Plants for a Plant Zoo: Pigsqueak (Bergenia cordifolia aka B. crassifolia)
Karen Rub a leaf between your thumb and forefinger, hear the pig squeak and understand how the plants gets its funny name. The plant is worth growing for the beautiful shiny,…
Plant Profile: Red Acacia (Vachellia seyal aka Acacia seyal)
Also known as shittah tree, this evergreen tree is native to parts of northern Africa including Senegal, and Egypt where it grows in woodlands, wooded grassland, subtropical and tropical deserts,…
Plants in the Bible: Mediterranean Saltwort (Atriplex halimus)
Also known as sea orache, this halophitic evergreen shrub is native to coastal areas of the Mediterranean Basin, North and East African and the Arabian Peninsula, and is a member…
Trees for Watersides
A weeping willow tree planted beside a pond inspired Monet’s picture and still holds the attention of the thousands of tourists who visit Monet’s garden at Giverny. Water features can…
Plant Profile: Tumbling Saltbush (Atriplex rosea)
Also known as red orach, redscale, and tumbling orach this annual shrub is native to Eurasia but has been introduced to many areas including the US especially in the West.…
Plants for a Plant Zoo: Peacock Lily Gladiolus murielae)
The long slender stems topped with delicate white flowers punctuated with a purple spot belie the rugged origins of this relative of gladiolus. A native of eastern Africa, peacock lily…
Plant Profile: Desert Tamarix (Tamarix tetragyna)
Also known as 4-stamen tamarix and salt cedar, this evergreen tree is native to coastal areas of the eastern Mediterrea,n to Iran and the Arabian Peninsula, where it grows in…
Plants of the Bible: Egyptian Balsam (Balanites aegyptiaca)
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…
History of Vegetables: Cardoon (Cynara cardunculus)
If you have ever seen a cardoon it was probably a garden specimen planted because of the architectural quality it provides. The recorded history of the cardoon goes back to…
Plant Profile: Bear’s Paw (Cotyledon tomentosa subsp. tomentosa)
Native to the semi-desert Little Karoo region of South Africa, this succulent, evergreen. perennial shrub is a member of the stonecrop family, Crassulaceae, that also includes sedum, jade plant, and…