Edible Mushrooms: Slimy Spike-Cap (Glutinous gomphidius)
Karen Native to North America, slimy-spike cap can be found singly or scattered from summer through fall in conifers woods, especially under spruce, pine, and fir trees. It belongs to the…
Plant Profile: Long Bracted Wild Indigo (Baptisia bracteata)
Long bracted wild indigo is a long lived herbaceous perennial and a member of the pea family, Fabaceae, that also includes mimosa, lupine and black locust. It is native to…
Book Review: Umami Bomb
Believing that making veggies taste extra great would encourage more people to eat them, author Raquel Pelzel present 75 vegetarian recipes that use foods high in umami to boost flavor.…
Plants That Attract Beneficial Insects: Basket of Gold (Aurinia saxatilis aka Alyssum saxatilis)
A native of central and southeastern Europe, basket-of-gold is an evergreen perennial and a member of the cabbage family, Brassicaceae , that also includes broccoli, stock and candytuft. The bright…
Plant Profile: Yellow Wild Indigo (Baptisia sphaerocarpa)
Yellow wild indigo is a herbaceous perennial native to south-central US from Missouri south to Alabama, and west to Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas where it grows in prairies, meadows and…
Genus Eryngium (Sea Holly) for the Garden
Sea hollies are unique looking annuals, biennials, or perennial plants. The leaves are generally hairless, stiff, and spiny. The small green, white or blue flowers are usually carried in dense…
Plant Profile: Mexican Heather (Cuphea hyssopifolia)
Also known as false heather and elfin herb, this small evergreen sub-shrub is native to Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras. It is a member of the loosestrife family, Lythraceae, that also…
Book Review: Crepe Paper Flowers
Crepe paper flower are making a comeback and Lia Griffith’s book, Crepe Paper Flowers, and an excellent guide to making your own. Griffith introduces readers to the different kinds of…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Pignut ( Conopodium denudatum aka Bunium flexusosum)
Pignut ( Conopodium denudatum), also called earthnut, is an herbaceous perennial in the carrot family, Apiaceae, that includes parsley, dill, and Queen Anne’s lace. It is a common weed in…
Plant Profile: Largeflower Valerian (Valeriana pauciflora)
This herbaceous perennial is native to Eastern US from Pennsylvania west to Illinois and south to include Maryland, Tennessee and West Virginia, Kentucky and Alabama where it grows in moist…