Book Review: Debate About Legalizing Marijuana
Karen Written for pre-teens, Marne Ventura’s book, The Debate About Legalizing Marijuana, present the pros and cons on the subject. The author begins with a short history of marijuana use and…
Weeds and Their Control: Dog Fennel (Eupatorium capillifolium)
Also called sneezeweed, this herbaceous perennial is a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes sunflowers, daisies, and lettuce. It is native to eastern and south central US…
Plant Profile: Bulbine Lily (Bulbine bulbosa)
Also called golden lily, leek lily, wild onion, yellow onion weed, and native leek, this succulent perennial is a member of the Asphodelaceae that also includes aloe, torch lily (Kniphofia),…
Plants of Colonial Williamsburg: Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)
Balm, is a herbaceous perennial and member of the mint family, Labiatae, that also includes basil, rosemary, and ajuga. It is native to the Mediterranean area, North Africa and central…
Plant Profile: Fairy’s Thimble ( Campanula cochleariifolia aka C. pusilla)
Also known as spiral and earleaf bellflower, this rhizomatous herbaceous perennial is a member of the Campanulaceae family that also includes ladybells (Adenophora), balloon flower, and Lobelia). It is native…
Book Review Cool Cities
Global warming is of great concern to many people who are concerned about the changes that they experience all around them with increasing frequency. Benjamin R. Barber’s book, Cool Cities,…
Invasive Plants and Their Native Alternatives: Schinus terebinthifolius
This evergreen shrub or small tree is native to Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil but was introduced into Florida by the mid 1800s as an ornamental and has spread and is…
Plant Profile: Purple Bergenia (Bergenia purpurascens)
Purple bergenia is an evergreen herbaceous perennial and a member of the Saxafragaceae family that also includes astilbe, foam flower (Tiarella), and coral bells (Heuchera). It is native to eastern…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Stover
Wikipedia tells us that “stover is the leaves and stalks of field crops, such corn (maize), sorghum or soybean that are commonly left in a field after harvesting the grain.”…
Plant Profile: Tube Clematis (Clematis heracleifolia)
Tube clematis is a deciduous sub-shrub and a member of the buttercup family, Ranuncluaceae, that also includes anemone, delphinium, and columbine. Native to China and Korea, it grows 1-4′ tall…