Plants for a Plant Zoo: Pignut (Conopodium denudatum aka Bunium flexusosum)
Karen If you like to dig in the soil for treasures, grow pignut, dig up the tubers, cook them and enjoy a delicious treat that has a sweet taste something like…
Plants for a Plant Zoo: Pigsqueak (Bergenia cordifolia aka B. crassifolia)
Rub a leaf between your thumb and forefinger, hear the pig squeak and understand how the plants gets its funny name. The plant is worth growing for the beautiful shiny,…
Plants for a Plant Zoo: Monkey Plant (Mimulus ringens)
What could be more charming and enticing than monkeys in the garden? Monkey flower is a bushy herbaceous perennial with lots of lilac-blue (occasionally pink or white) flowers that resemble…
Plant Profile: Lambstongue Ragwort (Senecio integerrimus)
Native to grassland, shrublands, and forests of western and central North American this herbaceous biennial or perennial is a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes daisy, yarrow,…
Plant Profile: Chameleon Plant (Houttuynia cordata)
Native to Southeast Asia, this herbaceous perennial is known by many names including fish mint, rainbow plant, heart leaf and Chinese lizard tail. A member of the lizard-tail family, Saururaceae,…
Plants for a Plant Zoo: Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus)
Skunk cabbage may not be the first plant that comes to mind when considering plants for your plant zoo but it offers a lot and is ripe for consideration. Also…
Poisinous Plants: Arrow Arum (Peltandra virginica)
Also called green arrow arum and Tuckahoe, this aquatic plant is a member of the arum family, Aracaeae, that also includes Jack in the pulpit, peace lily, and skunk cabbage.…
Plants of the Bible: Ferula galbaniflua aka F. glummosa
Native to the mountains of Iran and Turkmenistan, this herbaceous perennial is a member of the parsley family, Apiaceae, that also includes carrots, celery, and poison hemlock. Growing from a…
Plants of the Bible: Common Rush (Juncus effusus)
Also known as soft rush and mat rush, this herbaceous perennial is a member of the rush family, Juncaceae, that includes plants resembling sedges and grasses. Common rush is native…
Plants for a Plant Zoo: Common Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)
Few plants have flowers that are as appealing as common foxglove. The 2-3″ long blooms that cover the 4-5′ tall flowering stalks are purple with enticing spots inside and appear…