The Seven Species and the Four Species Garden
This collection features the plants central to the biblical traditions and agricultural history of the Land of Israel.
This section is dedicated to the plants praised in the Bible as the fruits of the Land of Israel, alongside the "Four Species" used during the holiday of Sukkot. The Seven Species (Shivat HaMinim) include wheat, barley, grapevine, fig, pomegranate, olive, and date palm. The Four Species (Arba'at HaMinim) consist of the myrtle (hadas), date palm frond (lulav), willow (arava), and citron (etrog).
Biologically, these groups represent a diverse range of growth forms: the fig, pomegranate, olive, and date are trees; the grapevine is a perennial climber; and wheat and barley are annual grasses (Poaceae). Though they originated as wild flora, these species have become staple domesticated crops through centuries of cultivation, resulting in characteristics that differ significantly from those of their wild ancestors.
