The grain of grain sorghum is utilized for human consumption, animal feed, and ethanol manufacturing. It is commonly grown in tropical and subtropical countries, originating in Africa. The grain is used to make liquor, animal feed, and bio-based ethanol, among other things.

The pepper are commonly used for cooking in places such as the Southern U.S. and Central America. Most are moderately spicy, though because there are so many variants, the spice level can vary dramatically. Cayenne powder is also a popular seasoning product made from pepper plants.

False christmas cactus gets its name from its flowering season; producing red purple pink or white flowers from fall to winter. Native to a small coastal strip on the east of Brazil this cactus prefers the shade and humidity of jungle conditions. In the wild hummingbirds pollinate the flowers.

Spiny cocklebur (Xanthium spinosum) is largely considered a highly invasive weed that is found throughout the world. It produces prickly seed pods that become caught on passing animals and are then dispersed over a great distance. The burrs on the seed pods can damage sheep’s wool, making it an expensive weed for some farmers to deal with.

A gorgeous houseplant, the rattlesnake plant, is the easiest of the Goeppertia lancifolia to grow. Known for its stunning tropical foliage, this plant is marked by various shades of green with wavy stripes. This plant prefers warmth, bright indirect light, and consistently moist but not soggy soil.

Mexican marigold (Tagetes minuta) has become naturalized around the world ever since Spanish colonization. It needs full sun to flourish, and planting it around your garden will resist deer, yet attract butterflies and hummingbirds for you. People with sensitive skin should avoid touching it as its irritant sap can cause contact dermatitis.

Thorny olive (Elaeagnus pungens) is a flowering shrub native to Asia. Thorny olive is also commonly called silverthorn. In the United States, thorny olive is planted ornamentally in landscaping in the southeastern region. Thorny olive grows in variable temperate conditions, and it attracts birds.

Honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) is a species of thorny shrub related to legumes. It grows throughout the southwestern United States and Mexico and has become invasive in Africa and Australia. In some locations honey mesquite can grow to the height of a large tree; one famous example at Smoke Tree Ranch in California measures 12 m tall.

Silverleaf nightshade (Solanum elaeagnifolium) is a common weed that grows throughout North America, South America, and Africa. In South Africa, it is called "Satan's bush". Ingestion of silverleaf nightshade is thought to be toxic to horses.

Cardboard palm (Zamia furfuracea) is a tropical shrub that is not a true palm, but a cycad. Cardboard palm is an ancient plant that lived during the age of the dinosaur. It is often planted as a houseplant and needs moderate to bright light. The entire plant is poisonous, but the seeds are deadly and should be kept away from pets.

The common name, garden Catchfly, refers to the plant’s sticky stems, which may indeed catch small insects. These perennials were imported to the US from Europe for gardens, but have naturalized across the new continent and are listed as invasive in Alaska.

Guava (*Psidium guajava*) is a fruit-producing evergreen shrub that grows natively in the Caribbean region and South America. Guava attracts the honey bee and other insects, and guava fruit is edible. Additionally, guava wood is used for smoking meat.

Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) is a medium-to-large tree native to warm temperate regions of North and Central America. It puts on a brilliant autumn display - the leathery star-shaped foliage turns orange, red, and burgundy, with multicolored individual leaves. Decorative foliage and an elegant straight trunk earned sweetgum a prominent place in parks and treelines around the world.

Lady banks's rose is a species of rose with pale yellow flowers which is popularly planted in gardens worldwide. The largest specimen of lady banks's rose (Rosa banksiae) in the world is in Tombstone, AZ. This is where the famous “Gunfight at the O.K. Corral” took place. A clipping that eventually became the bush was sent over from Scotland in 1885, making this rose over 130 years old.

Chinese cymbidium (Cymbidium sinense) is a tropical orchid species native to southern China. Chinese cymbidium grows best in lowland humid forests in rich soils. This species is often grown as a houseplant in well-drained rich soil in pots.

Sisal (Agave sisalana) is a succulent plant whose yellow flowers bloom along a stalk rising up to 9 m tall and have an unpleasant scent. The flowers, stalk, basal rosette and sap of this plant are edible. Plant in full sun outdoors or place in a bright, sunny location indoors.

Elmleaf blackberry (Rubus ulmifolius) is a brambly flowering shrub native to Europe and North Africa. This species grows in hedges and woodland edges on calcareous soils. It bears fruits called drupes that are dark purple.

Common bean is one of the most widely produced cash crops in the world, with 23.6 million tons grown in 2016. China is the largest producer of common bean, accounting for 79% of the market share. While common bean is known as a staple food source, the leaves can be used to trap bedbugs and the beans are widely used in a type of fortune-telling called "pharmancy".

The peace lily gets its scientific name Spathiphyllum wallisii from a combination of the two Greek words ‘spath’ and ‘phyl’, which means spoon and leaves, respectively. The large graceful white spathe of the peace lily resembles a white flag, which is an international symbol of truce or peace.

The bradford pear is native to China but is considered invasive in the U.S. and Australia. Although it does not self-pollinate, it can become invasive by hybridizing with other plants to create fertile fruits that may seed in natural areas. The bradford pear creates large populations of fruits that are spread by birds and animals, readily rooting in disturbed areas. It also forms thick colonies that may compete with other native species for natural resources. Alternative plants include the Trident Maple and the Serviceberry. The bradford pear can be controlled by manually pulling young plants, and a range of herbicides such as oil-based herbicides, foliar herbicides, and both basal bark and stump treatments. It is important to remove seed sources as the weed can reinvade areas where it has been previously removed.