Shakespeare’s Garden: Crabapple
Karen 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…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Rhubarb
Rubarb (Rheum spp) is a genus of about 60 species and in the buckwheat family, Polygonaceae, that includes sorrel, sea grape, and the pesky Japanese knotweed. Rheum species have large…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Rice
The rice mentioned by Shakespeare is probably Asian rice, Oryza sativa, a member of the true grass family, Poaceae. It has a jointed stem that can grow two to ten…
Shakespeares Garden: Harebell
The harebell of Shakespeare has been identified as the wild hyacinth, Hyacinthoides non-scripta (syn. Scilla nutans), called English bluebell in modern times. It is a perennial spring blooming bulb native…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Bachelor’s Button
The plant known as bachelor’s button today is Centaurea cyanus, an annual native to Europe. It is in the aster family, Asteraceae that also includes daisies, sunflowers, and lettuce. Intense…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Lavender
Lavender belongs to the genus Lavendula that belongs to the mint family Lamiaceae and has thirty nine species. It is native to the Old World including the Canary Islands, southern…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Anemone
Anemone is a genus of about one-hundred-twenty and belongs to the buttercup, or Ranunculus family. The flower described by Shakespeare in Venus and Adonis may be the Grecian windflower, Anemone…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Strawberry
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…
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,…
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…