Invasive Plants and Their Native Alternatives : Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii)
Karen Japanese barberry is a thorny, deciduous shrub growing 3-6’ tall with obvate green leaves that are up to 1 ¼” long and turn yellow to red in the fall. Pendent…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Pinks
Pinks are in the genus Dianthus that is a member of the Caryophyllaceae, and includes carnations (Dianthus caryophyllus) and sweet william (Dianthus barbatus). Many different species of Dianthus are called…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Pansy
Shakespeare’s pansy is the wild pansy (Viola tricolor) that we call Johnny jump up, not the large flowered hybrid that we know by that name. Also known as love-in-idleness, ,…
Invasive Plants and Their Native Alternatives: Dames Rocket (Hesperis matronalis)
Dames rocket is a biennial or short-lived perennial known by a variety of names including dame’s violet, mother of the evening, and sweet rocket. It was introduced from Eurasia into…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Pignut ( Conopodium denudatum aka Bunium flexusosum)
Pignut ( Conopodium denudatum), also called earthnut, is an herbaceous perennial in the carrot family, Apiaceae, that includes parsley, dill, and Queen Anne’s lace. It is a common weed in…
Invasive Plants and Their Native Alternatives: Tasmanian Blue Gum (Eucalyptus globulus)
A native of Australia, Tasmanian blue gum has naturalized in coastal grasslands and shrublands, riparian areas and moist slopes of California. It was introduced there in the mid 1800s partially…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus)
Bilberry , also called common bilberry or blue whortleberry, is a deciduous shrub with many branches. It is native to Europe including England, northern Asia, Greenland, Western Canada, and the…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Samphire
The samphire mentioned by Shakespeare is probably rock samphire, Crithmum maritimum, a coastal species which grows on the southern and western coasts of Great Britain and Ireland, as well as…
Invasive Plants and Their Native Alternatives: Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota)
Also called wild carrot, bird’s nest, and bishop’s lace, this herbaceous biennial is a member of the parsley family, Apiaceae, that also includes celery, dill, and poison hemlock. It is…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Carnation
Shakespeare’s carnation, also called gillyflower and clove pink, was probably the herbaceous perennial Dianthus caryophyllus. The genus Dianthus is in the family Caryophyllaceae and has over 300 species including pinks…