Plants of the Bible: Wild Jujube (Ziziphus lotus)
Karen Also known as lotus tree, this deciduous shrub or small tree is a member of the buckthorn family, Rhamnaceae, and is native to the arid and semi arid areas of…
Invasive Plants and Their Native Alternatives: Beach Naupaka (Scaevola sericea var. taccada)
Also known as beach cabbage and sea lettuce, beach naupaka is a dense, spreading evergreen shrub growing 3-10’ tall. The medium green leaves are elliptical, waxy, fleshy, smooth and 1.5…
Plant Profile: Syrian Thistle (Notobasis syriaca)
Also known as horse thistle, this annual plant is native to the semi-desert areas of the Mediterranean region and the Middle East. It is a member of the aster family,…
Plants for a Plant Zoo: Gooseneck Loosestrife (Lysimachia clethroides)
As the gooseneck-shaped spikes of tiny white flowers emerge in late spring and fill the garden bed, the playful, rambuctious, whimsical behavior of the plant bursts forth. Like a naughty…
Plant Profile: Flowering Rush (Butomus umbellatus)
Also called grass rush, this aquatic perennial is native to in Eurasia and Africa where it grows in the margins of still and slowly moving water . It is a…
Plants of the Bible: Tatarian orachea (Atriplex tatarica)
Native to saline and alkaline deserts of central and southern Europe to western and eastern Asia, this annual shrub is a member of the Amaranthaceae family that also includes spinach,…
Plants for a Plant Zoo: Toad Flax (Linaria vulgaris)
Toad flax might not be the star of the show in any garden but it adds a lot of charm even growing in lean dry soil. True, it is a…
Plant Profile: Tatarian orachea (Atriplex tatarica)
Native to saline and alkaline deserts of Middle and western Central Asia, Asia Minor, North Africa, and Eastern Europe, this annual shrub is a member of the amaranth family, Amaranthaceae,…
Plant Profile: Common Horsetail (Equisetum arvense)
Also known as scouring rush, this is a herbaceous perennial that bears spores rather than seeds and is more closely related to ferns than to seed bearing or flowering plants.…
Weeds and Their Control: Scotch Broom (Cytisus scoparius)
Scotch broom is a deciduous flowering shrub and member of the pea family, Fabaceae that also includes alfalfa, mimosa, and black locust. It is native to northern Africa and western…