List of plants in the Bible explained

This article lists plants referenced in the Bible, ordered alphabetically by English common/colloquial name. For plants whose identities are unconfirmed or debated the most probable species is listed first. Plants named in the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible or Tenakh) are given with their Hebrew name, while those mentioned in the New Testament are given with their Greek names.

A

Name in Bible	Plant name	Scientific name	References
səneh		Vitex agnus-castus, Rubus sanctus or Loranthus acaciae	Exodus 3:2
šiṭṭāh	Acacia, Spirale	Acacia raddiana	Exodus 25:10
’almuggîm	Almug tree; traditionally thought to denominate Red Sandalwood and/or White Sandalwood, but a few claim it is Juniper	Pterocarpus santalinus Santalum album Juniperus excelsa	2 Chronicles 2:8; 9:10, 11; 1 Kings 10:11, 12
šāqêḏ		Amygdalus communis	Genesis 43:11
’ăhālîm	Agarwood ("Aloe")	Aquilaria malaccensis	Proverbs 7:17
κρίνον, krinon	Anemone	Anemone coronaria
ἄνηθον, anēthon	Anise or Dill	Pimpinella anisum, Anethum graveolens	Matthew 23 23
tappūaḥ	Apple or citron	Malus domestica or Citrus medica	Genesis 2:7; Job 31:39; Jeremiah 15:9

B–E

Name in Bible	Plant name	Scientific name	References
bōśem, bəḵā’îm	Balsam	Commiphora gileadensis^[1]	Exodus, Songs
śə‘ōrāh	Barley	Hordeum vulgare	Numbers 5:15;
bā’ezrāḥ	Bay	Laurus nobilis	Psalm 37 35
bəḏōlaḥ		Commiphora africana	2:12 HE Numbers 11:7
p̄ōl	Bean	Vicia faba
ṯə’aššūr		Cupressus sempervirens	Isaiah 41:19
tsin	Boxthorn	Lycium europaeum	Proverbs 22:5
’āṭāḏ	Bramble	Rubus ulmifolius	Judges 9:15
rōṯem	Broom	Calycotome villosa, Retama raetam or Spartium junceum	Psalm 120 4, 1 Kings 19:4
gōme	Bulrush or Papyrus	Typha spp. Cyperus papyrus	Exodus 2:3, Job 40:21 (ABP and NETS)
’ăḇîyōnāh	Caper, Desire	Capparis spinosa	Ecclesiastes 12 5
κεράτιον, keration	Carob and Locust	Ceratonia siliqua	Luke 15 16,
qiddāh	Cassia	Cinnamomum iners	Exodus 30:24, Psalm 45:8, Job 42:14
qîqōnāh	Castor Oil Tree ("Jonah's gourd")	Ricinus communis	Jonah 4 9
’ārez	Cedar of Lebanon	Cedrus libani	1 Kings 5:10, 2 Kings 19:23
qinnāmōn	Cinnamon	Cinnamomum zeylanicum	Proverbs 7:17
ḇā’əšāh	Cockle or Stinkweed	Agrostemma githago	Job 31:40
gad	Coriander	Coriandrum sativum	Exodus 16:31
karpas	Cotton	Gossypium herbaceum	Esther 1 6
ḥăḇatseleṯ	Crocus	Crocus sativus	, Isaiah 35:1
qiššu’a	Cucumber	Cucumis melo	Numbers 11:5
kammōn; κύμινον, kuminon	Cumin	Cuminum cyminum	Isaiah 28 27
qetsaḥ	Cumin, Black	Nigella sativa	Isaiah 44 14
tirzāh	Cypress	Cupressus sempervirens	Isaiah 44 14
bərōš	Cypress or fir	Cupressus sempervirens	Isaiah 44 14
tāmār φοίνιξ, phoinix		Phoenix dactylifera	Song of Solomon 5 11; 7:7, 8, John 12:13
diḇyōnîm	Dove's Dung	Ornithogalum narbonense	2 Kings 6:25
tiḏhār		Ulmus minor subsp. canescens	Song of Solomon 5:11; 7:7, 8, John 12:13

F–I

Name in Bible	Plant name	Scientific name	References
ṯə’ênāh	Fig	Ficus carica	Joel 1:7
’ōren	Fir	Abies cilicica	1 Kings etc.
pešeth	Flax	Linum usitatissimum	Proverbs 31:13
peraḥ	Flowers, unidentified		1 Kings 7:26
ləḇōnāh	Frankincense	Boswellia thurifera	, 11
šūm	Garlic	Allium sativum	Numbers 11:5
‘ănāḇ	Grape	Vitis vinifera	Genesis 40:10 etc.
ḥătsîr	Grass		Numbers 11:5
kimśuḵaṯ ḥāḏeq	Hedge of Thorns	Solanum incanum	Proverbs 15:19^[2]
rōš	Hemlock or gall	Conium maculatum, Papaver somniferum	Amos 6:12
kōp̄er	Henna	Lawsonia inermis	Song of Solomon 1:14
’êzōḇ ὕσσωπος, hysōpos	Hyssop	Hyssopus officinalis	Leviticus 14:52
qaṭṭərāh	Incense	Boswellia sacra	Hosea 4:13
šōšannāh	Iris (then denominated "Lily")	Iris palaestina	1 Kings 7:22

J–M

Name in Bible	Plant name	Scientific name	References
n/a	Judas Tree	Cercis siliquastrum
‘ărō‘êr	Juniper	Juniperus excelsa	Jeremiah 17 6, 48:6
ἄκανθα, akantha	Jujube	Ziziphus spina-christi	Matthew 27:29
ḥātsîr	Leek	Allium porrum	Numbers 11:5
‘ăḏāša	Lentil	Lens esculenta	2 Samuel 17:28;
šōwōšannaṯ hā-‘ămāqîm	Lily-of-the-valley	Convallaria majalis
šêš	Linen	Linum usitatissimum	Exodus 35:25
tse’ĕlîm	Lotus	Nelumbo nucifera	Job 40:21–22
mallūaḥ	Mallow	Atriplex halimus	Job 30:4
ḏūḏā’î	Mandrake	Mandragora autumnalis	Genesis 30:15
man	Manna	Alhagi camelorum	Numbers 11:7
ἡδύοσμον, hēduosmon	Mint	Mentha spp.	Matthew 23 23
σίναπι, sinapi	Mustard	Brassica nigra	Matthew 13 31
lōṭ	Myrrh	Commiphora guidotti	Genesis 37:25, 43:11
hăḏas	Myrtle	Myrtus communis	Isaiah 55 13

N–R

Name in Bible	Plant name	Scientific name	References
sirpaḏ	Nettle	Acanthus spinosus	Isaiah 55:13
beten	Pistachio	Pistacia vera
’allōn	Oak	Quercus calliprinos	Joshua 24:26
zāyiṯ	Olive	Olea europaea	Judges 9:9
bətsāl	Onion	Allium cepa	Numbers 11:5
‘armōn	Plane	Platanus orientalis	Ezekiel 31:8, Genesis 30:37
rimmōn		Punica granatum	Song of Solomon 7:12
liḇneh	Poplar species	Populus spp.	Isaiah 44:4
ḥallāmūṯ	Purslane	Portulaca oleracea	Job 6:6
’êḇeh	Reed (see also Cane)	Phragmites	Ezekiel 40 vv., Job 40:21
πήγανον, pēganon	Rue	Ruta graveolens	Luke 11:42
’aḡmōn	Rush	Juncus spp.	Isaiah 9:14

S

Name in Bible	Plant name	Scientific name	References
karkōmn	Saffron	Crocus sativus
kussemeṯ	Spelt	Triticum spelta	Isaiah 28 25;
nêrəd		Nardostachys jatamansi
nāṭāf	Stacte or Storax	Styrax officinalis, Liquidambar orientalis	Exodus 30:34
συκάμινος, sykaminos	Sycamine Fig-mulberry or Mulberry	Ficus sycomorus, Morus nigra or Morus alba

T–Z

Name in Bible	Plant name	Scientific name	References
’ešel		Tamarix aphylla	Genesis 21:33
ζιζάνιον, zizanion	"Tares", Darnel^[3] ^[4]	Lolium temulentum	Matthew 13:25–40
’êlāh	Terebinth	Pistacia terebinthus	2 Samuel 18:9
ḥōwaḥ	Thistle	Cardueae	Job 31:40, 2 Chronicles 25:18
qōts	Thorn, thornbush	Vachellia tortilis or similar	Jeremiah 4:3
θύϊνος, thyinos	Thyine Wood	Tetraclinis articulata	Revelation 18:12
‘êts	Timber		2 Kings 12:12
hă-ḇatseleṯ ha-Šārōn	Tulip Sharon	Tulipa agenensis
’ĕḡōz	Hazelnut	Juglans regia	,^[5] Genesis 43:11
’ăḇaṭṭiḥ	Watermelon	Citrullus lanatus	2 Numbers
ḥiṭṭāh ḥinṭa’	Wheat	Triticum aestivum	Ezra 7:22;
‘ărāḇ	Willow	Salix alba	Job 40:22
ἄψινθος, apsinthos la‘ănāh	Wormwood	Artemisia absinthium

See also

• Animals in the Bible
• Figs in the Bible

Sources

• Book: Hepper, F. Nigel . Planting a Bible Garden . illustrated . Lion Hudson PLC . 2000 . 9781859851869.
• Post, G.E. Bible Dictionary Contributions
• Zohary, Michael (1982) Plants of the Bible. New York: Cambridge University Press.

External links

• All of the Plants of the Bible
• Biblical Gardens
• Plants of the Bible, Missouri Botanical Garden
• Project "Bibelgarten im Karton" (biblical garden in a cardboard box) of a social and therapeutic horticultural group (handicapped persons) named "Flowerpower" from Germany
• List of biblical gardens in Europe
  • Biblical Botanical Gardens Society USA

Notes and References

1. Book: Amar . Zohar . Iluz . David . Balsam: the most expensive perfume plant in the ancient world . The Paths of Daniel: Studies in Judaism and Jewish Culture in Honor of Rabbi Professor Daniel Sperber . Bar-Ilan University press . A. S. . Ferziger . 15–27. Quote: "Botanical synonyms: Amyris gileadensis L., Amyris opoBalsamum L., Balsamodendrum ehrenbergianum O. Berg, Balsamodendrum gileadense Kunth, Balsamodendrum opobalsamum Kunth, Commiphora opobalsamum (L.) Engl."
2. Zohar Amar, Flora of the Bible: A New Investigation Aimed at Identifying All of the Plants of the Bible in Light of Jewish Sources and Scientific Research, Jerusalem, 2012, p. 220 (s. v. חדק)
3. H. G. Liddell and R. Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1843–1996, under "Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ζιζάνια". The plural form "Zizania" has modernly denominated in botany wild rice.
4. http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?strongs=G2215 Thayer's Lexicon: ζιζάνια
5. • Book: Longman, Tremper . Songs of Songs . 26 . The New International Commentary on the Old Testament . Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing . 2001 . 9780802825438 . 184.