Plant Profile: Fascicularia bicolor
Karen Fascicularia bicolor is an evergreen terrestial perennial and native of Chile where it grows in rocky ground on the southern coast. It a member of the bromeliad family (Bromalaceae) that…
Plant Profile: Treasure Flowers (Gazania x rigens) ‘Daybreak’ Series
Gazanias are tender perennials native to South Africa and members of the aster family (Compositae). They hybridize readily and one of the outstanding hybrids is the’ Daybreak’ series that is…
Plant Profile: Tasmanian Tree Fern (Dicksonia antarctica)
This large evergreen tree fern is endemic to Australia where it grows in moist areas such as the creek beds and gullies of woodlands. It is the most common tree…
Plant Profile: Flossflower (Ageratum houstonianum)
Flossflower is an annual belonging to the aster family (Asteraceae)and native to Mexico. It has become an invasive weed in some areas of the world while bred into a common…
Plant Profile: Poppy Anemone (Anemone coronaria)
This tuberous short-lived perennial is native to the Mediterranean and a member of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae) that also includes delphinium, clematis, and hellebore. The poppy-like flowers lack petals but…
Book Review: Groundbreaking Food Gardens
As more people want to grow their food the need for new methods and garden designs become more pressing. Niki Jabbour’s book, Groundbreaking Food Gardens, presents a collection of essays…
Plant Profile: Plectranthus argentatus
Silver spurflower is a tender evergreen subshrub in the mint family (Lamiaceae) and native to eastern Australia. The downy pink-purple stems carry gray-green ovate leaves up to six inches long…
Plant Profile: Blue Shrimp Plant (Cerinthe major ‘Purpurascens’)
Also called honeywort and waxflower this annual or half hardy perennial is from the Mediterranean and does well in hot sunny conditions. It is in the borage family (Boraginaceae) along…
Plant Profile: Crimson Bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus aka Melaleuca citrina)
Native to Australia, this broadleaf evergreen shrub is a member of the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, that also includes clove, allspice, and eucalyptus. Plants grow up to 18′ tall and have…
Plant Profile: Begonia sutherlandii
A native of Tanzania and southern Africa where it grows in trees or in rocky soil along streams in humid forests, this begonia is a tuberous tender perennial that makes…