Plant Profile: Cassia (Cinnamomum cassia)
Karen Also known as Chinese cinnamon, this evergreen tree is native to southern China and used there for 5000 years. It is a member of the laurel family, Lauracaea, that also…
Invasive Plants and Their Native Alternatives: Scotch Broom (Cytisus scoparius)
Scotch broom is a deciduous to evergreen, nitrogen-fixing shrub growing 4-8’ tall. It is native to dry, sandy soils in central and western Europe but was introduced into North America…
Plant Profile: Levant Cotton (Gossypium herbaceum)
Native to the semi-arid regions of northern Africa, Asia Minor and India, this perennial shrub is a member of the mallow family, Malvaceae, that also includes coffee, okra, and hollyhock.…
Plants of the Bible: Apricot (Prunus armeniaca)
Native to central Asia, this deciduous small tree is a member of the rose family, Rosaceae, that also includes cherry, almond, and lady’s mantle. The trees grow 26-39′ tall and…
Edible Mushrooms: Common Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus)
The common oyster mushroom grows in subtropical and temperate deciduous forests throughout the world but is also widely cultivated. It is saprophytic and appears from fall to winter growing in…
Plant Profile: Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum)
Also known a Ceylon cinnamon tree, this small evergreen tree is native to Sri Lanka and a member of the Laural family, Lauraceae, that also includes avocado and cassia. The…
Herbs for a Medieval Physics Garden: Costmary (Tanacetum balsamita aka Chrysanthemum balsamita aka Balsamita vulgariata)
Costmary is a herbaceous perennial native to the Mediterranean and also known as alecost, balsam herb, bible leaf, and mint geranium. It is one of 16 herbs recommented in the…
Plant Profile: Boxthorn (Lycium europeaum)
Also called European tea-tree, this deciduous shrub native to Mediterranean shrublands, is a member of the nightshade family, Solonaceae, that also includes tomato, eggplant, and tobacco. The spreading many branched…
Plants of the Bible: Horsemint (Mentha longifolia)
Also called wild mint, this herbaceous perennial is native to moist and wet habitats of Europe, western and central Asia, and southern and northern parts of Africa. Plants rapidly grow…
Plants of Colonial Williamsburg: English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia aka L. officinalis)
Although known as English lavender this strongly aromatic shrub is not native to England but to the western Mediterranean especially the Pyrenees and northern mountains of Spain. It is a…