Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Pigeon Bean (Vicia faba var. minor
Karen Pigeon bean is a cool weather perennial grown as an annual and member of the pea family, Fabaceae, that also includes lupines, mimosa, and black locust. Is is one of…
Plant Profile: Madagascar Periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus aka Vinca rosea)
This tender perennial, usually grown as an annual, is native to Madagascar where it grows on sand and limestone soils in woodlands, forests, grasslands and disturbed areas. When grown in…
Poisonous Plants: Rough Cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium)
Also called clotbur, donkey bur, heartleaf, and woolgarie bur, this summer annual is a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes sunflower, yarrow, and lettuce. It’s native range…
Plant Profile: Hart’s Tongue Fern (Asplenium scolopendrium aka Phyllitis scolopendrium)
This perennial evergreen fern is a member of the spleenwort family, Aspleniaceae, that also includes maiden-hair fern, bird’s nest fern, and eared lady fern. It is native to central and…
Old Time Recipes for Home Made Wines: Red Gooseberry Wine
In her book, Old Time Recipes for Home Made Wines (published in 1909), my paternal grandmother, Helen S. Wright, included 8 recipes for gooseberry wine. Although Grandmother did not specify…
Plant Profile: Perez’ Sea Lavender (Limonium perezii)
Also known as marsh rosemary and sea foam, this herbaceous perennial is native to the coasts of the Canary Islands but is valued as a garden plant worldwide. It is…
Plant Profile: Five Spot (Nemophila maculata)
Also known as five-spot baby or buffalo eyes, this trailing annual is endemic to California where it grows primarily in meadows and woodlands of the Sierra foothills. It is a…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Fig (Ficus carica)
Native to the Middle East and Asia this deciduous shrub or small tree is a member of the mulberry family, Moraceae, that also includes banyan, breadfruit, and Osage-orange. The edible…
Plant Profile: Teddy Bear Cholla (Cylindropuntia bigelovii)
Native to hot desert areas of northwestern Mexico, California, Arizona, and Nevada, the teddy bear cholla is a shrub or small tree in the cactus family, Cactaceae, and closely related…
Plant Profile: Russian Stonecrop (Sedum kamtschaticum)
Also known as orange stonecrop, this sprawling herbaceous perennial is native to northern China and along the Pacific coast of Siberia including the Kamchatka Peninsula. It is a member of…