Plant Profile: Mousehole Tree (Myoporum laetum)
Karen Mousehole tree is a evergreen shrub or small tree endemic to coastal areas and lowland forests of New Zealand but was introduced into the US as an ornamental and is…
Plant Profile: Beach Naupaka (Scaevola sericea var. taccada)
Also known as beach cabbage and sea lettuce, beach naupaka is a dense, spreading evergreen shrub growing 3-10’ tall and native to beaches and tropical coastal habitats such as salt…
Plant Profile: Cranberry Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster apiculatus)
Native to the mountains of southwestern China, this deciduous to evergreen shrub grows 2-3’ tall with a spread of 3-6’. It is a member of the rose family, Roaseae, that…
Plant Profile: Western Columbine (Aquilegia formosa)
Also called crimson columbine, this herbaceous perennial is a native of western North America from the West Coast to the Rocky Mountains where it grows especially well in moist rocky…
Plant Profile: Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii)
Japanese barberry is a thorny, deciduous shrub growing 3-6’ tall and a member of the barberry family, Berberidaceae, that also includes heavenly bamboo (Nandina), Oregon grape (Mahonia), and barronwort (Epimedium).…
Plant Profile: Rose Bride’s Dream
Long, pointed pale pink buds are held singly on strong long stems and open slowly to large flowers up to 5” across with 25-30 light pink petals that mature to…
Plant Profile: Jetbead (Rhodotypos scandens)
Jetbead is a mounding deciduous shrub growing 3-6’ tall and is native to Japan and central China. It was introduced into the US in 1866 as an ornamental and has…
Plant Profile: Aquilegia glandulosa
Siberian columbine is a herbaceous perennial native to central Asia and Siberia. It is a member of the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, that also includes delphinium, anemone, and monkshood. The compact…
Book Review: Wildlife Friendly Vegetable Gardener
Loosing prized vegetables and fruits to a variety of wildlife can make gardening very frustrating and discouraging. Tammi Hartung’s book, The Wildlife-Friendly Gardener, presents an approach to gardening that emphasizes…
Plant Profile: Rose ‘Lavaglut’
The dark red flowers are open, flat, and full of petals with golden stamens visible in the center. Although small in size, the flowers are usually produced in large clusters…