Book Review: The Oxford Companion to Beer
Karen Meyers The Oxford Companion to Beer is an encyclopedic work covering every subject related to beer. Drawing on the expertise of 166 beer experts from more than a twenty countries, Editor…
Old Time Recipes for Home Made Wines: Champagne Cider-2
Karen After consulting the 1909 book Old Time Recipes for Home Made Wines by my paternal grandmother, Helen S. Wright, I am confused about the difference between champagne cider and cider…
Plant Profile: Large Flowered St. John’s Wort (Hypericum kouytchense aka Hypericum patulum ‘Sungold’)
Native to western China, this bushy, rounded, semi-evergreen shrub is a member of the Hypericaceae plant family, best known for the herb, H. perforatum (common St. John’s wort). The plant…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera)
Date palm is a tender evergreen tree that probably orginated in the Fertile Crescent and has been cultivated since 7,000 BC. It is a member of the palm family, Arecaceae,…
Plant Profile: Night Blooming Phlox (Zaluzianskya ovata)
Native to Lesotho and South Africa, this semi-evergreen tender perennial is a member of the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae, that also includes bacopa, verbascum, and cape fushia. The plant grows 1-2′…
Book Review: Drink Beer, Think Beer
John Holl’s book, Drink Beer, Think Beer, is a guide to experiencing beer in a whole new way. Holl discusses the history, ingredients, flavors, brewing process, marketing, unfair business policies,…
Common diseases of Corn and Their Control: Goss’s Wilt
Similar to Stewart’s wilt, this bacterial disease has two phases. The first appears early in the season and is characterized by orange to brown discoloration of diseased vascular tissues and…
Plant Profile: Doublefile Viburnum (Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum)
Native to China and Japan, this deciduous flowering shrub is a member of the moschatel family, Adoxaceae, that also includes elders. The shrub grows 8-10′ tall and has horizontal branching…
Poisonous Plants: Red Bugbane (Actaea rubra)
This herbaceous perennial is native to shady areas with moist to wet soils of most of North America except the southeast US (from Virginia to Texas). It is a member…
Plants of Ancient Pompei: Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo)
Native to the Mediterranean region and western Europe, this broadleaf evergreen shrub or small tree is a member of the heather family, Ericaceae, that also includes rhododendron, blueberry, and mountain…