Plant Profile: French Lavender( Lavandula stoechas)
Karen Also known as Spanish lavender, butterfly lavender, and topped lavender, this evergreen shrub is native to areas in the Mediterranean including Portugal, Spain, France, Italy and Greece. It is a…
Plant Profile: Hoaryleaf Ceanothus (Ceanothus crassifolius)
Native to the chaparral of coastal mountains and valleys of Southern California and northern Baja, this evergreen shrub is a member of the buckthorn family, Rhamnaceae, that also includes jujube…
Plant Profile: Cocoplum (Chrysobalanus icaco)
Also known as paradise plum, abajeru and icaco, this evergreen shrub or small tree is native to sea beaches and inlands in tropical areas of west Africa, and from Brazil…
Plant Profile: Cape Anemone (Anemone tenuifolia aka A. capensis)
Karen Meyers Native to South Africa, this evergreen subshrub is a member of the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, that also includes delphinium, clematis, and hellabore. It grows 12-24″ tall and has a short…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Common Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) Mary’s Bedstraw, Mary’s Humility
For thousands of years thyme has enjoyed great respect and usage. As early as 2750 BC the ancient Sumerians used thyme as a poultice and antiseptic and the Egyptians used…
Plant Profile: English Holly (Ilex aquifolia)
Also known as common holly, European holly, and Christmas holly this evergreen tree is native to western and southern Europe, northwest Africa, and southwest Asia where it grows in the…
Plant Profile: Creeping Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Prostratus’)
This low growing, spreading evergreen shrub is a cultivar of a plant native to the Mediterranean and a member of the mint family, Lamiaceae, that also includes beebalm, basal, and…
Weeds and Their Control: Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica)
Native to Japan, China, and India, this semi-evergreen to evergreen shrub was introduced into the US in 1804 as an ornamental for its attractive foliage and fruit but has escaped…
Plant Profile: Lily of the Valley Tree (Clethra arborea)
This evergreen shrub or small tree is native to the semitropical forest of Madeira and is a member of the small plant family Clethraceae that is distantly related to azaleas.…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum)
Also known as Old Man, Lad’s Love and Maiden’s Ruin, this bushy evergreen sub-shrub is native to southern Europe, Africa, and parts of Asia, and is a member of the…