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Caused by the bacterium, Erwinia tracheiphila, bacterial wilt affects cucumber and cantaloupe severely, squash and pumpkin less so, and watermelon rarely. The first symptom is the wilting of leaves during periods of high water stress, followed by the wilting of stems that spreads to the entire vine. The plant may appear to recover at night but eventually dies as the disease spreads. Partially resistant plants may be dwarfed, and show excessive branching and flowering. To determine if the symptoms are those of bacterial wilt, cut off a wilted vine near the base of the the pant. Next, cut the wilted piece into two sections and slowly pull them apart. If sticky threads form between the two vine sections or between the knife and the vine stem, bacterial wilt is causing the symptoms. The causative bacterium overwinters in the guts of the adult striped cucumber beetle (Acalymma vittatum) and the spotted cucumber beetle (Diabrotica undecimpunctata) and enters the plant through feeding wounds after passing through the beetles as the they feed on the cucumber plant. There is no cure for bacterial wilt and control of the disease is focused on controlling the cucumber beetle population. Photo Credit Wikipedia

Also called swamp-sumac and thunderwood, this deciduous woody shrub or small tree is native to the wooded swamps, bogs and other moist soils of eastern United States and extreme southeast Canada. It is a member of the cashew family, Anacardiaceae, that also includes poison ivy, poison oak, and mango. Plants grow up to 30′ tall and have reddish to light gray bark with conspicuous lenticels and one to many branched stems that ooze a dark poisonous sap when cut or broken. The alternate dark green leaves are carried on red petioles and are pinnately compound, with 7-13 oblong or elliptic leaflets 2-4″ long. They turn bright orange-red in the fall. The inconspicuous, greenish yellow, 5 petaled flowers appear in axillary, drooping panicles up to 8″ long in early to mid-summer. Male and female flowers usually occur on different plants but perfect flowers may also be present. The one seeded, berry-like fruit is 1/4″ in diameter, green to dull yellowish-white, and persists into winter when it provides food for birds and rabbits. It is toxic to humans. The genus name Toxicodendron, comes from the Greek words, τοξικός (toxikos), meaning poison, and δένδρον (dendron), meaning tree. The specific epithet, vernix, is the medieval Latin word meaning resin or varnish and refers to the sap which can be made into varnish. Photo Credit USDA, CES NCSU

Native to Iran and Iraq, the pomegranate is a deciduous tree or shrub and a member of the loostrife family, Lythraceae, that also includes crepe myrtle, henna, and Cuphea. It has been grown since ancient times and  is widely cultivated for the juicy seeds of its fruit in places with warm dry climates including the area around the Mediterranean. The pomegranate was important in Greek mythology (recall the myth of Hades and Persephone), and Greek colonists probably brought the plant to the southern part of the Italian peninsula where images of the plant can be seen in frescoes at Paestum. Frescoes from Pompeii also show the fruit. The ancient naturalist, Pliny the Elder (d. 79 AD), calls the plant “Punic apple” and identifies 9 varieties. He notes that 3 varieties are especially valued for tanning, as a component in medicine, and as a source for purple dye.

Also called  rum cherry, and mountain black cherry, this deciduous tree is native to eastern North America, Pacific Northwest, Mexico, and Central America. It is a member of the rose family, Rosaceae, and is more closely related to chokecherry than to sweet or sour cherry. The tree grows up to 80′ tall and has a deep taproot, and shiny grayish brown bark with vertical lenticels when young, and dark brown scaly or flaky bark when mature. The alternate, glossy, dark green leaves are 3-6″ long, and oblong-ovate to lanceolate. They have finely toothed margins, inconspicuous glands on the petiole near the blade, and fine yellow-brown hairs on the underside. In fall they turn yellow-orange to rose. Three to six inch long pendulous racemes appear in the spring with the foliage bearing 20-60 fragrant flowers that are about 1/3″ across and have 5 white, round petals and a reddish orange center consisting of a ring of yellow tipped stamens around a single central style. Drooping clusters of shiny, round dark reddish purple to almost-black fruits follow. They are 1/3″ across and contain a single hard seed. The plant is a larval host for several species of butterfly, the foliage is browsed by deer, and the flowers provide nectar for pollinators. Although the fruits are bitter, they are eaten by birds, deer and small mammals, can be made into jams and jellies, and are used to flavor certain liquors. The inner bark is used in cough syrups, sedatives, and tonics and the wood, known for its quality and beauty, is used for a variety of items including furniture, veneer, gun stocks, tool handles and musical instruments. The bark, stem, and leaves contain toxic cyanogenic compounds that account for the bitter almond aroma of the inner bark and crushed foliage. The tree is considered toxic to humans, pets, and livestock. The genus name, Prunus, is the Latin word meaning plum, one member of this genus. The specific epithet, serotina, comes from the Latin word sērus, meaning late, and refers to the late flowering and fruiting of this cherry in comparison to other cherries. Photo Credit Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz Wikimedia Commons

Floret Farms’ Cut Flower Garden, by florist and flower farmer, Erin Benzakein, provides all the basics for growing, harvesting and arranging flowers year round either for home use or to sell. Based on the idea that using local flowers and other materials when they’re in season and most abundant, will result in the most beautiful bouquets, this field-to-vase approach reflects Benzakein’s connection to nature and love for her flowers. The seasonal presentation of the material facilitates use by gardeners regardless of their climate.

Early blight of tomato is a fungus disease usually caused by  Alternaria solani or the more virulent A. tomatophila, and can also effect potatoes, peppers and other members of the nightshade family (Solanaceae). Foliar symptoms of A. solani appear first on the oldest leaves and start as dark brown or black lesions with a series of concentric rings surrounded by a yellowish halo. The lesions are about 1/2″ in diameter but the whole leaf may become yellow, wilt, and fall off. Infection may spread to the stem where the lesions are slightly sunken, oval to irregular, dry, brown and with dark brown concentric rings. The disease may also spread to immature or mature fruit where the lesions are black and leathery, have concentric ridges, and are usually near the stem. The spores of the fungus survive from year to year in soil and plant debris, and thrive in conditions of high humidity and rain that favor spore germination and spread. Photo Credit Clemson Wikimedia Commons

Also called mescal bean, this evergreen multi-trunked shrub or small tree is native to brushy slopes and open plains of Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico. It is a member of the legume family, Fabaceae, that also includes beans, mimosa, and black locust. The plant usually grows 10-15’ tall and has dark green, glossy, pinnately compound leaves with 7-9 leathery, 2” long leaflets.  The pea-like, lavender blue flowers appear in drooping racemes 4-8” long from late winter to early spring They are very fragrant, and attract butterflies and bees.  The dry, gray fuzzy seed pods that follow are up to 6″ long and contain red seeds that are valued by Native Americans for use in jewelry making. Texas mountain laurel is tolerant of drought, heat, wind and poor soil. It is an excellent choice for a xeriscape where it can be used as a hedge and in borders and foundation plantings. The seeds and flowers are considered poisonous. The genus name, Sophora, is the Arabic name for a pea-flowered tree. The specific epithet, secundiflora, comes from the Latin words secundus meaning second, and flos, meaning flower. Photo Credit Wendy Cutler Wikimedia Commons

The name cabbage can refer to one of several herbaceous biennials in the mustard family, Brassicaceae, that also includes broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts. It was domesticated from wild cabbage growing in coastal Europe and Britain before 1000 BC and became an important part of the diet by the Middle Ages. The wild cabbage first gave rise to loose headed forms like kale and by ancient Greek and Roman times to headed forms such as the cabbage we know. Later, selections with fatter stems like kohlrabi emerged, and still later, plants like broccoli and cauliflower were developed for their edible buds. The ancient Greek and Roman writers identified 3 or more types of cabbage but the exact one is difficult to determine. Cato the Elder (234–149 BC) considered cabbage the best of all vegetables and extols its medicinal virtues, while the naturalist, Pliny the Elder, (d. 79 AD) praises the cabbage of Pompeii for its tenderness but notes that it can not stand the cold. Graffiti from ancient Pompeii also includes mention of cabbage, but although the form is uncertain we can be sure that the plant in some form was present there. Photo Credit Kondah Wikipedia

Native to moist rich woodlands of eastern North America and the Columbia Basin in the Pacific Northwest, this herbaceous perennial is a spring ephemeral and a member of the fumitory family, Fumariaceae, that also includes bleeding heart, squirrel corn, and Corydalis. The plant grows up to 12″ tall from a rootstock of pink to white teardrop-shaped bulblets and forms a basal clump of triangular-shaped, grayish-green leaves. The leaves are 3-6″ long, deeply cut and fern-like, and have petioles that are 2-9.5′ long. Racemes of 3-14 flowers appear on arching leafless stems in early spring. The flowers are 1/2-3/4″ ” long , usually white tipped with yellow, and have two spurs formed from inflated petals that create the appearance of upside-down pantaloons. Slender, oval fruits 1/4-5/8″ long appear from late spring to early summer, split open and release many kidney-shaped seeds. The flowers are pollinated by bumble bees, and the seeds are dispersed by ants before the plants become dormant in summer. Dutchman’s breeches are unique plants and valued for use in woodland, native plant, pollinator, bee, wildlife and shade gardens but should be planted with annuals or perennials that provide interest in summer when they go dormant. All parts of the plant are toxic to both humans and animals but severity is considered low. Cattle that graze on Dutchman’s breeches may develop a drunken staggering gait giving rise to the common names staggerweed and little blue staggers. The genus name, Dicentra, is from the Greek  δι- (di-) meaning two, and κέντρον (kéntron) meaning sharp point, and refers to the two spurs of the flowers. The specific epithet, cucullaria, comes from the Greek word κουκούλα (koukoula) meaning hood and refers to the appearance of the flowers.