Plant Profile: Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum)
Karen Alexanders is a biennial herb native to the Mediterranean region and known to the ancient Greeks. It grows wild in many parts of Europe and was introduced into England by…
Plant Profile: Squirting Cucumber (Ecballium elaterium)
Squirting cucumber is a half hardy perennial native to the Mediterranean, northern Africa and temperate areas of Asia where it grows in disturbed soil such as roadsides and waste areas.…
Plant Profile: Rose Souvenir de la Malmaison
Named for the summer house of Empress Josephine, this rose bears its flowers singly or in small clusters. Each flower has soft pink flowers that are creamy white at the…
Plant Profile: Dragon Arum (Dracunculus vulgaris)
Dragon arum goes by numerous name such as snake lily, voodoo lily, stink lily and black dragon. It is a tuberous herbaceous perennial, a member of the arum family (Araceae),…
Plant Profile: Tasmanian Tree Fern (Dicksonia antarctica)
This large evergreen tree fern is endemic to Australia where it grows in moist areas such as the creek beds and gullies of woodlands. It is the most common tree…
Plant Profile: Dianthus ‘Mrs. Sinkins’
Bred in Berkshire, England in 1883 by Mr. Sinkins, this old fashioned pink has evergreen foliage that is grass-like and silvery-green. The double white flowers with green centers appear in…
Plant Profile: Corncockle (Agrostemma githago)
Corncockle is an upright annual belonging to the carnation family, Caryophyllaceae, that also includes pinks, baby’s breath, and campion. It is native to Europe where it grows in disturbed sites…
Plant Profile: Peanut (Arachis hypogaea)
Peanuts are annuals and are hybrids developed and domesticated in Argentina. They are a member of the bean/pea family (Leguminosae/Fabaceaea) and like other plants in the family contain symbiotic bacteria…
Plant Profile: Snowy Mermaid (Libertia formosa)
Also called Chilean iris, this evergreen herbaceous perennial is a member of the Iris family (Iridaceae) and native to Chile. It was introduced into California where it has naturalized and…
Plant Profile: Himalayan Honeysuckle (Leycesteria formosa)
Also called Himalaya nutmeg, flowering nutmeg, and pheasant berry, this deciduous thicket-forming shrub is a member of the honeysuckle family (Caprifoliaceae) and native to woodlands in the Himalaya and southwestern…