Plant Profile: Bitter melon (Momordica charantia)
Karen Known by many names including bitter apple, bitter gourd, bitter squash, and balsam-pear, this herbaceous tropical to subtropical, annual vine is native to Africa and Asia and is widely grown…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Downy Oak (Quercus pubescens)
Native to dry, lime-rich soils of southern Europe, parts of central Europe, and southwest Asia, this deciduous tree thrives in submediterranean climates where summers are dry and hot and the…
Plant Profile: Poison Oak (Toxicodendron quercifolium aka T. pubescens, aka Rhus quercifolium)
Also known as eastern poison oak and Atlantic poisonous oak, this deciduous shrub is native to central and eastern US where it grows in the dry and sandy areas of…
Plant Profile: Oregon Manroot (Marah oreganus aka Echinocystis oregana)
Also known as coastal manroot and western wild cucumber, this perennial trailing or climbing vine is native to the streams, washes, and open areas from Canada to northern California west…
Plant Profile: Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans aka Rhus radicans)
Poison ivy is a woody perennial shrub or climbing vine native to eastern, and mid-western United States where it grows well in shaded areas and is especially common along the…
Plant Profile: Poison Sumac (Toxicodendron vernix aka Rhus vernix)
Also called swamp-sumac and thunderwood, this deciduous woody shrub or small tree is native to the wooded swamps, bogs and other moist soils of eastern United States and extreme southeast…
Plant Profile: Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)
Also called rum cherry, and mountain black cherry, this deciduous tree is native to eastern North America, Pacific Northwest, Mexico, and Central America. It is a member of the rose…
Plant Profile: Texas Mountain Laurel (Sophora secundiflora aka Dermatophyllum secundiflorum)
Also called mescal bean, this evergreen multi-trunked shrub or small tree is native to brushy slopes and open plains of Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico. It is a member of…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Cabbage (Brassica oleracea)
The name cabbage can refer to one of several herbaceous biennials in the mustard family, Brassicaceae, that also includes broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts. It was domesticated from wild cabbage…
Plant Profile: Red Elderberry (Sambucus racemosa)
Native to moist habitats of Canada, the US, Europe and northern temperate Asia, this deciduous tree-like shrub is a member of the moschatel family, Adoxaceae, that also includes viburnum. The…