Plant Profile: Ozark Witch Hazel (Hamamelis vernalis)
Karen Ozark witch hazel is a deciduous flowering shrub or small tree native to the Ozark Plateau from southern Missouri through northwestern Arkansas east to Oklahoma where it grows in moist…
Plant Profile: Silver Wattle (Acacia dealbata)
Also called blue wattle and mimosa, this flowering evergreen shrub or small tree is native to southeastern Australia including Victoria, New South Wales, and Tasmania . It is a member…
Trees with Decorative Bark
In winter when many trees have shed their leaves and the garden is sleeping, the beauty of bark can best be appreciated. Bark can provide color and texture that produces…
Plant Profile: Amur Cork Tree (Phellodendron amurense)
A native of northern China, this cork tree takes its name from the Amur River, the boundary between China and Siberia, and is not related to the true cork tree.…
Plant Profile: Kentucky Coffee Tree (Gymnocladus diocia)
This tall deciduous tree earned its common name from the fact that early American settlers made a beverage from its roasted and ground seeds. Unroasted pods and seeds, however, are…
Plant Profile: Chinese Elm ( Ulmus parvifolia)
If you have a yen for a tall stately elm but fear Dutch elm disease you might be tempted by ‘Emer 11” Chinese elm which is resistant to the disease.…
Plant Profile: Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia aka Pyrus arbutifolis aka Photinia pyrifolia)
A native of thickets in wet areas such as bogs and swamps from Nova Scotia to Florida and west to Michigan, Missouri, and Texas, this deciduous shrub is a member…
Plant Profile: Blue Atlas Cedar (Cedrus atlantica ‘Glauca’)
Like most conifers, blue Atlas cedar is evergreen and produces cones. It is a tall handsome tree native to the Atlas Mountains of Algeria and Morocco and closely related to…
Book Review: Seedheads in the Garden
Few people are not touched by the color and textures of the spring and summer garden but how many see beauty in the brown remains when the good weather has…
Plant Profile: Viola (Viola x wittrockiana)
The cool temperatures of October always lead me to think of planting pansies and violas. How can anyone resist the adorable faces, rich colors, and long bloom period when nothing…