Plant Profile: Pickeral Weed (Pontederia cordata)
Karen Pickerel weed is a deciduous emergent aquatic plant and a member of the Pontederiaceae a small family of tropical and subtropical aquatic plants including water hyacinth. It is native to…
Plant Profile: Golden Alexander (Zizia aurea)
Golden Alexander is a short lived herbaceous perennial and a member of the carrot family, Apiaceae, that also includes parsley, celery, and poison hemlock. It is a native native to…
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…
Plant Profile: Scouler’s Corydalis (Corydalis scouleri)
Scouler’s corydalis is a herbaceous perennial and a member of the fumatory family, Fumariaceae, that also includes bleeding heart and Dutchman’s breeches. It is native to western North America where…
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…
Plant Profile: Blunt Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum miticum)
Also called short toothed mountain mint, this herbaceous perennial is in the dead nettle family, Lamiaceae, that also includes rosemary, ajuga, and monarda. It is native to Eastern North American…
Plant Profile: Illinois Bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoiensis)
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: 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…