Weeds and Their Control: Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana)
Karen Pokeweed is a perennial weed native to eastern United States, the Midwest, and the Gulf Coast but has spread to the west coast, avoiding the Mountain states. It prefers part…
Plant Profile: Alpine Currant (Ribes alpinum)
This deciduous, twiggy shrub with medium texture is a good choice for areas that can be challenging for less adaptable plants. It is easily transplanted and grown, tolerates a wide…
Interesting Facts About Leaf Miners as an Aid in Control
Have you ever noticed the light colored squiggly lines on the leaves of your favorite plant? Chances are they are caused by leaf miners. Leaf miners are the larvae of…
Plant Profile: Seven-Son Flower (Heptacodium miconiodes)
This large, upright, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub from western China is a unique looking plant and provides year round interest. In late summer the bush is covered for a month with…
Book Review: Great Gardens for Kids
Playing out of doors is one of the best ways for kid to get exercise and learn to appreciate the outdoors but who wants kids wrecking the garden? Fortunately there…
Botany for Gardeners: Taxonomy of Dicots-Identifying the Water Lily Family (Nymphaeaceae)
Known from ancient Egyptian times, members of the water lily family, Nymphaceae, were made famous by Claude Monet’s series of water lily paintings and have become a water garden favorite.…
Weeds and Their Control: Giant Foxtail Grass (Setaria faberi)
Giant foxtail was introduced into North America from East Asia in the 1930s and is now a common weed in the eastern half of the United States especially in the…
Plant Profile: Creeping Mahonia (Mahonia reptans)
This low growing suckering evergreen shrub is native to northwest America from British Columbia and Alberta to Arizona and New Mexico and west to California. The shiny blue-green leaves are…
Garden Gnomes and Priapus
Some people love them, other people hate them. Gnomes are popular with many gardeners but the organizers of the Chelsea flower show banned them because they detracted from the garden…
Plant Profile: Escallonia (Escallonia rubra)
This native of Chile is a tough evergreen shrub with medium texture growing up to thirteen feet high. It has glossy dark green aromatic leaves and produces loose panicles of…