Plants of the Bible: Tatarian orachea (Atriplex tatarica)
Karen Native to saline and alkaline deserts of central and southern Europe to western and eastern Asia, this annual shrub is a member of the Amaranthaceae family that also includes spinach,…
Old Time Recipes for Home Made Wines: Burgundy Champagne
The name Burgundy champagne is a absurdity as most wine drinkers know because champagne can only be made in the French region of Champagne. My paternal grandmother, Helen S. Wright,…
Plant Profile: Ferula galbaniflua aka F. glummosa
Native to the mountains of Iran and Turkmenistan, this herbaceous perennial is a member of the parsley family, Apiaceae, that also includes carrots, celery, and poison hemlock. Growing from a…
Plants for a Plant Zoo: Toad Flax (Linaria vulgaris)
Toad flax might not be the star of the show in any garden but it adds a lot of charm even growing in lean dry soil. True, it is a…
Plant Profile: Palestinian Tumbleweed (Anastatica hierochuntica)
Also known as rose of Jericho, Maryam’s flower, flower of St. Mary, St. Mary’s flower, Mary’s flower, and white mustard flower, this annual herb is native to the deserts of…
Plants of the Bible: Atriplex dimorphostegia
This annual shrub is a member of the Amaranthaceae family that also includes spinach, beet, and celosia. It is native to western Asia from Arabia to Afghanistan and Tibet where…
Butterflies for the Garden and How to Attract Them: Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele)
The great spangled fritillary inhabits moist meadows , pastures, prairies, and woodlands all over the US except Florida. The common name fritillary comes from the Latin word fritillus meaning chess…
Plant Profile: Christ’s Thorn (Paliurus spina-christi)
Also known as Jerusalem thorn, garland thorn, or crown of thorns, this deciduous shrub or small tree is native to the Mediterranean region and southwest and central Asia. It is…
Plants for a Plant Zoo: White Turtlehead (Chelone glabra)
Attract ruby-throated hummingbirds, bumblebees and Baltimore checkerspot butterflies by adding a clump of this perennial with its flowers that resemble the head of a turtle peering out of its shell.…
Plant Profile: Old World Plane Tree (Platanus orientalis)
Native to riparian sites of southeastern Europe to western Asia, this long-lived deciduous tree is also known as oriental plane and is a member of the small Platanaceae family that…