Grassy trees – large forest-adapted monocots such as bamboo, palm, and bananas – combine grass-like rapid growth with tree-like canopy dominance. Their ambiguous status between woody and herbaceous plants has led to research neglect. Recognizing them as a distinct growth form is key to harnessing their potential as nature-based solutions for sustainability.

SFI Resident Professor Melanie Mitchell has received a 2025 Eric and Wendy Schmidt Award for Excellence in Science Communications from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Th...