Plant Profile: Bulbine Lily (Bulbine bulbosa)
Karen 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…
Book Review: Clara Caterpillar
Clara Caterpillar, by Pamela Duncan Edwards, is a delightful book that follows the life cycle of a butterfly from egg to adult. The story line is new but Edwards’ treatment…
Old Time Recipes for Home Made Wine: Spruce Beer
My paternal grandmother, Helen S. Wright, included one recipe for spruce beer in her book, Old Time recipes for Home Made Wine. Spruce beer was important to the indigenous people…