Plants of the Bible: Apple (Malus domestica aka M. pumila)
Karen The domestic apple is a deciduous tree native to central Asia and has been grown for thousands of years in Asia and Europe. The trees grow 6-15′ tall in cultivation…
Edible Mushrooms: Common Puffball (Lycoperdon perlatum)
Also called devil’s snuff box and gem studded puffball, this fungus is found in groups growing in woods on buried leaf litter and decaying in especially in the fall. It…
Plant Profile: Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)
Japanese honeysuckle is a deciduous to semi-evergreen perennial vine and a member of the honeysuckle family, Caprifoliaceae, that also includes snowberry, weigelia, and abelia. It is native to eastern Asia…
Gardens in Art: Medieval Garden in Songe du Vergier
A miniature from a 15th century French illuminated manuscript shows six people in a garden. The manuscript, Songe du Vergier, is a treatise on the rules of succession to the…
Plant Profile: Persian Ivy (Hedera colchia)
Native to the cloud forests, stream valleys and mountains of the Near and Middle East, this evergreen climbing shrub is a member of ginseng familia, Araliaceae, that also includes Fatsia…
Plants of the Bible: Mustard (Brassica nigra)
Native to areas of northern Africa, Europe, and Asia, this winter annual grows 4-8′ tall and has a dull gray branchless stem and 10″ long stalked leaves that are obovate…
Shakespeares Garden: Harebell
The harebell of Shakespeare has been identified as the wild hyacinth, Hyacinthoides non-scripta (syn. Scilla nutans), called English bluebell in modern times. It is a perennial spring blooming bulb native…
Plant Profile: Armand Clematis (Clematis armandii)
Native to central and southern China to northern Myanmar this fast growing evergreen vine is a member of the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, that also includes columbine, monkshood, and hellebore. The…
The Language of Flowers: Aspen (Populus tremula)
Aspen is a deciduous tree and belongs to the willow family, Salicaceae, that also includes poplars and cottonwoods. Populus tremula is native Europe and Asia and should not be confused…
Plant Profile: Purple Wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei ‘Coloratus’)
Native to China, Korea, and Japan, Euonymus fortunei is a woody evergreen or semi-evergreen member of the bitterseet family, Celastraceae, that also includes crucifiction thorn. The species can be grown…