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…
Plant Profile: Toad Flax (Linaria vulgaris)
Also called butter-and-eggs, and wild snapdragon, this herbaceous perennial is a member of the plantain family, Plantaginaceae, that also includes snapdragon, foxglove, and turtlehead. It is native to Europe and…
Plants for a Plant Zoo: Panda Face Ginger (Asarum maximum)
There are few flowers in the garden that are as cute as the black and white blooms of panda face ginger. They peak through the foliage at ground level and…
Plants of the Bible: Giant Reed (Arundo donax)
Also known as Persian reed and bulrush this warm season, clump-forming, perennial grass is native to the Greater Middle East and common in Palestine, Syria, and the Sinai peninsula, forming…
Plants of the Bible: Bitter Apple (Solanum incanum)
Known by many common names including thorn apple, bitter tomato, apple of Sodom, and bitterball, this tropical perennial is native to Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, eastwards to India…
Plants of Colonial Williamsburg: Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)
Parsley is a biennial and a member of the carrot family, Apiaceae, that also includes celery, dill, and Queen Anne’s lace. It is native to the Mediterranean area from Spain…
Plant Profile: Snail Vine ( Cochliasanthus caracalla aka Vigna caracalla)
Native to southern Mexico, Central America and tropical South America this tender perennial, twining vine is also known as corkscrew vine, snail creeper, snailflower and snail bean. It is a…
Plant Profile: Sage-leaved Rockrose (Cistus salviifolius)
Also known as salvia cistus and Gallipoli rose, this bushy evergreen shrub is native to the Mediterranean region, including southern Europe, parts of Western Asia and North Africa. It is…
Plant Profile: Horse Bean (Vicia faba var. equina)
Horse bean is a cool weather annual and a member of the pea family, Fabaceae, that also includes lupines, mimosa, and black locust. It is native to the eastern Mediterranean…
Herbs for a Medieval Physics Garden: German Iris (Iris germanica)
Also known as bearded iris and common flag, this herbaceous perennial is native to the eastern Mediterranean and may be a natural hybrid between Iris pallida and Iris variegata. It…