Plants of the Bible

2856 types of plants have been recorded as natives of Israel, and about hundred ten plant names are mentioned in the Bible and scattered throughout much more different entries. Some are referred to many times, some less often, and some only once. The identification of the plants has posed problems for biblical botanists, for the writers of the Bible were not botanists. The first attempt to classify this flora is in Genesis 1:11-12, And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth; and it was so.

In the narrative of the creation there is only one general botanical division made, that is to say: (1) grass – deshe (דשא), signifying all low plants, e. g., Cryptogamae; (2) herbs – ‘esebh (עשב), including herbaceous plants; (3) fruit tree – ‘etz pri (עץ פרי), embracing all trees.

Plants of the Bible: An alphabetical list of the scientific names.

(Dutch) Planten uit de Bijbel: Een alfabetische lijst van Bijbelse planten met Nederlandse namen

Click on plant name to view the corresponding plant information page and Bible resources.