Shakespeare’s Garden: Strawberry
Karen The strawberry of Shakespeare was probably the woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca), an herbaceous perennial and a member of the rose family (Roseaceae) that can be found in through out most…
Invasive Plants and Their Native Alternatives: Carrotwood (Cupaniopsis anacardioides)
Carrotwood, also known as tuckeroo and beach tamarind, is a slender evergreen tree native to coastal areas and wetlands of Australia, Indonesia, and New Guinea. It is commonly used as…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Apricot
The apricot, Prunus armeniaca, belongs to the rose family, Rosaceae, that includes almonds, peaches, plums, and cherries. It is a small deciduous tree, 26-29 feet tall, with a rounded crown,…
Invasive Plants and Their Native Alternatives: Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes)
Common water hyacinth is a floating perennial native to the Amazon River Basin where it grows it wet habitats but was introduced into the US in 1884 at the World’s…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Aloe
Aloes are succulents in the Asphodelaceae family that also includes daylily (Hemerocallis), red hot poker (Kniphofia), and foxtail lily (Eremurus) The genus includes over 500 species in that are native…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Thistle
Thistle refers to plants that have leaves with sharp prickles on the margins. Most of them are in the sunflower family, Asteraceae, and are native to Europe and Asia.. There…
Invasive Plants and Their Native Alternatives: Baby’s Breath (Gypsophila paniculata)
Baby’s breath is a herbaceous perennial native to central and eastern Europe and central and western Asia but naturalized in North America and is now considered invasive from new Brunswick…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Hyssop
Hyssop belongs to the genus Hyssopus in the mint family, Lamiaceae, that also includes basil, sage, and beebalm. Shakespeare’s hyssop has been identified as Hyssopus officinalis, a compact native Asia…
Invasive Plants and Their Native Alternatives: Oxeye Daisy (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum aka Leucanthemum vulgare)
Oxeye daisy is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial native to Europe and Asia but was introduced to North America and is now found throughout the US where it grows in lawns,…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Savory (Satureja spp)
There are two kinds of savory: summer savory (Satureja hortensis) an annual, and winter savory (Satureja montana), a woody perennial. They belong to the mint family ( Lamiaceae) and are…