Book Review: From Plant to Plate
Karen Meyers In their book, From Food to Plate, Darryl Gadzekpo and Ella Phillips share their knowledge of cooking, gardening and plant-powered food in a comprehensive guide to growing your own produce…
Plant Profile: Coral Aloe (Aloe striata aka A. hanburiana)
Karen This evergreen succulent perennial is native to the rocky slopes of coastal and karoo areas of South Africa and belongs to the Asphodelaceae family that also includes daylily (Hemerocallis), red…
Plant Profile: Warley Rose Stonecress (Aethionema x warleyense)
This evergreen subshrub is probably a cross of A. armenum and A. grandiflorum. It is a member of the mustard family, Brassicaceae, that also includes broccoli, cabbage, and asylum. Plants…
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…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Blue Passionflower (Passiflora caeruleae)
Also known as bluecrown passionflower and common passion flower, this vigorous vine is native to South America from Bolivia to Brazil and northern Argentina. It is a member of the…
Plant Profile: Indian Hawthorn (Raphiolepis indica)
Also known as Hong Kong hawthorn, this dense evergreen shrub is native to south China to Indo-China and temperate eastern Asia including Japan, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. It is…
Plant Profile: Indian Abelia (Abelia triflora aka Zabelia triflora aka Linnaea triflora)
Also called Himalayan abelia, this evergreen to deciduous shrub is a member of the honeysuckle family, Caprifoliaceae, that also includes weigela, pincushion flower and teasel. It is native to eastern…
Plant Profile: Widow’s Iris (Iris tuberosa aka Hermodactylus tuberosus)
Also called snake’s-head, black iris, and velvet flower-de-luce, this herbaceous perennial is native to the Mediterranean region and a member of the iris family, Iridaceae, that also includes crocus, gladiolus,…
Drought Tolerant Plants: Annuals and Perennials with Blue, Lavender and Purple Flowers
Water is essential for plant growth but plants vary greatly in their need for it. Since the amount of water on earth is finite but the demand is not, we…
Plant Profile: Winter Flowering Clematis (Clematis cirrhosa)
Native to scrubby woodlands of the Mediterranean area, this delicate evergreen to semi evergreen woody vine is a member of the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, that also includes delphinium, columbine, and…