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 Abraham's Bush orBlackberry 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/orWhite Sandalwood, but a few claim it is Juniper Pterocarpus santalinusSantalum albumJuniperus excelsa 2 Chronicles 2:8; 9:10, 11; 1 Kings 10:11, 12 šāqêḏ Almond Amygdalus communis Genesis 43:11 ’ăhālîm Agarwood ("Aloe") Aquilaria malaccensis Proverbs 7:17 κρίνον, krinon Anemone Anemone coronaria Matthew 6:28 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 Quote: "Botanical synonyms: Amyris gileadensis L., Amyris opoBalsamum L., Balsamodendrum ehrenbergianum O. Berg, Balsamodendrum gileadense Kunth, Balsamodendrum opobalsamum Kunth, Commiphora opobalsamum (L.) Engl." Exodus, Songs śə‘ōrāh Barley Hordeum vulgare Numbers 5:15; Ezekiel 4:9 ’ezrāḥ Bay Laurus nobilis Psalm 37:35 bəḏōlaḥ Bdellium Commiphora africana ; Numbers 11:7 p̄ōl Bean Vicia faba Ezekiel 4:9 ṯə’aššūr Box Buxus 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 orPapyrus Typha spp.Cyperus papyrus Exodus 2:3, Job 40:21 (ABP and NETS) ’ăḇîyōnāh Caper, Desire Capparis spinosa Ecclesiastes 12:5κεράτιον, keration Carob and Locust Ceratonia siliqua Luke 15:16, Matthew 3:1 qiddāh Cassia Cinnamomum iners Exodus 30:24, Psalm 45:8, Job 42:14 qîqāyōn 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 Song of Solomon 2:1, 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 28:27 tirzāh Cypress Cupressus sempervirens Isaiah 44:14 bərōš Cypress or fir Cupressus sempervirens Isaiah 44:14 tāmārφοίνιξ, phoinix Date Palm Phoenix dactylifera Song of Solomon 5:11; 7:7, 8, John 12:13 diḇyōnîm Dove's Dung Ornithogalum narbonense 2 Kings 6:25 tiḏhār Elm 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 συκῆν sykēn Fig Ficus carica Joel 1:7 Mark 11:12 (also in Matthew 21:18-22) ’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 Matthew 2:10, 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 15:19Zohar 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) rōš Hemlock or gall Conium maculatum, Papaver somniferum Amos 6:12 kōp̄er Henna Lawsonia inermis Song of Solomon 1:14 ’êzōḇὕσσωπος, 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 Matthew 27:5 ‘ărō‘êr Juniper Juniperus excelsa Jeremiah 17:6, 48:6ἄκανθα, akantha Jujube Ziziphus spina-christi Matthew 27:29 ḥātsîr Leek Allium porrum Numbers 11:5 ‘ăḏāša Lentil Lens esculenta 2 Samuel 17:28; Ezekiel 4:9 šōwōšannaṯ hā-‘ămāqîm Lily-of-the-valley Convallaria majalis Song of Solomon 2:1 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 Song of Solomon 6:11 ’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 Pomegranate 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 40:21πήγανον, pēganon Rue Ruta graveolens Luke 11:42 ’aḡmōn Rush Juncus spp. Isaiah 9:14
S Name in Bible Plant name Scientific name References karkōm Saffron Crocus sativus Song of Solomon 4:14 kussemeṯ Spelt Triticum spelta Isaiah 28:25; Ezekiel 4:9 nêrəd Spikenard Nardostachys jatamansi Song of Solomon 4:14 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 Luke 17:6
T–Z Name in Bible Plant name Scientific name References ’ešel Tamarisk Tamarix aphylla Genesis 21:33ζιζάνιον, zizanion "Tares", DarnelH. G. Liddell and R. Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1843–1996, under "". The plural form "Zizania" has modernly denominated in botany wild rice.Thayer's Lexicon: ζιζάνια 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 4:3θύϊνος, thyinos Thyine Wood Tetraclinis articulata Revelation 18:12 ‘êts Timber 2 Kings 12:12 hă-ḇatseleṯ ha-Šārōn Tulip Sharon Tulipa agenensis Song of Solomon 2:1 ’ĕḡōz Walnut Juglans regia Song of Solomon 6:11,* Genesis 43:11 ’ăḇaṭṭiḥ Watermelon Citrullus lanatus ḥiṭṭāh ḥinṭa’ Wheat Triticum aestivum Ezra 7:22; Ezekiel 4:9 ‘ărāḇ Willow Salix alba Job 40:22 ἄψινθος, apsinthos la‘ănāh Wormwood Artemisia absinthium Revelation 8:11
Notes
See also Animals in the Bible Figs in the Bible
References
Sources
Post, G.E. Bible Dictionary Contributions Zohary, Michael (1982) Plants of the Bible. New York: Cambridge University Press.
External links 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