This small taxon is represented by evergreen trees and shrubs distributed in North America, Mexico, Peru, the West Indies and eastern Asia, with the highest concentration of species occurring in northern Myanmar and southern China.
The best known member of this genus is probably Illicium verum. Other species of this genus are Illicium anistatum, Illicium parviflorum, Illicium angustisepalum A.C. and other.

The chard, the beet’s cousin! Swiss chard is not grown for its underground part, the root like beetroot, but for its tasty leaves, which we eat cooked or boiled in various recipes. A fall planting vegetable, Swiss chard is an easy crop with no particular requirements, and very healthy as it helps regulate sugar. It is grown as an annual vegetable, as it blooms in the second year. There are many varieties of chard, with light green to dark green leaf color and red or white stems and veins, depending on the variety.
Varieties of Swiss chard with red veins make them visually similar to beets. Note that due to its impressive foliage, the chard also adds decorative value to our autumn vegetable garden. The chard prefers cool weather. Although it does not tolerate high temperatures, the chard seeks sunny or semi-dark places, while it is also relatively resistant to light frost. It wants deep fertile soils, enriched in organic matter that also have good drainage.

Fennel belongs to the apiaceae family. The root is white and penetrates to a great depth and the shoot is upright, green and cylindrical. The main part of the plant is its lower part, which is the pseudobulb of the fennel and is basically a thickening of the leaves at their base. The flowers are small and the fruits are 5 mm in diameter, oblong with shades of green and light grey-brown.

Strawberry, the favorite fruit of young and old with its unique juicy taste. The best way to enjoy the most delicious strawberries, full of rich aroma, is to grow our own strawberries in the garden or on the balcony. Strawberries are very healthy and have significant nutritional value. They are rich in vitamin C, potassium, phosphorus and calcium, while at the same time they offer significant antioxidant activity. Strawberries are the ideal fruit for novice gardeners of all ages, as they don’t require too much care, can be grown in a pot or in a flower bed, and each plant gives us enough fruit. The strawberry plant is a perennial and herbaceous that spreads on the ground and climbs. The strawberry has a central stem, of low height, from which the leaves, flowers and fruits that are formed in spring and summer emerge. Strawberry cultivation lasts about 3-4 years before the productivity of the plants starts to decrease significantly and we will have to replace the crop by planting new strawberry plants to ensure new strawberry plants.

Stevia is a perennial plant, also known as melophyllo or sweet leaf of Paraguay. Stevia contains a substance, steviol, which has a high sweetening power, which is why it is used as a sweetener instead of sugar. We can grow stevia in a pot or in the garden and harvest its leaves to sweeten our coffee, tea or to use in various homemade sweets.

Sage is quite a hardy plant and grows in a variety of soils, even dry, barren and stony soils. Sage grows best in sandy, calcareous soils with very good drainage that warm up in early spring. Sage is resistant to both low and high temperatures, meaning we can plant it in hot and cold areas. Prefers places with sun both in the garden and on the balcony.
When planted in the shade, it shows stunted growth and can show rot in the shoots and the root. Incorporating organic matter in the form of digested manure and compost when planting sage is beneficial for its growth.