---
title: "Take This Class! Good Greens, Bad Botanicals (and How to Know the Difference)"
date: 2023-10-20T05:30:00-04:00
author: University of Maryland
canonical_url: "https://today.umd.edu/take-this-class-good-greens-bad-botanicals-and-how-to-know-the-difference"
section: Articles
---
# Take This Class! Good Greens, Bad Botanicals (and How to Know the Difference)

*October 20, 2023* — by [Maggie Haslam](/author/maggie-haslam)


> Biology Course Digs Into History, Science and Secret Powers of Everyday Plants

*BSCI135 Amazing Green 10172023 SC 1974 1920x1080 — From left, Andrey Pichugin &#039;27, Ram Kannoju &#039;26, Alina Hiba &#039;25, Eunice Adjapong &#039;24, and Staci Jordan &#039;26 join forces to identify a variety of spices used in cooking, part of an undergraduate biology course that explores the history, impact, and use of plants.*

Herbs and spices can make a Michelin-star marinara or spike a molasses cookie with zesty sass, but as some University of Maryland students are learning this semester, they can also make dishes last longer.

For centuries, the preserving power of oregano, turmeric and other flavor boosters have kept food-borne illness at bay with antimicrobial properties—which is why some of the most flavorful, spice-infused foods are found in the warmest regions of the planet.

It’s just one takeaway from a popular [gen-ed](https://gened.umd.edu/) course that examines how everyday plants can hurt and heal, compelled explorers to circumnavigate the globe and even incited wars. “Amazing Green: Plants That Transform the World” (BSCI 135) covers the histories, impact and utility of common cultivates and faraway flora, from the medicinal powers of aloe and foxglove to the stimulating origins of tea and chocolate.

“It’s part history, part biology, but really, it’s also exploring how we discovered these usable plants,” said lecturer Edgar Moctezuma (right), a plant biologist who has been teaching a version of the course for the past 11 years. “So much of how our civilization and cultures evolved all started from a humble plant.”


*A professor teaches in front of a screen with a world map*


**Sidebar note:**

**“Amazing Green: Plants That Transformed the World” (BSCI135)**

Satisfies: General education requirements in Distributive Studies: Natural Sciences Lab and Signature Courses: I-Series

Next time you can take it: Spring 2024

A fun fact you’ll learn: Humans are 70% genetically identical to a banana.

Summary: Amazing Green is an engaging way to learn about the science, function and history of the plants we encounter every day.


**Topics:** [Campus &amp; Community](https://today.umd.edu/tags/campus-community)


**Tags:** [Biology](https://today.umd.edu/topic/biology), [Take This Class](https://today.umd.edu/topic/take-this-class), [Student Experience](https://today.umd.edu/topic/student-experience)


**Units:** [College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences](https://today.umd.edu/topic/college-computer-mathematical-and-natural-sciences)