Plant Profile: Purple Leaf Sand Cherry ( Prunus x cistena)
Karen Purple leaf sand cherry is a deciduous medium sized shrub or small tree and a member of the rose family, Rosaceae, that also includes almond, pyracantha, and ladies mantle. It…
Book Review: The Gardener’s Guide to Common-Sense Pest Control
The Gardener’s Guide to Common-Sense Pest Control explains the concepts and techniques of an environmentally sensitive approach to pest management that uses information on pest life cycles and their interaction…
Plants That Attract Beneficial Insects: False Aster (Boltonia asteroids)
False aster is a herbaceous perennial native to the Great Plains where it inhabits wetlands. It is a member of the aster family (Asteraceae) and the flower heads resemble those…
Plant Profile: Woollyhead (Craspedia uniflora)
Native to New Zealand and Australia, this herbaceous perennial is a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes daisy, sunflower, and lettuce. It has simple, opposite green leaves…
Genus Asarum (Wild Ginger) for the Garden
Asarum is a genus in the pipevine family, Aristolochiaceae, and includes about sixty species including several that are considered garden worthy plants. It acquired the common name, wild ginger, because…
Plant Profile: Trailing Abutilon (Abutilon megapotamicum)
Trailing abutilon is a deciduous or partially evergreen shrub native to Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay where it grows in dry mountain valleys. It is a member of the mallow family,…
Book Review: The Little Tree That Would Not Share
Nicoletta Costa’s book, The Little Tree That Would Not Share, tells the story of young tree living in a city that takes great delight in his new leaves as they…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Pansy
Shakespeare’s pansy is the wild pansy (Viola tricolor) that we call Johnny jump up, not the large flowered hybrid that we know by that name. Also known as love-in-idleness, ,…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Pinks
Pinks are in the genus Dianthus that is a member of the Caryophyllaceae, and includes carnations (Dianthus caryophyllus) and sweet william (Dianthus barbatus). Many different species of Dianthus are called…
Plant Profile: Barley (Hordeum vulgare)
This cereal grain is a member of the grass family, Poaceae, that also includes rice, corn, and bamboo. Early evidence for barley indicates that it has been grown in Eurasia…