Plants for a Plant Zoo: Deer Fern (Blechnum spicant aka Struthiopteris spicant )
Karen A shady nook is always made more appealing by lush green vegetation that looks soft and inviting. Deer fern is a good plant to use in the shade with its…
Plant Profile: Dwarf Chenille Plant (Acalypha pendula)
Also called kitten-tail, red hot cat’s tail, and strawberry firetail, this evergreen herbaceous perennial is native to Dominican Republic, Cuba and Haiti and is a member of the spurge family,…
Plant Profile: Mountain Sandwort (Arenaria montana)
Native to the mountainous regions of southwestern Europe from the Pyrenees to Portugal, this evergreen herbaceous perennial is a member of the carnation family, Caryophyllaceae, that also includes, pinks, baby’s…
Plant Profile: Soapwort (Yucca glauca aka Y. angustifolia)
Native to dry rocky soils of central US and Canada, this evergreen herbaceous perennial has many common names including beargrass, Great Plains yucca, narrowleaf yucca, and Spanish bayonet. It is…
Plant Profile: White Corydalis (Corydalis ochroleuca aka Pseudofumaria alba)
This short-lived evergreen perennial is native to Italy and the Balkans where it grows in rocky woodland areas. It is a membe of the poppy family, Papaveraceae, that also includes…
Plant Profile: Stinking Iris (Iris foetidissima)
Also known as gladdon, Gladwin iris, and roast-beef plant, this rhizomatous, beardless iris is an evergreen herbaceous perennial native to northern Africa and Europe where it grows in open woods,…
Invasive Plants and Their Native Alternatives: Baby’s Breath (Gypsophila paniculata)
Baby’s breath is a herbaceous perennial native to central and eastern Europe and central and western Asia but naturalized in North America and is now considered invasive from new Brunswick…
Plant Profile: Island Alumroot (Heuchera maxima)
Also called Channel Islands coral bells, and Jill of the rocks, this evergreen herbaceous perennial is a member of the saxifrage family, Saxifragaceae, that also includes astilbe, tiarella, and bergenia.…
Plant Profile: British Columbia Wild Ginger (Asarum caudatum)
This western wild ginger is a member of the pipevine family, Aristolochiaceae, that is known for its unusual flowers and is not a true ginger. It is an evergreen herbaceous…
Plant Profile: Poker Alumroot (Heuchera cylindrica)
Also called roundleaf alum, this evergreen herbaceous perennial is a member of the saxifraxge family, Saxifragaceae, that also includes astilbe, bergenia, and tiarella. It is native to northwestern North America…