Microgreens: Dorm Room Snacks to Extraterrestrial Sustenance

 

Microgreens is a culinary/horticultural term for any plant grown in light and harvested before the first true leaves emerge. This short presentation provides general information on the benefits of microgreens and the systems to grow them. Above is my presentation of the basics of microgreens for someone interested in getting growing. Below are some key images from this presentation:









Most Popular Plants

Barringtonia asiatica (Barringtonia)

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TropPlant Accession Number (TPAN) : 0101 Botanical Name: Barringtonia asiatica   Common Name: Barringtonia, Fish Poison Tree, Putat, Botong (Pilipino name), Shaving Brush Tree Cultivar: N/A Family: Lecythidaceae Barringtonia asiatica Photo by Matthew Gaston Native To: South Pacific, Taiwan, and Zanzibar  Landscaping Information Plant Type : Tree Texture: Dense Form: Upright-broad  Height (on average, in landscape use): 25'-45' Height to Spread Ratio: 1:2 Growth Rate:   Medium Landscape Values: Street Tree, Shade, Specimen, Windbreak, Erosion Control Outstanding Quality: Flowers, Foliage Characters, Fruit Barringtonia asiatica at UH Manoa Photo by Matthew Gaston Botanical Descriptions Flowers: 5"-7" wide, white to cream petals. White to light pink stamens are abundant. The two-lobed calyx and pistil remain attached to the tree, while petals and stamens fall below. Flowers open at nig...
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Graptophyllum pictum (Caricature Plant)

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T ropPlant Accession Number (TPAN) : 0002 Botanical Name: Graptophyllum pictum Common Name: Caricature Plant Cultivars: 'Igneum', 'Lurido-sanguineum', 'Tricolor'/'Waimea', 'Eldorado' Family: Acanthaceae  (Acanthus Family) Graptophyllum pictum   Photo by Matthew Gaston Graptophyllum pictum 'Igneum'  Photo by Matthew Gaston Graptophyllum pictum 'Lurido-sanguineum'  Photo by Matthew Gaston Graptophyllum pictum 'Eldorado'  Photo by Matthew Gaston Graptophyllum pictum 'Tricolor' (believed to be the same as Graptophyllum pictum 'Waimea') Photo by Matthew Gaston Native To: New Guinea Landscaping Information
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Tabernaemontana divaricata (Crepe Jasmine)

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TropPlant Accession Number (TPAN) : 0081 Botanical Name: Tabernaemontana divaricate Common Name: Crepe Jasmine, Crepe Jasmine, East India Rose Bay, Nero's Crown, Coffee Rose, Flower of Love, Phut Son Cultivar: 'Flore Pleno' Family: Apocynaceae Native To: India, Southern China, Northern Thailand Tabernaemontana divaricata after a rain Photo by Matthew Gaston Landscaping Information Plant Type : Shrub, Treelet Texture: Medium Form: Mound to Round-Headed Height (on average, in landscape use): 2'- 15' Height to Spread Ratio: The ratio of height at maturity to the width (spread) at maturity. Growth Rate: Fast Landscape Values: Accent, Background, Border, Edging, Facer, Filler, Foundation, Framing, Hedge, Patio, Quick Effect, Screen, Specimen Outstanding Quality: Flowers , Fragrance Botanical Descriptions Flowers: Sweet Fragrance, green sepals, white petals, 0.5"-1.1" long. Double flower cul...
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Ficus benjamina (Benjamin Fig)

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TropPlant Accession Number (TPAN) : 0049 Botanical Name: Ficus benjamina  Common Name: Benjamin Fig, Weeping Fig, Weeping Chinese Banyan Cultivars: 'Exotica' is discussed in this post, but several cultivars exist. Family: Moraceae Native To: India, Southern China, and the Solomon Islands. Ficus benjamina Photo by Matthew Gaston Landscaping Information Plant Type : Tree  Texture: Dense, Open Form: Weeping/Pendent  Height (on average, in landscape use): 45'- 60' Height to Spread Ratio: 1:2 Growth Rate: Medium Landscape Values: Background, Border, Edging, Facer, Filler, Foundation, Framing, Hedge, Indoor, Lanai, Patio, Screen, Shade, Sculptural Form, Specimen, Erosion Control Outstanding Quality: Form/Silhouette, Foliage Characters  Ficus benjamina Photo by Matthew Gaston Ficus benjamina at the UH Manoa Campus Photo by Matthew Gaston Botanical Descriptions Figs: 0.25"-0.75...
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Azadirachta indica (Neem Tree)

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TropPlant Accession Number (TPAN) : 0082  Botanical Name: Azadirachta indica Common Name: Neem Tree, Indian Lilac, Nim Tree Cultivar: N/A Family: Meliaceae Native To: India Azadirachta indica Photo by Matthew Gaston Landscaping Information Plant Type : Tree Texture: Dense, Coarse Form: Upright-Broad to Weeping/Pendent Height (on average, in landscape use): 30'-50'' Height to Spread Ratio: 2:1 Growth Rate: Rather Fast Landscape Values: Accent, Street Tree, Background, Mass, Shade, Sculptural Form, Specimen, Windbreak, Erosion Control Outstanding Quality: Form/Silhouette, Foliage Characters Azadirachta indica   Photo by Matthew Gaston Botanical Descriptions Flowers: Small, white, (allegedly) fragrant flowers arranged on an axillary panicle.   Azadirachta indica inflorescence Photo by Matthew Gaston Azadirachta indica inflorescence Photo by Matthew Gaston Frui...
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Ficus microcarpa var. crassifolia (Wax Fig)

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T ropPlant Accession Number (TPAN) : 0016 Botanical Name: Ficus microcarpa var. crassifolia Common Name: Wax Fig, Taiwan Ficus Variety: crassifolia Family: Moraceae Native To: Southern Taiwan Ficus microcarpa var. crassifolia leaves. Note the bronze to bright yellow-green young leaves.  Photo by Matthew Gaston Landscaping Information Plant Type : Shrub Texture: Dense Form: Mound, Cushion Height (on average, in landscape use): 1.5' - 4' Height to Spread Ratio: 1:2 Growth Rate: Fast Landscape Values: Border, Color, Edging, Facer, Filler, Foundation, Framing, Hedge, Indoor, Lanai, Patio, Space Division, Groundcover, Specimen Outstanding Quality: Foliage and Form; often used for Bonsai  Ficus microcarpa var. crassifolia  as a hedge/groundcover below a tree  Photo by Matthew Gaston Botanical Descriptions Flowers/Fruits: paired figs, sessile, 0.2"-0.4" long, glabrous, purple to black when ripe...
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