Book Review: Meat-Eating Plants
Karen Meyers Mari Schuh’s book, Meat-Eating Plants, introduces young readers to 6 plants that obtain their food from insects or small animals. Written for children 6-9 years old in grades 2-3, the…
Wildflowers: Iris Native to the Pacific Coast
Iris is a genus of 310 species and is in the plant family Iridaceae that also included gladiolus, crocus and freesia. The plants are all perennial and grow from rhizomes…
Plant Profile: Tall Anemone (Anemone virginiana)
Karen This rhizomatous herbaceous perennial is also known as timbleweed (along with several other plants) and is a member of the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, that also includes delphinium, clematis, and hellebore.…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Common Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)
Hawthorn has a long history in folklore, religion and herbal medicine. In ancient times it was associated with fertility and used as a charm to ward off witchcraft and vampires…
Plant Profile: Spiny Bear’s-Breeches (Acanthus spinosus)
This clump-forming evergreen herbaceous perennial is native to woodlands and scrub of southern Europe from Italy to western Turkey. It is a member of the Acanthaceae family that also includes…
Book Review: Container Gardening The Permaculture Way
Author, Valery Tsimba, shares her experience with permaculture vegetable gardening on her 2′ x 22′ balcony in Paris, France. She shows that gardening in an eco-friendly way can result in…
Meadow Garden: Native Sedges
Sedges offer numerous benefits to meadows and some can be used instead of turf grass for lawns. They are aesthetically pleasing and play a significant role in in the ecological…
Plant Profile: Rose Acacia (Robinia hispida)
Also known as bristly acacia, this flowering deciduous shrub is native to eastern and central US and is a member of the pea family, Fabaceae, that also includes mimosa, lupine,…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum AKA Asperula odorata) Our Lady’s Lace, Our Lady’s Needlework
Sweet woodruff has been valued since the Middle Ages for its medicinal and aromatic properties. It was used to treat various ailments from wounds to heart problems, and to freshen…
Plant Profile: Japanese Poplar (Populus maximowiczii)
This deciduous tree is native to China, Japan, and Korea where it grows in sunny fluvial plains, river banks, and woodlands. It is a member of the willow family, Salicaceae,…