Genus: Illicium for the Garden
Karen Illicium is a genus of 40- 50 species of broadleaf evergreen shrubs and small trees and belong to the the starvine family, Schisandraceae. They are found principally in east and…
Plant Profile: Sweet Box (Sarcococca confusa)
The evergreen shrub is a member of the boxwood family, Buxaceae, and probably native to western China. It grows 3-5′ tall and wide, is densely branched and has glossy leathery,…
Plant Profile: Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus aka S. rivularis)
Also known as waxberry, this deciduous flowering shrub is a member of the honeysuckle family, Caprifoliaceae, that also includes weigelia, scabiosa, and abelia. It is native to North America where…
Plant Profile: Texas Mountain Laurel (Sophora secundiflora aka Dermatophyllum secundiflorum)
Also called mescal bean, this evergreen multi-trunked shrub or small tree is native to brushy slopes and open plains of Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico. It is a member of…
Plant Profile: Red Elderberry (Sambucus racemosa)
Native to moist habitats of Canada, the US, Europe and northern temperate Asia, this deciduous tree-like shrub is a member of the moschatel family, Adoxaceae, that also includes viburnum. The…
Plant Profile: European Privet (Ligustrum vulgare)
Also called common privet, this semi-evergreen or deciduous shrub is native to central and southern Europe, north Africa, and southwestern Asia. It is a member of the olive family, Oleaceae,…
Plant Profile: Greenbark Ceanothus (Ceanothus spinosus)
Also known as redheart, this evergreen shrub is native to the scrub and chaparral of the coastal strip of southern California south of San Luis Obispo County to northern Baja…
Plant Profile: California Juniper (Juniperus californica)
Also known as California white cedar, sweetberry cedar, desert white cedar, and Cedros Island juniper this evergreen small tree is native to dry soils at moderate elevations in Arizona, California,…
Plant Profile: Hollyleaf Cherry (Prunus ilicifolia)
This evergreen shrub or small tree is native to the desert chaparral areas of the Mohave desert, coastal California, Baja California and Baja California Sur and is a member of…
Plant Profile: Hairy Ceanothus (Ceanothus oliganthus)
Native to dry habitats on the coastal mountains of California and Baja California, this evergreen shrub is a member of the buckthorn family, Rhamnaceae, that also includes jujube tree and…