Plants of the Bible: White Sandalwood (Santalum album)
Karen Also called Indian sandalwood, this semi-parsitic deciduous tree is native to southern India and Southeast Asia where it grows mostly in dry deciduous and scrub forests but can also be…
Genus Erysium (Wallflowers) for the Garden
Often called wallflower or blister-cress, Erysimum is a genus of about 150 species in the mustard family, Brassicaceae, that also includes cabbage, alyssum, and stock. The plants may be annuals,…
Plant Profile: Flowering Rush (Butomus umbellatus)
Also called grass rush, this aquatic perennial is native to in Eurasia and Africa where it grows in the margins of still and slowly moving water . It is a…
Plants for a Plant Zoo: Goat’s Beard (Aruncus dioicus)
With its feathery plumes of tiny cream colored flowers moving gracefully over dark green leaves this shrub-like herbaceous perennial makes a beautiful presence in a woodland setting, beside a stream…
Plant Profile: Palestine Camomile (Anthemis palaestina)
Native to woodlands and shrublands of the Mediterranean, this annual is a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes daisy, yarrow, and lettuce. It grows 6-12″ tall and…
Plants of the Bible: Tatarian orachea (Atriplex tatarica)
Native to saline and alkaline deserts of central and southern Europe to western and eastern Asia, this annual shrub is a member of the Amaranthaceae family that also includes spinach,…
Old Time Recipes for Home Made Wines: Burgundy Champagne
The name Burgundy champagne is a absurdity as most wine drinkers know because champagne can only be made in the French region of Champagne. My paternal grandmother, Helen S. Wright,…
Plant Profile: Ferula galbaniflua aka F. glummosa
Native to the mountains of Iran and Turkmenistan, this herbaceous perennial is a member of the parsley family, Apiaceae, that also includes carrots, celery, and poison hemlock. Growing from a…
Plants for a Plant Zoo: Toad Flax (Linaria vulgaris)
Toad flax might not be the star of the show in any garden but it adds a lot of charm even growing in lean dry soil. True, it is a…
Plant Profile: Palestinian Tumbleweed (Anastatica hierochuntica)
Also known as rose of Jericho, Maryam’s flower, flower of St. Mary, St. Mary’s flower, Mary’s flower, and white mustard flower, this annual herb is native to the deserts of…