Book Review: The Edible Flower
Karen Meyers The Edible Flower, by Erin bunting and Jo Facer, offers and introduction to growing edible flowers and incorporating them into everyday cooking. They focus on flowers that add flavor as…
Weeds and Their Control: Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
Karen Purple loosestrife is a herbaceous perennial and member of the loosestrife family, Lythraceae, that also includes pomegranate and crepe myrtle, but is not related to other plants called loosestrife that…
Plant Profile: Corn Marigold (Chrysanthemum segetum aka Glebionis segetum)
Native to the eastern Mediterranean and western Africa, corn marigold is a rounded spreading annual and a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes sunflower, yarrow, and lettuce.…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Periwinkle (Vinca minor)
Also called myrtle and the Virgin flower this perennial evergreen vine is a member of the dogbane family, Apocynaceae, that also includes milkweed, oleander, and bluestar. It is native from…
Plant Profile: Hairy Sunflower (Helianthus hirsutus)
This herbaceous perennial is found from south-central Canada, through eastern and central US to northeastern Mexico where it grows in open forests, woodlands edges, prairies, grasslands, savannas, and disturbed sites…
Book Review: We Garden Together
Jane Hirschi and the educators at CitySprouts present directions for 20 activities to learn about nature in their book, We Garden Together. Guided by their mission to cultivate wonder and…
Weeds and their Control: Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra)
Smooth sumac is spreading deciduous shrub and a member of the cashew family, Anacardiaceae, that also includes smoke tree, mango, and poison ivy. It is native to northeastern US, occurs…
Plant Profile: Many Flowered Sunflower (Helianthus x multiflorus)
Many-flowered sunflower is a hybrid from a cross between the annual Helianthus annus and perennial Helianthus decapetalus. It is a perennial and member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Common Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata)
Also known as maypop, wild apricot, and wild passion vine this perennial deciduous flowering vine is native to Southeastern US where it grows near riverbanks and in thickets and disturbed…
Plant Profile: Edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum)
This clump forming herbaceous perennial is native to the rocky limestone soils of alpine areas in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, France and Italy. It is a member of the aster family,…