Plants That Attract Beneficial Insects: Laceflower (Ammi majus)
Karen Also called false Queen Anne’s lace, bishop’s flower, and bullwort, this annual is native to parts of Europe and the Middle East. It is a member of the carrot family…
Plant Profile: Purple Disc Sunflower (Helianthus atrorubens)
This herbaceous perennial, also known as Appalachian sunflower and hair wood sunflower, is native to southeastern US where it grows in woodlands and disturbed areas such as meadow, fields and…
Genus Columbines (Aquilegia) for the Garden
Aquilegia is a genus of herbaceous perennials in the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, that also includes monkshood, anemone, and delphinium. It is native to many areas of the Northern Hemisphere including…
Plant Profile: Shrubby Deer Vetch (Lotus rigidus)
Also known as wiry lotus, broom bird’s-foot trefoil, and desert rockpea, this twiggy perennial is a subshrub native to southwestern US and Mexico from Utah and California, south to northwestern…
Book Review: Singing Crickets
In her book Singing Crickets, author Linda Glaser introduces readers to the life cycle of field crickets. She begins when Papa cricket rubs his musical wings to attract Mama cricket…
Plant Profile: Red Calico Plant (Alternanthera bettzickiana,)
Red calico plant is an evergreen tender perennial and a member of the amaranth family, Amaranthaceae, that also includes beets, spinach, celosia, and gomphrena. It is native to Brazil but…
Invasive Plants and Their Native Alternatives: Carrotwood (Cupaniopsis anacardioides)
Carrotwood, also known as tuckeroo and beach tamarind, is a slender evergreen tree native to coastal areas and wetlands of Australia, Indonesia, and New Guinea. It is commonly used as…
Plant Profile: Beefsteak Plant (Acalypha godseffiana)
Beefsteak plant is a clump-forming broadleaf evergreen shrub native to Polynesia and is a member of the spurge family, Euphorbaceae, that also includes poinsettia, croton, and caster oil plant. It…
Plant Profile: Trailing Snapdragon (Asarina procumbens)
Native to the Spain and Portugal, this procumbent perennial, often grown as an annual, is a member of the plantain family, Plantaginaceae, that also includes turtlehead, foxglove, and Veronica. It…
Old Time Recipes for Home Made Wines: Malt Wine, or English Sherry
My paternal grandmother, Helen S. Wright included in her book Old Time Recipes for Home Made Wines, a recipe for something she called “malt wine, or English sherry”. The name…