Plants for a Plant Zoo: Catnip (Nepeta cataria)
Karen Also known as catmint, this short-lived herbaceous perennial is bound to entertain both your cats and children. Once the cats get a whiff of of the delectable scent from the…
Plant Profile: Beebalm aka Bergamot (Monarda didyma)
Also known as oswego tea, this clump-forming herbaceous perennial is a member of the deadnettle family, Lamiaceae, that also includes mint, basil, and adjuga. It is native to eastern North…
Plants for a Plant Zoo: Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana aka Cochlearia armoraci)
If you like the wild ponies of Assateague you will enjoy growing horseradish! It doesn’t know its place and insists on moving about expanding its territory year after year. The…
Plants of Colonial Williamsburg: Rue (Ruta graveolens)
Also called herb of grace, rue is an evergreen mounding subshrub and a member of the Rutaceae family that also includes oranges, limes, and skimmia. It is native to the…
Plants of Colonial Williamsburg: Oregano aka Wild Marjoram (Origanum vulgare)
This aromatic perennial herb is native from the Mediterranean to central Asia but has naturalized in the eastern US. It is a member of the mint family, Lamiaceae, that also…
Plant Profile: Judean Sage (Salvia judaica)
Native to Mediterranean woodlands and shrub lands, this tender herbaceous perennial is a member of the deadnettle family, Lamiaceae, that also includes mint, rosemary, and beebalm. The plants grow up…
Plants of the Bible: Yellow Flag (Iris pseudacornus)
Also called water flag, this herbaceous perennial is a beardless rhizomatous iris native to the wetlands of Europe, western Asia and northwest Africa where it forms large colonies. It is…
Plants of Colonial Willimasburg: Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium aka Chrysanthemum parthenium aka Pyrethrum parthenium aka Matricaria parthenium )
Feverfew is a bushy, aromatic biennial or short-lived perennial and a member of the aster family, Asteracea, that also includes sunflower, yarrow, and lettuce. It is native to the Balkans…
Herbs for a Medieval Physics Garden: German Iris (Iris germanica)
Also known as bearded iris and common flag, this herbaceous perennial is native to the eastern Mediterranean and may be a natural hybrid between Iris pallida and Iris variegata. It…
Plants of the Bible: Saffron Crocus (Crocus sativus)
Native to an unknown place in the Mediterranean region, this cormous perennial belongs to the iris family, Iridaceae, that also includes gladiolus, crocosmia, and blue-eyed grass. It is sometimes called…