Plant Profile: Bottle Gentian (Gentiana andrewsii)
Karen For a flower with an unusual shape, try bottle gentian. The common name gives you an idea of what to expect. Yes, the flowers look like little bottles or large…
Plant Profile: Meadow Anemone (Anemone canadensis aka A. pennsylvanica)
A North American native of moist meadows, streams banks, and open woods, this herbaceous perennial is a member of the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, that also includes delphinium, clematis, and hellebore.…
Plant Profile: ‘Toffee Chip’ Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans)
The variegated foliage of Ajuga reptans seems to show endless variations and ‘Toffee Chip’ is another excellent one. The leaves have gold to cream margins and centers of brown and…
Plant Profile: Yellow Flag Iris (Iris pseudacornus)
Also called water flag, this herbaceous perennial is a beardless rhizomatous iris native to the wetlands of Europe, western Asia and northwest Africa. It is a member of the iris…
Plant Profile: Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)
Also known as Canada puccoon, bloodwort, redroot, red puccoon, Indian paint, and black paste bloodroot is a member of the poppy family, Papaveraceae, that also includes bleeding heart and corydalis.…
Plant Profile: Barren Strawberry (Waldsteinia fragarioides)
Native to the Northeast and prairies, Barren Strawberry is an ideal groundcover for a woodland garden and even does well in dry conditions. The basal glossy evergreen leaves look very…
Plant Profile: Yellow Gentian (Gentiana lutea)
Yellow gentian, also called Bitterroot, has been around a long time. It was named for a 2nd century Illyrian king who is said to have used it to reduce fevers…
Plant Profile: California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica)
California poppy is one of the toughest, easiest to grow plants. It is native to the west coast from southern Washington to Baja California and east to Nevada, Arizona, and…
Plant Profile: Rain Lily (Zephyranthes atamasca)
The bright yellow stamens set off the snowy-white tepals of the flowers in early spring. The flowers seem to appear after a rain giving rise to the common name. The…
Plant Profile: Godetia/Farewell to Spring (Clarkia amoena)
A native of Chile and western North America from San Francisco to British Columbia, this annual was named for Captain Clark of the Lewis and Clark expedition fame. It thrives…