Plants of the Bible: Bulrush (Cyperus papyrus)
Karen Also known as paper reed and Nile grass, this tender aquatic herbaceous perennial is native to lakes, rivers and swamps of northern Africa, and was cultivated in the Nile Delta…
Old Time Recipes for Home Made Wines: Cowslip Wine
Cowslip (Primula veris) is a herbaceous perennial native to most of temperate Europe and western Asia. The spring blooming plant produces cluster of deep yellow flowers that are valued for…
Plant Profile: Chicken Gizzard Plant (Iresine herbstii)
Native to Central and northern South America, this short-lived tender perennial is also known as beefsteak plant, blood leaf and Joseph’s coat. It is a member of the Amaranth family,…
Plants for a Plant Zoo: Tiger Lily (Lilium lancifolium aka L. tigrinum)
This vigorous, easy to grow, perennial lily from Asia captures the eye with its large tumpet-shaped flowers produced in profusion in mid summer. The 5″ wide flowers are orange with…
Plant Profile: Flowering Ash (Fraxinus ornus)
Native to southern Europe and Asia Minor, this deciduous tree is also called manna ash and is a member of the olive family, Oleaceae, that also includes privet, forsythia, and…
Plants of the Bible: Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum)
Also known as Greek hay, fenugreek is a herbaceous annual native to the Mediterranean and Middle East. It is a member of the legume family, Fabaceae, that also includes beans,…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Crabapple
Crabapple is the name given to several deciduous trees in the species Malus, a member of the rose family, Rosaceae, that also includes cherry, lady’s mantle, and firethorn. The plants…
Plant Profile: Toad Flax (Linaria vulgaris)
Also called butter-and-eggs, and wild snapdragon, this herbaceous perennial is a member of the plantain family, Plantaginaceae, that also includes snapdragon, foxglove, and turtlehead. It is native to Europe and…
Plants for a Plant Zoo: Panda Face Ginger (Asarum maximum)
There are few flowers in the garden that are as cute as the black and white blooms of panda face ginger. They peak through the foliage at ground level and…
Plants of the Bible: Giant Reed (Arundo donax)
Also known as Persian reed and bulrush this warm season, clump-forming, perennial grass is native to the Greater Middle East and common in Palestine, Syria, and the Sinai peninsula, forming…