Plants that start with T

Tis forTamarind

Scientific name: tamarindus indica

Tamarind is a tropical tree that grows fruit in pods. Tamarinds are used as an ingredient in a number of sauces, chutneys and in numerous other dishes.

Food, Plants

Photo by Foodista

Tis forTarragon

Scientific name: artemisia dracunculus

Tarragon, or dragon's wort, is a soft, green plant used mainly in French cooking. Tarragon has an interesting flavour that is a little like anise.

Herbs & Spices, Plants

Photo by titanium22

A tendril is a part of a plant that has no leaves. Tendrils grow at the tip of the new growth on a plant, in a spiral shape. Tendrils wrap around anything they encounter, and become supports for the growing plant.

Plant parts

Photo by D H Wright

Tis forThistle

Thistles are any plants, usually weeds, that have thorny leaves. Thistles often have thorns all over them, on the stems and flowers too. The thistle in the picture is the national flower of Scotland, scientific name onopordum acanthium.

Plants

Photo by Daniel R. Blume

Tis forThorn

Thorns grow on many plants to protect them from animals that want to eat them. Thorns are very sharp and are often hooked so they catch onto your skin and clothes. The thorns in the picture are on a rose bush. Thorny plants are often referred to as briar or brambles.

Plant parts

Photo by Isaac Wedin

Tis forThyme

Scientific name: thymus vulgaris

Thyme (said like "time") is a small, woody plant with lots of tiny leaves. It grows all year around, and gets tiny pink flowers in the spring. It has a very strong smell, and is used to flavour meat, soups and stews. Some varieties of thyme are lemon scented and can be used in dishes that need a hint of lemon. Thyme can be grown from seed, cuttings, or just digging up parts of the plant that have already grown roots. When thyme spreads, branches that touch the ground grow roots at that point and are easy to separate. It likes to grow in a hot sunny spot, and can tolerate very heavy frosts and drought. It is a perfect rockery plant.

Herbs & Spices, Plants

Photo by Steve Betts

Tis forToadstool

A toadstool is a poisonous mushroom. Toadstools usually have very curved caps on top of them, like a half-opened umbrella.

Fungi

Photo by Brian Sterling

Tis forTobacco

Scientific name: genus: nicotiana

Tobacco is a plant used worldwide as a legal recreational drug. It is also used to make pesticides. Tobacco is most commonly taken by smoking it in cigarettes, cigars or in a pipe but it can also be chewed or snuffed. Most tobacco is grown in China, India, Brazil and the United States.

Plants, Substances

Photo by C.P.Storm

Tis forTomato

Scientific name: solanum lycopersicum

The tomato is the fruit of the tomato vine. Tomatoes may be eaten raw or cooked. They are usually used to make sauce. Tomatoes are usually red or yellow when they are ripe. Some people think a tomato is a vegetable, not a fruit.

Fruit, Plants

Photo by Thomas & Dianne Jones

Tis forTree

Trees are large plants, usually with a trunk and branches with eaves at the end of the branches. Most trees have flowers in spring, the main exception is the pine tree which grows pine cones instead.