Plant Profile: Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans aka Rhus radicans)
Karen Poison ivy is a woody perennial shrub or climbing vine native to eastern, and mid-western United States where it grows well in shaded areas and is especially common along the…
Plant Profile: Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)
Also called rum cherry, and mountain black cherry, this deciduous tree is native to eastern North America, Pacific Northwest, Mexico, and Central America. It is a member of the rose…
Plant Profile: Red Elderberry (Sambucus racemosa)
Native to moist habitats of Canada, the US, Europe and northern temperate Asia, this deciduous tree-like shrub is a member of the moschatel family, Adoxaceae, that also includes viburnum. The…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum)
This herbaceous biennial is native to damp grassland and woodland areas in Eurasia and North Africa and is a member of the honey suckle family, Caprifoliaceae, that also includes weigela,…
Plant Profile: European Privet (Ligustrum vulgare)
Also called common privet, this semi-evergreen or deciduous shrub is native to central and southern Europe, north Africa, and southwestern Asia. It is a member of the olive family, Oleaceae,…
Plant Profile: Stinging Lupine (Lupinus hirsutissimus)
Native to dry rocky slopes of the coastal mountains of California and Baja California, this herbaceous annual is a member of the legume family, Fabaceae, that also includes beans, mimosa,…
Plant Profile: Sky Lupine (Lupinus nanus)
Also known as field lupine, dwarf lupine, ocean-blue lupine and Douglas’ annual lupine, this native of western US grows on slopes and open or disturbed areas of California, Nevada, and…
Plant Profile: Hollyleaf Cherry (Prunus ilicifolia)
This evergreen shrub or small tree is native to the desert chaparral areas of the Mohave desert, coastal California, Baja California and Baja California Sur and is a member of…
Plant Profile: Chaparral Currant (Ribes malvaceum)
Endemic to California and Baja California where it grows in chaparral, foothill oak woodlands, and closed-cone pine forests, this deciduous shrub is a member of the gooseberry family, Grossulariaceae, that…
Plant Profile: Lanceleaf Liveforever (Dudleya lanceolata)
Native to the mountains of southern California and Baja California, where it is found in rocky areas and slopes, this evergreen perennial succulent is a member of the stonecrop family,…