Plant Profile: Butterfly Mariposa (Calochortus venustus)
Karen This herbaceous perennial is endemic to California where it grows in sandy soils of grasslands and open wooded areas of the mountains and foothills. It is a member of the…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Garland Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum coronarium aka Glebionis coronaria)
Also known as crown daisy and edible chrysanthemum, this cool weather annual is native to the Mediterranean region and is a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes…
Plant Profile: Hairy Ceanothus (Ceanothus oliganthus)
Native to dry habitats on the coastal mountains of California and Baja California, this evergreen shrub is a member of the buckthorn family, Rhamnaceae, that also includes jujube tree and…
Book Review: Discovering Dahlias
Karen Meyers Erin Benzakein, author and farmer-florist, presents a guide for growing and arranging dahlias, in her book, Discovering Dahlias. After introducing the great variety in dahlia size, form, and color, the…
Garden Tools: Weeder Trowel
Although called a weeder trowel, this garden tool has several features that make it especially good for several garden tasks. It has a narrow blade that is smooth on one…
Plant Profile: Spiny Redberry (Rhamnus crocea)
Also called hollyleaf buckthorn, this evergreen shrub is native to Baja California, California and Arizona, where it grows in dry washes and canyons in coastal sage scrub, chaparral, and various…
Plants for a Plant Zoo: Snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus)
Snapdragons are one of the best plants for a plant zoo because they are as interesting as they are beautiful. To seize the interest of your kids or grandkids take…
Plant Profile: Chaparral Mallow (Malacothamnus fasciculatus)
Also called Mendocino bushmallow, this evergreen shrub is native to Sonora, Mexico, northern Baja California, and California where it is associated with chaparral and sage scrub vegetation and is especially…
Book Review: Floriography: The Myths, Magic & Language of Flowers
For thousands of years people have used flowers to communicate and author Sally Coulthard’s book, Floriography, delves into the ways different cultures and societies have used flowers to convey meaning…
Plant Profile: Chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum)
Also known as greasewood, this evergreen spreading or prostrate shrub is native to California and Baja California and is the most abundant species in the California chaparral. It is a…