Old Time Recipes for Home Made Wine: Root Beer
Karen The root beer made famous by the A&W Restaurants, is a non-alcholic, caffeine free, sweet, carbonated soft drink made using the root bark of the sassafras tree . A similar…
Plant Profile: Purple Sage (Salvia leucophylla)
Also known as San Luis purple sage and gray sage, this semi-deciduous shrub is native to coastal Southern California and Baja California where it grows on dry open hillsides. It…
Book Review: Trees in Trouble: Wildfires, Infestations, and Climate Change
Karen Meyers Author and natural historian, Daniel Mathews, draws attention to the alarming plight of the conifer forests of the dry American West, from British Columbia to New Mexico. He discusses the…
Garden Tools: Basic Garden Trowel
The basic garden trowel has a handle with a scoop-shaped blade that is wider near the handle and pointed at the far end. The point may be sharp or not…
Plant Profile: Golden Yarrow (Eriophyllum confertiflorum)
Native to California and Baja California, this variable annual, perennial or subshrub, is a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes sunflower, daisy and lettuce. It usually grows…
Plants for a Plant Zoo: Teddy Bear Cholla (Cylindropuntia bigelovii)
With their soft fuzzy appearance and resemblance to teddy-bear’s arms these shrubs or small trees have a strong visual appeal that belies their danger to passers-by. They grow up to…
Plant Profile: California Bush Sunflower (Encelia californica)
Also called California brittlebush, this shrub is native to coastal southern California and Baja California, and is a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes daisy, yarrow and…
Book Review: How to Garden Indoors & Grow Your Own Food Year Round
Author, Kim Roman, presents a comprehensive guide to growing edible plants indoors in this easy to understand, well-organized book. Limited space and resources do not have to prevent most people…
Poisonous Plants: Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)
Also known as Canada puccoon, bloodwort, redroot, red puccoon, Indian paint, and black paste, bloodroot is a member of the poppy family, Papaveraceae, that also includes bleeding heart, greater celandine,…
Plant Profile: Cardinal Catchfly (Silene laciniata)
Also known as fringed Indian pink and Mexican campion, this herbaceous perennial is native to northern Mexico and southwestern US from California to Texas and is a member of the…