Plant Profile: Cowbane (Oxypolis rigidior)
Karen Also called pig-potato and stiff cowbane, this herbaceous perennial is in the parsley family, Apiaceae, that also includes celery, Queen Anne’s lace, and poison hemlock. It is native to eastern…
The Language of Flowers: Michaelmas Daisy aka New York Aster (Aster novi-belgii aka Symphyotrichum novi-belgii )
Michaelmas daisy is a common name referring to at least two asters, one European (Aster mellus)and the other North American (Aster novibelgii). This entry refers to the latter but the…
Plant Profile: Brazilian Pepper Tree (Schinus terebinthifolius)
Also called Christmasberry tree and Florida holly, this evergreen shrub or small tree is a member of the cashew family, Anacardiaceae, that also includes poison ivy, sumac, and smoke tree.…
Book Review: Being the Challenge
Many people are concerned about global warming but how many people actually have changed their lives to improve the situation? Author Peter Kalmus, an atmospheric scientist from Columbia University, is…
Poisonous Plants: Carolina Jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens)
This rapidly growing, climbing or trailing woody vine is evergreen and a member of the logan family, Loganiaceae, a group made up of about thirteen genera many of which are…
Plant Profile: Cow Parsnip (Heracleum maximum)
Cow parsnip is a herbacious biennial and a member of the parsley family, Apiaceae, that also includes celery, carrot, and Queen Anne’s lace. It is native to most of North…
Genus Bulbine for the Garden
Bulbine is a genus of succulent shrubs, tender perennials, and annuals and a member of the Asphodelaceae family that also includes aloe, tritoma, and foxtail lily. It is native to…
Plant Profile: Crevice alumroot (Heuchera micrantha)
Also called small-flowered alumroot, this evergreen herbaceous perennial is a member of the saxifrage family, Saxifragaceae, that also includes astilbe, tiarella, and bergenia. It is native to western North America…
Book Review: Bong Appetit
Cooking with weed has come a long way from the brownies that that Mary Jane Rathbun created for AIDS patients in San Francisco in the 80s and 90s. Today, serious…
Weeds and Their Control: Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)
Also known as felon herb, mugwort is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial and a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes daisies, yarrow, and lettuce. It is native to…