Plant Profile: Stemless Carline Thistle (Carlina acaulis)
Karen Also called dwarf thistle and silver thistle, this short-lived herbaceous perennial is a native of alpine regions of central and southern Europe where it grows in poor soil in dry…
Plant Profile: Shoo-fly Plant (Nicandra physalodes)
Also known as apple of Peru, apple of Sodom, Peruvian bluebell, this annual is native to northwest Argentina, Bolivia, north and central Chile, and Peru where it grows in disturbed…
Plant Profile: Strawflower ( Xerochrysanum bracteatum aka Helichrysum brateactum)
Also called golden everlasting, this short-lived tender perennial or annual is native to Australia where it grows in grasslands. It is a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also…
Plant Profile: Statice (Limonium sinuatum)
Also known as sea lavender, sea pink, and notch leaf marsh rosemary, this tender short-lived perennial is often grown as an annual, and is a member of the leadwort family,…
Plant Profile: Larkspur (Consolida ajacis aka C. ambigua)
Also called doubtful knight’s spur and rocket larkspur, this cool weather annual is native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean. It is in the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, that also includes…
Plant Profile: Cardoon (Cynara cardunculus)
This Mediterranean native is a thistle-like tender perennial and a member of the Aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes daisy, yarrow, and artichoke. Plants form an impressive 3′ tall clump…
Plant Profile: Mountain Spinach (Atriplex hortensis)
Also known as orache, this annual is a member of the amaranth family, Amaranthaceae, that also includes beets, quinoa, and lamb’s quarters. It is native to Asia and Euroe and…
Garden Plants for Flower Arrangements: Giant Sea Holly (Eryngium giganteum)
Giant sea holly is a short lived herbaceous perennial often considered a biennial, and is native to the Caucasus and Iran. The first year it produces a basal rosette of…
Plant Profile: Bishop’s Weed (Aegopodium podagraria ‘Variegatum’)
Also called goutweed, this herbaceous perennial is native to Eurasia but has been introduced into the US where it is often used as a ground cover. It is a member…
Plant Profile: Knapweed (Centaurea macrocephala)
Also known as hardheads, this vigorous perennial is native to the Caucasus and a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes daisy, yarrow, and lettuce. A relative of…