Plant Profile: Egyptian Balsam (Balanites aegyptiaca)
Karen Egyptian balsam is a shrub or small tree native to much of Africa and parts of the the Middle East where it grows in arid and sub-arid tropics and subtropics…
Plants of the Bible: Olive (Olea europaea)
Grown for thousands of years in the Mediterranean region, the common olive is a small evergreen tree and a member of the Oleaceae family that also includes lilacs, jasmine, and…
Weeds and Their Control: Pineapple Weed (Matricaria matricarioides aka Matricaria discoidea)
Also known as disc mayweed, pineapple weed is an annual herb and member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes chamomile, daisies, and lettuce. It is native to northeast…
Plant Profile: Mediterranean Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens)
Native to the eastern Mediterranean region including parts of North Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, this evergreen coniferous tree is also known as Italian cypress, Tuscan cypress, Persian cypress,…
Plants for a Plant Zoo: Gooseneck Loosestrife (Lysimachia clethroides)
As the gooseneck-shaped spikes of tiny white flowers emerge in late spring and fill the garden bed, the playful, rambuctious, whimsical behavior of the plant bursts forth. Like a naughty…
Plant Profile: Eaglewood (Aquilaria agallocha aka Aquilaria malaccensis)
Also known as agarwood, this large evergreen tree is native to Northeast India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and parts of Southeast where it grows as an undercanopy tree mainly in the plains…
Plants of the Bible: White Sandalwood (Santalum album)
Also called Indian sandalwood, this semi-parsitic deciduous tree is native to southern India and Southeast Asia where it grows mostly in dry deciduous and scrub forests but can also be…
Genus Erysium (Wallflowers) for the Garden
Often called wallflower or blister-cress, Erysimum is a genus of about 150 species in the mustard family, Brassicaceae, that also includes cabbage, alyssum, and stock. The plants may be annuals,…
Plant Profile: Flowering Rush (Butomus umbellatus)
Also called grass rush, this aquatic perennial is native to in Eurasia and Africa where it grows in the margins of still and slowly moving water . It is a…
Plants for a Plant Zoo: Goat’s Beard (Aruncus dioicus)
With its feathery plumes of tiny cream colored flowers moving gracefully over dark green leaves this shrub-like herbaceous perennial makes a beautiful presence in a woodland setting, beside a stream…