Botanical Latin: Boronia
Karen Boronia (bor O’ ni a) From the name of Francesco Borone from Milan Italy who was hired by English Botanist J. E. Smith as a servant to collect plants with…
Plant Profile: California Blue Oak (Quercus douglasii)
Also known as mountain oak and iron oak, California blue oak is found only in California where it grows on dry slopes of the interior hills surrounding the Central Valley.…
Book Review: A Seed is Sleepy
A Seed is Sleepy by Dianna Hutts Aston is an introduction to seeds and the life cycle of plants in a unique way that has a wide appeal. It combines…
Weeds and Their Control: Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris)
Also called wild chervil, this herbaceous biennial or short lived perennial is a native of Europe, western Asia and parts of Africa but is a common weed in parts of…
Plant Profile: Persian Onion (Allium aflatunense)
Persian onion is a bulbous perennial native to central Asia. It is a member of the amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae) that also includes agapanthus, daffodils, and snow drops. The fleshy, strap-shaped…
Abelmoschus for the Garden
Abelmoschus is a genus of annuals and herbaceous perennials native to tropical Africa, Asian, and northern Australia and belongs to the mallow family, Malvaceae, that also include cotton, hollyhock, and…
Plant Profile: Green Dragon (Arisaema dracontium)
Green dragon is an herbaceous perennial native to eastern North America where it grows in damp forests. It is a member of the arum family, Araceae, that also includes Jack…
Book Review: Five-Plant Gardens
One of the most difficult things about gardening is choosing good plant combinations. The gardener has to consider growing conditions as well as such factors as the bloom time, color,…
Old Time Recipes for Home Made Wine: Cock Ale
When reading the book written by my paternal grandmother’s on home made wines I could hardly believe that she had this one. My grandmother had a wicked sense of humor…
Plant Profile: Obedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana)
Also known as false dragonhead, this rhizomatous herbaceous perennial is native to North American and a member of the deadnettle family, Lamiaceae, that also includes mint, coleus, and lamb’s ear.…