Book Review: What is Climate Change?
Karen Gail Herman’s book, What is Climate Change?, provides a basic introduction to the subject for young readers 8-12 years old. Beginning with a brief introduction to climate change and the…
Plant Profile: Golden Alexander (Zizia aurea)
Golden Alexander is a short lived herbaceous perennial and a member of the carrot family, Apiaceae, that also includes parsley, celery, and poison hemlock. It is a native native to…
Invasive Plants and Their Native Alternatives: Chinese Lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata)
Also called Chinese bush clover, this semi-woody perennial is native to China, Korea, Japan, Formosa, and the Himalayas but was introduced into North Carolina from Japan in 1896 and was…
Plant Profile: Common Water Hyacinth (Eichornia crassipes)
Common water hyacinth is a floating perennial and a member of he pickerelweed family, Pontederiaceae, a small family of 34 species of tropical and subtropical aquatic plants. It is native…
Plant Profile: Purple Dragon Head (Physostegia parviflora)
This herbaceous perennial is also called western false dragon head is a member of the deadnettle family, Lamiaceae, that also includes basil, monarda and ajuga. It is native to Manitoba…
Plant Profile: Scouler’s Corydalis (Corydalis scouleri)
Scouler’s corydalis is a herbaceous perennial and a member of the fumatory family, Fumariaceae, that also includes bleeding heart and Dutchman’s breeches. It is native to western North America where…
Book Review: Beginning Seed Saving for the Home Gardener
Jim Ulager’s book, Beginning Seed Saving for the Home Gardener, presents the author’s experience with seed saving and provides gardeners with the basic information to do the same. He presents…
Plant Profile: Mountain Hollyhock (Iliamna rivularis)
Also called streambank wild hollyhock mountain globemallow, this herbaceous perennial is in the mallow family, Malvaceae, that also includes okra, cotton, and hibiscus. It is native to western North America…
Plant Profile: Rosa ‘Elina’
Carried singly on long stems, the flowers of ‘Elina’ are almost 6″ across and have reflexed, petals. In cool climates the flowers are lemon yellow fading to cream at the…
Plant Profile: California Globe Mallow (Iliamna latibracteata)
Also known as California wild hollyhock, this rare herbaceous perennial is a member of the mallow family, Malvaceae, that also includes okra, cotton, and hibiscus. It is endemic to the…