The Botany of Desire

People often think that they choose which plants to grow in their gardens, and farmers choose which crops or food to grow on farmlands. However, as Michael Pollan points out, this statement is not entirely true. There is another side of this statement: why are there plants available for us to choose from? Because these plants have gone through thousands of millions years of evolution and survived. It is not entirely dependent on us to continue their survival on Earth. Michael Pollan provides some examples that helps us explore the survival of plants.

The first plant Pollan mentions is apple. Apples are known for their sweetness. As the sweetness chart shows, different apples taste differently with respect to their sweetness. The sweetness is largely due to the amount of glucose and fructose in the apple. The more photosynthesis processes the plant undergoes, the more carbohydrate it has in the fruit. Therefore, apples are able to develop and spread across the world through animals by getting eaten by them and the animals are able to carry the seed to somewhere else.

The second plant that Pollan includes is tulip. Tulips are considered one of the most beautiful flowers and the national flower of Netherlands. According to Pollan, the key to tulips' survival is their beauty. Due to their colorful looks, insects and animals are attracted by tulips and therefore transport the pollens while eating the fruit inside.

The third plant is cannabis. Cannabis are best known for their ability to cure wounds for animals and humans. Since the demand for cannabis in the wild is high, more animals and human beings use them and therefore help facilitate the spread of cannabis throughout the world.

The last plant is potato. Potatoes are a good source of nutritions such as starch and other carbohydrates. Throughout the history, potatoes have been an important part of diet for people in different areas of the world. Due to human demand and influence, potatoes are able to survive and flourish.