Plant Profile: Field pansy (Viola arvensis)
Karen Also called johnny jump up, this herbaceous annual is native to Europe, western Asia, and North Africa, and a member of the violet family, Violaceae. The plant grows up to…
Plants of Pompeii: Madonna Lily (Lilium candida)
This herbaceous perennial bulb is native to the Balkans and Middle East and has been cultivated for at least 3,000 years dating back to the Bronze age Minoans on the…
Plant Profile: Downy Oak (Quercus pubescens)
Native to dry, lime-rich soils of southern Europe, parts of central Europe, and southwest Asia, this deciduous tree thrives in submediterranean climates where summers are dry and hot and the…
Common Diseases of Cucumber and Their Control: Angular Leaf Spot ( Pseudomonas syringae pv. lachrymans)
Angular leaf spot is a bacterial disease affecting cucumber and other cucurbits, including squash, pumpkin, and melon. The infection begins with small, angular, brown to straw-colored water soaked spots on…
Plant Profile: Corn Poppy (Papaver rhœas)
Also known as common poppy and Flanders poppy, this annual wildflower is native from Africa to temperate and tropical Asia and Europe. It is a member of the poppy family,…
Old Time Recipes for Home Made Wine: Elderberry Wine
Wine can be made from both the flowers and berries of various elder plants including American elder (Sambucus canadensis) and European elder (S. nigra). In her book, Old Time Recipes…
Plant Profile: Indian Tobacco (Lobelia inflata)
Also known as puke weed, this herbaceous annual or biennial is native to eastern North America from southeastern Canada, south to Alabama and west to Kansas, where it grows in…
Book Review: Fairy Gardening
Fairy Gardening, by Julie Bawden-Davis and Beverly Turner offers an exciting adventure into the world of fairy gardens. With abundant photographs, the authors provide a guide to creating these miniature…
Plant Profile: Moonseed (Menispermum canadense)
Also known as yellow parilla, this twining woody perennial vine is native to thickets, moist woods, and stream banks of eastern North America, from southern Canada to northern Florida, and…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Garlic (Allium sativum)
Native to central Asia and northeastern Iran, garlic is a herbaceous perennial and a member of the amaryllis family, Amaryllidaceae, that also includes onion, leek, and shallot. It was cultivated…