Plant Profile: Illinois Bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoiensis)
Karen Also called prairie mimosa and prickleweed, this herbaceous perennial is a member of the pea family, Fabaceae, that also includes lupines, mimosa, and black locust. It is native to the…
Plant Profile: Lyall’s Angelica (Angelica arguta)
Lyall’s angelica is a herbaceous perennial and a member of the parsley family, Apiaceae, that also includes carrots, celery, and Queen Anne’s lace. It is native to western North America…
Plant Combination: Bee-Balm (Monarda didyma) ‘Cambridge Scarlet’ and Golden Marguerite (Anthemis tinctoria)
A pleasing color combination of red and yellow plus a contrast in flower shape makes this combination a great addition to the sunny border in summer. Golden Marguerite begins to…
Plant Profile: Cowbane (Oxypolis rigidior)
Also called pig-potato and stiff cowbane, this herbaceous perennial is in the parsley family, Apiaceae, that also includes celery, Queen Anne’s lace, and poison hemlock. It is native to eastern…
The Language of Flowers: Michaelmas Daisy aka New York Aster (Aster novi-belgii aka Symphyotrichum novi-belgii )
Michaelmas daisy is a common name referring to at least two asters, one European (Aster mellus)and the other North American (Aster novibelgii). This entry refers to the latter but the…
Invasive Plants and Their Native Alternatives: Fennel (Foenicum vulgare)
Fennel is a herbaceous perennial native to the shores of the Mediterranean but has naturalized in the US where it grows along roadsides, in pastures and in other open sites…
Plant Profile: Hairy Angelica (Angelica venenosa)
Hairy angelica is a herbaceous perennial and a member of the parsley family, Apiaceae, that also includes celery, Queen Anne’s lace, and poison hemlock. It is native to Eastern US…
Plant Profile: Common Bracken (Pteridium aquilinum)
Also known as eagle fern, bracken fern is a herbaceous perennial and a member of the Dennstaedtiaceae family that includes 10 genera and 240 species of ferns. It is one…
Poisonous Plants: False Hellebore (Veratrum viride)
False hellebore, also known as Indian and American hellebore, is a herbaceous perennial and a member of the Melanthiaceae family that also includes Trillium. It is native to eastern and…
Plant Profile: Spreading Dogbane (Apocynum androsaemifolium)
Also called fly-trap dogbane and bitterroot, this lanky herbaceous perennial is a member of the dogbane family, Apocynaceae, that also includes milkweed, bluestar, periwinkle, and oleander. It is native to…