Herbs are in. Numerous seminars and associations deal with the plants. Biologist Friedrich Kretzschmar explains which functions the plants perform for landscape, people and animals.
BZ: What does a professional like you understand by herbs?
Kretzschmar: The biologist differentiates between higher and lower plants. Algae, lichens and mosses are considered to be the lesser ones; ferns and flowering plants belong to the higher ones. A distinction is made between flowering plants (trees and shrubs) and herbaceous plants. Herbs usually have broad leaves and showy, colorful flowers, unlike the larger ones.
BZ: How many herbs do we have?
Kretzschmar: There are around 2,000 species in Germany, and 1,500 in Baden-Württemberg.
BZ: How important are these plants for nature?
Kretzschmar: They cover a large part of the earth and are an important food source for many animals. Plants can turn light and carbon dioxide into organic matter – animals cannot. Herbivores use this: …
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