Plant Profile: Mandrake (Mandragora officinarum)
Karen Also called love-apple, mandrake is a very variable herbaceous perennial that is native to the Mediterranean area including Israel and the Levant and some sourses would classsify mandrakes in the…
Plant Profile: Spikenard (Nardostachys jatamansi)
Also called nard, nardin and muskroot, this aromatic herbaceous perennial is native to the montane and subalpine zones of the Himalayas where it grows on steep, grassy slopes. Growing 4-20″…
Plant Combination: Sage (Salvia nemorosa) ‘Lubecca’ and Bloody Cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum var. striatum
The pale pink flowers of bloody cranesbill var. striatum spread out at the feet of sage ‘Lubecca’ with its spikes of violet-blue flowers in spring. Interest is further provided by…
Weeds and Their Control: Heal-All (Prunella vulgaris)
Also called carpenter’s weed and wild sage, heal-all is a herbaceous perennial and a member of the mint family, Lamiaceae, that also includes thyme, basil, and ajuga. It is native…
Genus Anemones for the Garden
The genus Anemone consists of over 120 species and is a member of the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, that also includes delphinium, clematis, and hellabore. The garden worthy species are usually…
Plant Combination: Four Angled Sundrop (Oenothera tetragona) and Yellow Flag Iris (Iris pseudacorus)
These easy to grow perennials make a bright combination in a sunny border. Blooming together in early summer, the masses of yellow sundrop flowers at the base of the yellow…
Poisonous Plants: American Liverwort (Hepatica americana aka Anemone americana)
Known as one of the earliest flowers to bloom in the spring, American liverwort is a herbaceous perennial and member of the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, that also includes columbine, hellebore,…
The Language of Flowers: Milkweed (Asclepias spp.)
Asclepias is a genus of herbaceous perennials and a member of the dogbane family, Apocynaceae, that also includes blue star (Amsonia), periwinkle (Vinca), and oleander (Nerium). There are over 140…
Plant Profile: Betony (Stachys officinalis aka Betonica officinalis)
This herbaceous perennial is native to grasslands, meadows, and open woods of Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa and is also known as common hedgenettle and bishopwort. It is a…
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…