Plants that start with P

Pis forPollen

Pollen is made up of fine grains of male genetic material. Bundles of pollen are held inside flowers on the end of stamens, which you can clearly see in the picture. As insects or birds come to the flowers to eat nectar, they brush against the pollen and carry it to the stigma of another flower.

Plant parts

Photo by FrauBucher

Pis forPomegranate

Scientific name: punica granatum

The pomegranate is originally native to Asia but has been grown around the Mediterranean area for centuries. It is the fruit of a deciduous shrub. The name means "seeded apple". Pomegranates have a hard outside layer that you cannot eat. The part of the pomegranate you eat is the juicy seeds. You can eat them raw, make them into juice, or use them in desserts or other dishes.

Fruit, Plants

Photo by John Haslam

Pis forPoppy

Scientific name: family: papaveraceae

Poppies are small flowers that are grown mainly because they look pretty. The most well-known poppy is the opium poppy, which is grown for its seeds that are often found on top of bread rolls, and because it contains a substance that can be used to make a very powerful painkiller. Most poppies will grow in very cold climates. Some kinds of poppies grow almost in arctic conditions, and are one of the most northerly growing plants in the world.

Plants

Photo by Avlxyz

Pis forPotato

Scientific name: solanum tuberosum

Potatoes are tubers - they grow underground but are not the central root of the plant like a carrot or turnip. One potato plant can make many potatoes. Potatoes originally came from Peru but are now grown world wide, and are the fourth biggest crop after rice, wheat, and maize. Potatoes are best known in the form of french fries (chips) or crisps. Potato can be eaten in a huge variety of ways. It can be an ingredient in soups and stews, mashed and eaten with butter, baked, fried, boiled and in a huge variety of other dishes.

Vegetables, Plants

Photo by Ken Bosma

Pis forPrickly pear

Scientific name: opuntia stricta

The prickly pear is a kind of cactus. When you eat the fruit of the cactus, you have to be very careful to remove the thorns from the fruit. The entire cactus including the fruit is covered in thorns.

Fruit, Plants

Photo by Nesster

Pis forPumpkin

Scientific name: family: cucurbitaceae

Pumpkins are a large vegetable that grows on a vine that normally covers the ground. Pumpkins can grow very, very big, weighing over 100 kilograms. They usually are bright orange inside. They can be made into soup, pies, roasted or simply have a face cut into it and used as a lantern at Halloween.