Wildflowers: Iris Native to the Mid-Atlantic States
Karen Meyers Iris is a genus of 310 species and is in the plant family Iridaceae that also included gladiolus, crocus and freesia. The plants are all perennial and grow from rhizomes…
Plant Profile: Diascia fetcaniensis
Karen This sprawling, semi-evergreen perennial is native to South Africa and is a member of the figwort family, Scrophylariaceae, that also includes butterfly bush, mullein, and nemesia. It grows up 10-…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Cranesbill (Geranium maculata) Our Lady’s Pins
Early European settlers learned about the medicinal use of G. maculata from the indigenous people of North America where the plant was native and they incorporated it into their own…
Plant Profile: Mormon Tea (Ephedra viridis)
Also known as Indian tea and green ephedra, this evergreen coniferous shrub is native to western US from the Arizona deserts to California, east of the Sierra Nevada, San Joaquin…
Book Review: Meat-Eating Plants
Mari Schuh’s book, Meat-Eating Plants, introduces young readers to 6 plants that obtain their food from insects or small animals. Written for children 6-9 years old in grades 2-3, the…
Wildflowers: Iris Native to the Pacific Coast
Iris is a genus of 310 species and is in the plant family Iridaceae that also included gladiolus, crocus and freesia. The plants are all perennial and grow from rhizomes…
Plant Profile: Tall Anemone (Anemone virginiana)
This rhizomatous herbaceous perennial is also known as timbleweed (along with several other plants) and is a member of the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, that also includes delphinium, clematis, and hellebore.…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Common Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)
Hawthorn has a long history in folklore, religion and herbal medicine. In ancient times it was associated with fertility and used as a charm to ward off witchcraft and vampires…
Plant Profile: Spiny Bear’s-Breeches (Acanthus spinosus)
This clump-forming evergreen herbaceous perennial is native to woodlands and scrub of southern Europe from Italy to western Turkey. It is a member of the Acanthaceae family that also includes…
Book Review: Container Gardening The Permaculture Way
Author, Valery Tsimba, shares her experience with permaculture vegetable gardening on her 2′ x 22′ balcony in Paris, France. She shows that gardening in an eco-friendly way can result in…