Plant Profile: Purple Needle Grass (Stipa pulchra aka Nassella pulchra)
Karen This perennial bunch grass is native to California where it grows in a variety of habitats including grassland, chaparral and oak woodland. It is a member of the grass family…
Book Review: It’s Spring!
Linda Glaser’s book, It’s Spring!, celebrates the spring as seen through the eyes of a young boy. Written in the first person, the book explores the sensory delights that spring…
Plants that Attract Beneficial Insects: Colorado Columbine (Aquilegia caerulea/ coerulea)
This herbaceous perennial is native to the Rocky Mountain states from Montana to Arizona and New Mexico where it grows in rich, moist, well-drained soil It is a member of…
Plant Profile: Butterfly Mariposa (Calochortus venustus)
This herbaceous perennial is endemic to California where it grows in sandy soils of grasslands and open wooded areas of the mountains and foothills. It is a member of the…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Garland Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum coronarium aka Glebionis coronaria)
Also known as crown daisy and edible chrysanthemum, this cool weather annual is native to the Mediterranean region and is a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes…
Plant Profile: Hairy Ceanothus (Ceanothus oliganthus)
Native to dry habitats on the coastal mountains of California and Baja California, this evergreen shrub is a member of the buckthorn family, Rhamnaceae, that also includes jujube tree and…
Book Review: Discovering Dahlias
Karen Meyers Erin Benzakein, author and farmer-florist, presents a guide for growing and arranging dahlias, in her book, Discovering Dahlias. After introducing the great variety in dahlia size, form, and color, the…
Garden Tools: Weeder Trowel
Although called a weeder trowel, this garden tool has several features that make it especially good for several garden tasks. It has a narrow blade that is smooth on one…
Plant Profile: Spiny Redberry (Rhamnus crocea)
Also called hollyleaf buckthorn, this evergreen shrub is native to Baja California, California and Arizona, where it grows in dry washes and canyons in coastal sage scrub, chaparral, and various…
Plants for a Plant Zoo: Snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus)
Snapdragons are one of the best plants for a plant zoo because they are as interesting as they are beautiful. To seize the interest of your kids or grandkids take…