Poisonous Plants: Agave spp.
Karen Agaves is a large genus of almost 3000 plants native to hot arid regions of Mexico and Southwestern US and belongs to the asparagus family, Asparagaceae, that also includes yucca,…
Plant Profile: Smallflower Tamarisk (Tamarix parviflora)
Smallflower tamarisk is a deciduous shrub or small tree native to southeastern Europe but has become as an introduced species in the US has become invasive in western North America.…
Plant Combination: Common Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) ‘Paprika’ and Hardy Carnation ( Dianthus caryophyllus) ‘King of the Blacks’
For some plants, changing color during the bloom time is a problem but this is not the case for yarrow ‘Paprika’ or Dianthus ‘King of the Blacks’. ‘Paprika’ starts out…
Plant Profile: Strawberry Foxglove (Digitalis x mertonensis)
Strawberry foxglove is a short-lived herbaceous perennial and member of the plantian family, Plantaginaceae, that also includes snapdragon, turtlehead, and Veronica. It is a tetraploid hybrid resulting from a cross…
Book Review: A Bright Future
International Relations professor, Joshua S. Goldstein and Swedish nuclear engineer, Staffan A. Qvist collaborated to produce book, A Bright Future, that presents their solution to the problem of climate change.…
Book Review: Simple Green Meals
In her book, Simple Green Meals, author Jen Hansard, has a strightforward message: eat more plants. Hansard is an enthusiastic vegetarian who shares her experience going from an exhausted, stressed…
Weeds and Their Control: Moth Mullein (Verbascum blattaria)
Native to Eurasia and North Africa, moth mullein was introduced into the US before 1818 and has naturalized in disturbed areas such as roadsides and fencerows in most of the…
Plant Profile: Large Flowered Tickseed (Coreopsis grandiflora)
Large flowered tickseed is a clump forming herbaceous perennial and a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes sunflower, daisy, and lettuce. It is native to southeastern US…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Peach
A native of China, the peach (Prunus persica) is a small deciduous short lived tree in the Rosaceae family and in the same genus as plums, cherries, almonds, and apricots.…
Plant Profile: Showy Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium reginae)
Also called pink and white lady’s slipper and queen’s lady’s slipper, this herbaceous perennial is a member of the orchid family, Orchidaceae. It is native to the northeastern quarter of…