1. What is the name of the smallest flower species in the world?
Answer: Watermeal (Wolffia spp.). Each individual plant can be as small as 1 mm!
2. What is the name of the largest flower species in the world?
Answer: the Rafflesia arnoldii. It can weigh 15 pounds and span 3 feet across!
3. Dionaea muscipula is the scientific name for which infamous, carnivorous flower plant?
Answer: the Venus flytrap. It is endemic to the American states of North and South Carolina.
4. “Leaves of three, let them be” is a helpful rule of thumb for identifying which poisonous plant?
Answer: poison ivy. Each stem on a poison ivy plant usually has three green leaves. Poison ivy contains an oily resin that causes allergic reactions in many people.
5. Which country held the 2022 title for having the largest forest area on Earth?
Answer: Russia. It had a forest area of 815 million hectares, more than double Canada which ranked in third place.
6. How many trees are estimated to be found in the Amazon Rainforest?
Answer: as many as 400 billion trees! These trees release a whopping 20 billion tonnes of water on a daily basis.
7. Lamprocapnos spectabilis is the scientific name for which plant that resembles the shape of a heart?
Answer: the Bleeding Heart! This plant native to eastern Asia contains heart-shaped pendant flowers ranging from pink to white in colour.
8. Belladonna is a poisonous plant historically used in medicine. It also goes by which nickname?
Answer: the deadly nightshade. Renaissance Italy women used belladonna to dilute their pupils in the hopes of appearing more attractive. Belladonna means “beautiful woman” in Italian.
9. Stapelia gigantea is a foul-smelling plant native to deserts in South Africa and Tanzania that goes by which common name?
Answer: carrion plant. It emits a nasty smell (similar to a dead rat!) that attracts flies.
10. What is the scientific name for the “corpse flower” native to rainforests of western Sumatra?
Answer: Amorphophallus titanum. It derives its name from the rotting flesh odour it emits while in bloom!
11. What is the scientific name for the orchid species also nicknamed “Lady of the night?”
Answer: Brassavola nodosa. It produces white flowers that bloom at night.
12. Haworthia truncata or “horse’s teeth” is a plant native to which African country?
Answer: South Africa. The plant’s squarish leaves are arranged in rows, thus resembling teeth.
13. Which spooky looking plant is completely pale and white because it does not produce chlorophyll?
Answer: the ghost plant! It is also called corpse plant and does not undergo photosynthesis.
14. Pink lady’s slipper is found in Canada and the United States, and is what type of plant species?
Answer: an orchid! It is a perennial plant that resembles a pink slipper.
15. Vanilla fragrans or “vanilla” is a plant native to which country?
Answer: Mexico. It is the world’s second most expensive flavouring/food.
16. What is the common name of the tallest living tree in the world (Sequoia sempervirens)?
Answer: the coast redwood. It is also nicknamed Hyperion and found in Redwood National Park in the American state of California.
17. What is the name of the largest tree in the world by volume?
Answer: the General Sherman Tree. It can be found in the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in California, United States.
18. True or false: bamboo plants can grow up to one foot (30 cm) in length a day.
Answer: true. Bamboo plants are perennials and generally grow quite fast.
19. Which country is the largest producer of tulips in the world?
Answer: the Netherlands. It produces 4.2 billion tulips each year, half of which are exported!
20. “Saffron” is a word that originates from the Arabic language. It translates into English to mean…?
Answer: “to become yellow.” Saffron is derived from the Crocus sativus flower, and it can be used as a bright yellow dye.
21. What is the name of the tallest cactus species in the United States?
Answer: the saguaro cactus. The tallest recorded saguaro cactus reached 78 feet tall.
22. What species is the tallest flowering plant in the world?
Answer: eucalypts. There are around 900 eucalypt species and 894 are native to Australia!
23. What part of a rhubarb plant is considered poisonous and should not be consumed?
Answer: the leaves. Rhubarb leaf stalks are edible!
24. What three categories are used to classify roses according to their growth traits?
Answer: bush, climbing, and shrub. Hybrid teas are a type of bush rose and the most popular type of rose found in the United States.
25. Most oak trees do not begin to produce acorns until reaching how many years old?
Answer: 20 years old. Acorn production usually dwindles out by 80 years old.
About the Author
Yasmin is a McMaster University graduate and Program Coordinator at SCIFAA. She holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Sustainable Chemistry and a Minor in Environmental Sciences.
SCIFAA 