Plant Profile: Red Cuphea (Cuphea llavea aka C. blepharophylla)
Karen Also known as bat cuphea, this tender evergreen sub-shrub is native to Mexico but is grown as an annual or houseplant in areas with hard frost. It is a member…
Invasive Plants and Their Native Alternatives : Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii)
Japanese barberry is a thorny, deciduous shrub growing 3-6’ tall with obvate green leaves that are up to 1 ¼” long and turn yellow to red in the fall. Pendent…
Plant Profile: Virginia Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum virginianum)
Virginia mountain mint is a herbaceous perennial native to eastern US from Maine and north Dakota, south to Georgia and Oklahoma where it grows in wet prairies, and on stream…
Book Review: Peck, Peck, Peck
Lucy Cousins’ Peck, Peck, Peck is a delightful tale of young woodpecker whose daddy teaches him to peck and takes off to peck with all the enthusiasm of any youngster…
Plants That Attract Beneficial Insects: Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus)
This easy to grow annual is native to Mexico and belongs to the aster family (Asteraceae) that also includes daisies, sunflowers and lettuce. The medium green foliage is greatly dissected…
Invasive Plants and Their Native Alternatives: Common Bird’s-Foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
This herbaceous perennial is also known as eggs and bacon and bird’s-foot deer vetch and is native to grasslands of Eurasia and North Africa. It was introduced to the US…
Plant Profile: x Solidaster luteus ‘Lemore’
This herbaceous perennial is the result of a cross between two plants native to North America, Aster ptarmicoides and Solidago canadensis (goldenrod). From its aster parent it inherited a more…
How to Care for Bonsai: Japanese Black Pine (Pinus thunbergii)
Japanese black pine is native to coastal Japan and South Korea and are common parkland trees in Japan. Because it is tolerant of poor, dry soil, pollution and salt it…
Plant Profile: Hairy Alumroot (Heuchera villosa)
Hairy alumroot is an evergreen herbaceous perennial and a member of the saxifrage family, Saxifragaceae, that also includes tiarella, bergenia, and astilbe. It is native to Southeast from Virginia to…
Book Review: Seasonal Flower Arranging
Florist Ariella Chezar shares her love of flowers and her knowledge of changing plant material throughout the year in her book Seasonal Flower Arranging. With a strong interest in buying…