Plant Profile: Showy Milkweed (Asclepias speciosa)
Karen Showy milkweed is a herbaceous perennial native to Northwest and north central US where it can be found in sunny moist to dry sites including savannas, prairies, roadsides, abandon fields,…
Plant Profile: Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
Swamp milkweed is a herbaceous perennial native to North America where it grows in moist to wet soils including swamps, ditches, and the edges of ponds, lakes, and streams. It…
Botanical Latin: Pedata
Ped A ta from Latin pes, pedis meaing foot The term is used to describe plant structures, often leaves, that are divided so that they resemble a bird’s foot, with…
Plant Profile: White Wood Aster (Aster divaricatus aka Eurybia divaricata)
A native of eastern US, white wood aster is found in open areas of the deciduous woodlands of the Appalacian Mountains from Maine to Georgia. It is a herbaceous perennial…
Plants for Rain Gardens: Summer Blooming Native Perennials for Wet Conditions
The moisture conditions in a rain garden vary and four regions can be identified: areas with 1. shallow water most of the time, 2.wet soil with occasional standing water, 3.…
Plant Profile: California Blue Oak (Quercus douglasii)
Also known as mountain oak and iron oak, California blue oak is found only in California where it grows on dry slopes of the interior hills surrounding the Central Valley.…
Plant Profile: Green Dragon (Arisaema dracontium)
Green dragon is an herbaceous perennial native to eastern North America where it grows in damp forests. It is a member of the arum family, Araceae, that also includes Jack…
Plant Profile: Obedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana)
Also known as false dragonhead, this rhizomatous herbaceous perennial is native to North American and a member of the deadnettle family, Lamiaceae, that also includes mint, coleus, and lamb’s ear.…
Plant Profile: Checkerbloom aka Praire Mallow (Sidalcea malviflora)
Checkerbloom is a herbaceous perennial in the mallow family, Malvaceae, that also includes hollyhock, cotton, and okra. It is native to western North America from Alberta and British Columbia south…
Plant Combination: Purple Poppy Mallow (Callirhoe involucrate) and Artemisia (Artemisia stelleriana) ‘Silver Brocade’
Hot, dry, sunny places such as strips along driveways can be difficult to plant but this combination thrives there. The intense magenta color of purple poppy mallow’s flowers are toned…