Plant Profile: Giraffe Thorn (Vachellia erioloba aka Acacia erioloba)
Karen Also known as camel thorn, this evergreen tree or shrub is native to the deep, dry sandy soils of southern Africa. It is a member of the pea family, Fabaceae,…
Plant Profile: Alligator Plant (Kalanchoe daigremontiana aka Bryophyllum daigremontianum)
Also known as mother of thousands, devil’s backbone, and Mexican hat plant, this short-lived, succulent perennial is native to Madagascar and a member of the stonecrop family, Crassulaceae, that also…
Plants of the Bible: Crocus cancellatus
This perennial corm is native from southern Turkey to southwest Syria but found on rocky hillsides and open woods from North Africa to Palestine and Armenia. It is a member…
Old Time Recipes for Home Made Wines: Raisin Wine in the Imitation of Frontignac
Frontignac is a grape of ancient Greek origin that produces a white wine that may be fragrant, strongly perfumed and deliver intense floral, perfume, rose water, and spice tastes and…
Plant Profile: Hog Peanut (Amphicarpaea bracteata)
Native to moist shady areas of eastern North America from New Brunswick to Florida, west to Texas north to North Dakota and Montana, this herbaceous, annual twining vine is a…
Plants for a Plant Zoo: Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana aka Cochlearia armoraci)
If you like the wild ponies of Assateague you will enjoy growing horseradish! It doesn’t know its place and insists on moving about expanding its territory year after year. The…
Plant Profile: Tiger Jaws (Faucaria tigrina)
Native to hot, dry areas of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, this clump-forming succulent perennial is a member of the fig-marigold family, Aizoaceae, that also includes ice plant,…
Plants of the Bible: Mountain Tulip (Tulipa montana)
Native to rocky and stony areas in the mountains of Iran and northern Iraq, mountain tulip is a bul-forming herbaceous perennial and a member of the lily family, Liliaceae, that…
Invasive Plants and Their Native Alternatives: Umbrella Tree (Schefflera actinophylla)
Also called octopus tree, Schefflera is an evergreen tree native to the rainforests in Australia, New Guinea, and Java where it grows up to 50’ tall. It was introduced into…
Plant Profile: Sheepbit (Jasione montana)
Native to thin, dry, sandy soils of central Europe, North Africa, and western Asia, this biennial or annual is a member of the bellflower family, Campanulaceae, that also includes balloon…