Plant Profile: East Indies Aster (Aster tongolensis)
Karen East Indies aster is a mat-forming herbaceous perennial native from India to western China. It is a member of the Asteraceae family that also includes sunflowers, yarrow, and lettuce. The…
Book Review: Legalizing Marijuana: Promises and Pitfalls
Since nine states plus the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for recreational use, and twenty-one more for restricted medical use, the debate about marijuana is one that can not…
Old Time Recipes for Home Made Wines: Cherry Wine
Cherry wine is one of the many different kinds of fruit wines that are especially good for cooking or as part of dessert. You can purchase them on line but…
Plant Profile: Black Olive (Bucida buceras)
Black olive is an evergreen tree native to Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and northern South America but found growing in the brackish marshes of southern Florida. It is no…
Plant Combination: Meadow Sage (Salvia nemorosa) ‘Amethyst’ and Cranesbill (Geranium x oxonlanum) ‘Bressingham Delight’
Rosy purple color is the theme for this long-blooming combination. The violet red of ‘Amethyst’ is echoed by the soft pink of ‘Bressingham Delight’ while contrast is provided by the…
Plant Profile: Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata)
Also known as Japanese silverberry, Russian olive is a deciduous shrub or small tree growing 10-16’ tall and is a member of the oleaster family, Elaeagnaceae, that also includes buffalo…
Book Review: Dandelion & Quince
When you go grocery shopping and peruse the produce department do you find that there are vegetables and fruit that are unfamiliar or that you have never used? If so,…
Weeds and Their Control: Common Blue Violet (Viola papilionacea aka sororia)
The common blue violet is a herbaceous perennial belonging the Violaceae family that also includes pansies. It is native to eastern US where it prefers moist soil but is drought…
Plant Profile: Black Willow (Salix nigra)
Black willow is a deciduous single to multiple-stemmed tree native to North America from New Brunswick to Minnesota, south to Florida and Texas where it grows in low woods, floodplains,…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Parsley
Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) is a biennial native to the Mediterranean area. It grows wild from Sardinia east to Lebanon but is cultivated throughout the temperate zones. It belong to the…