Plant Profile: Smooth Phlox (Phlox glaberrima)
Karen This herbaceous perennial, also called marsh phlox, is a member of the Polemoniaceae family that also include Jacob’s ladder. It is native to midwesternand southeastern US from Maryland to Wisconsin,…
Invasive Plants and Their Native Alternatives: Crown Vetch (Securigera varia aka Coronilla varia)
Also called purple vetch, this herbaceous perennial is native to Europe, southwest Asia, and northern Africa but was introduced to North America in the 1950s and was used as a…
Plant Profile: India Physic (Porteranthus trifoliatus aka Gillenia trifoliata)
Also called fawn’s breath, bowman’s root and American ipecac, this clump-forming herbaceous perennial is a member of the rose family, Rosaceae, that also includes apple, lady’s mantle, and pyracantha. It…
Invasive Plants and Their Native Alternatives: Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota)
Also called wild carrot, bird’s nest, and bishop’s lace, this herbaceous biennial is a member of the parsley family, Apiaceae, that also includes celery, dill, and poison hemlock. It is…
Plant Profile: Flowering Spurge (Euphorbia corollata)
Also called prairie baby’s breath, flowering spurge is a herbaceous perennial and member of the euphorbia family, Euphorbiaceae, that also includes poinsettia, caster oil plant, and cassava. It is native…
Plant Profile: Illinois Bundleflower ( Desmanthus illinoensis )
Also known as false sensitive plant and Illinois mimosa, this herbaceous perennial is a member of the pea family, Fabaceae, that also includes beans, lupine, and black locust. It is…
Plant Profile: Purple Dragon Head (Physostegia parviflora)
This herbaceous perennial is also called western false dragon head is a member of the deadnettle family, Lamiaceae, that also includes basil, monarda and ajuga. It is native to Manitoba…
Plant Combination: Rocky Mountain Beard-Tongue (Penstemon strictus) and Yarrow (Achillea x) ‘Moonshine’
This yellow and blue combination is a striking duo in a sunny, well-drained border in early summer. The spiky form of the beard-tongue contrasts with the flat heads of the…
Old Time Recipes for Home Made Wine: Dandelion Wine
The common dandelion that decorates lawns throughout the growing season can be made into a delicious beverage that tastes like sherry and is considered more like a cordial than a…
Plant Profile: California Globe Mallow (Iliamna latibracteata)
Also known as California wild hollyhock, this rare herbaceous perennial is a member of the mallow family, Malvaceae, that also includes okra, cotton, and hibiscus. It is endemic to the…