Plant Profile: Pussy Willow (Salix discolor)
Karen Pussy willow is a deciduous shrub or small tree native to moist and wet soils of northern regions of North America including parts of the US. It is a member…
The Story of the Olympic Bouquet, Vancouver, 2010
When the winners are given their medals at the Olympic Games, do you look at the bouquets? I do. Every medallist gets one and this year at the winter games…
Plant Profile: Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo)
Native to the Mediterranean region and western Europe, this broadleaf evergreen shrub or small tree is a member of the heather family, Ericaceae, that also includes rhododendron, blueberry, and mountain…
Plant Profile: Cherry Laurel (Prunus lauroceraus aka P. officinalis)
Native to southeastern Europe and the Middle East this evergreen shrub or small tree is a member of the rose family, Rosaceae, that also includes, apple, lady’s mantle, and pyracantha.…
Plant Profile: English Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens ‘Suffruticosa’)
English boxwood is an evergreen shrub native to western and southern Europe, northwest Africa and southwest Asia where they grow in open woodlands and rocky hillsides. It and is member…
Plant Profile: Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick (Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’)
If the name of the shrub is not enough to pique your curiosity, the stems and flowers will. The cultivar name ‘Contorta’gives you hint of what to expect…twisted branches. But…
Plant Profile: Beautyberry (Callicarpa japonica)
This cascading deciduous shrub is native to China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and Ryuku Islands and is a member of the deadnettle family, Lamiaceae, that also includes mint, beebalm and adjuga.…
Five Favorite Grasses for Fall
The cool temperatures of autumn allow fall blooming grasses to grow to their full potential. Some of them continue into winter providing beauty and interest well into spring. Many of…
Plant Profile: Sweet Gum ‘Lane Roberts’ (Liquidambar styraciflua)
If you are lucky enough to have a sweet-gum tree in your vicinity you can recognize it by its round spiky burr like fruit that resembles an alien spaceship. You…
Plant Profile: Purple Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris)
One of the most delightful plants native to North Carolina is purple muhly grass. Although it is hardy in zones 7-9 I had never seen it until I moved to…