop-bought poinsettias produce a stunning display of crimson, and these tropical plants can be coaxed into an encore performance if you have the patience, says Clare Wilson
Orchidomania: A history of our obsession with orchids
23 November 2022
These images from a new illustrated book chart the long human love affair with orchids, the incredible family of flowering plants that continue to captivate us today
How to grow tremendous tulips
9 November 2022
Colourful tulips are a great addition to gardens in spring. From planting them at the right time to keeping an eye on water drainage, Clare Wilson has a host of good tips
How flowering plants beat bloom-free gymnosperms to world dominance
8 November 2022
Flowerless gymnosperms, such as conifer and ginkgo, ruled the Jurassic world before their flowering rivals, the angiosperms, became dominant. What caused the fall of one and the rise of the other?
Wild Wild Life newsletter: When species steal each other’s genes
17 February 2022
Recent discoveries of horizontal gene transfer reveal that animals and plants are swapping genes across different species - but how do they do it and what might it mean for evolution?
Flowering plants may be 100 million years older than we thought
28 January 2021
The oldest fossil flowers we have found are about 135 million years old, but a statistical analysis suggests flowering plants evolved as early as 250 million years ago
Soap bubbles covered in pollen could help fertilise flowers
17 June 2020
As bee populations continue to decline, researchers are looking for alternative ways to fertilise flowers. One suggestion is using soap bubbles to deliver pollen
