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With corpse flowers, carnivorous penis plants and otherworldly "fairy lanterns," Earth is filled with a dizzying variety of plants, from the beautiful to the bizarre. At Live Science, we celebrate this plant diversity by bringing you fantastic flora facts and the latest botany-based research. Curious about what plants you can eat if you're stranded in the wild? Or how plants "scream" in the face of stress? Our expert writers and editors answer these questions and more in the latest plant news, features and articles.
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China has planted so many trees around the Taklamakan Desert that it's turned this 'biological void' into a carbon sink
Huge-scale ecological engineering around the edges of one of the world's largest and driest deserts has turned it into a carbon sink that absorbs more CO2 than it emits, research suggests.
'Nitrogen fixing' trees could help tropical forests bounce back, research suggests
On the narrow isthmus of Panama, scientists discovered adding nitrogen to the soil doubled tree growth, providing new insights into forest restoration.
Scientists watch microscopic plant 'mouths' breathing in real time with palm-sized tool
Scientists say their Stomata In-Sight tool can observe plants "breathe," which could be used to bioengineer crops that require less water, making them potentially more resilient to climate change.
Avenue of the Baobabs: Madagascar's natural monument with dozens of 'mother of the forest' trees
The Avenue of the Baobabs preserves the remnant trees of an ancient tropical forest on Madagascar.
Trees in Panama's tropical forests are growing longer roots in the face of drought
A long-term experiment reveals tropical forests in Panama are able to adapt to droughts, but scientists warn this short-term "rescue strategy" is unlikely to save them from the impacts of climate change.
China's Great Green Wall: The giant artificial forest designed to slow the expansion of 2 deserts
Since 1978, China has planted more than 66 billion trees along its 2,800-mile-long northern border, and it wants to plant 34 billion more over the next 25 years to complete its "Great Green Wall."
China has planted so many trees it's changed the entire country's water distribution
Huge "regreening" efforts in China over the past few decades have activated the country's water cycle and moved water in ways that scientists are just now starting to understand.
Death Valley shrub rearranges its insides to thrive in one of the hottest places on Earth
Heat-loving plants that thrive in California's Death Valley could hold the key to growing crops in a changing climate.
