Plant Profile: Pistachio (Pistachia vera)
Karen Native to the Middle East this small deciduous tree is a member of cashew family, Anacardiaceae, that also includes mango, poison ivy, sumac, and smoke tree. With a spreading growth…
Invasive Plants and Their Native Alternatives : Weeping Willow (Salix babylonica aka Salix x sepulcralis)
Native to northern China, weeping willow is a deciduous tree valued for its beautiful form especially when sited on the edge of a pond or lake where its reflection adds…
Plant Profile: Twisted Acacia (Acacia raddiana aka Vachellia tortilis aka Acacia tortilis)
Also known as umbrella thorn and Israeli babool, this mediium to large tree is native to arid and semi-arid regions of Africa but grows also in the Middle East including…
Plants of the Bible: Corncockle (Agrostemma githago)
Corncockle is an upright annual native to Europe where it grows in disturbed sites such as fields and roadsides. It was considered a weed of wheat fields until the twentieth…
Plants of Colonial Williamsburg: Sweet Marjoram (Origanum majorana aka Majorana hortensis)
A native of North Africa and Southwest Asia, marjoram is a tender perennial and a member of the mint family, Labiatae, that also includes basil, rosemary and beebalm. Plants form…
Plant Profile: Snowdrop Bush (Styrax officinalis)
Native to southern Europe and the Middle East, this deciduous flowering shrub grows on dry rocky slopes, wood, margins and thickets and is a member of a small family, Styracaceae.…
Deciduous Shrubs with Colorful Autumn Foliage
We often associate fall color with trees but there are some outstanding deciduous shrubs that provide impressive displays of yellow, orange, red and purple foliage to the autumn scene. True,…
Plants of the Bible: Spikenard (Nardostachys jatamansi)
Also called nard, nardin and muskroot, this aromatic herbaceous perennial is native to the montane and subalpine zones of the Himalayas where it grows on steep, grassy slopes. Growing 4-20″…
Butterflies in the Garden and How to Attract Them: Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis)
The Question Mark butterfly is in the genus with the common name of angelwings characterized by wings with ragged borders. They can be found east of the Rockies from southern…
Plant Profile: Horehound (Marrubium vulgare)
Native to southern Europe, central and western Asia, and North Africa, this herbaceous perennial is a member of the mint family, Lamiaceae, that also includes basil, rosemary, and beebalm. Plants…