Book Review: OMFG, Bees!
Karen Meyers In spite of its irreverent name, OMFG, Bees!, Matt Kracht’s book is full of good information on bees. Covering a wide variety of topics about bees, Kracht manages to entertain…
Genus: Clethra for the Garden
Karen Clethra is a genus 75 species of flowering shrubs and small trees in the Clethraceae plant family, in the order Ericales that includes azaleas. There are two recognized species native…
Drought Tolerant Plants: Annuals and Perennials with Blue, Lavender and Purple Flowers
Water is essential for plant growth but plants vary greatly in their need for it. Since the amount of water on earth is finite but the demand is not, we…
Plant Profile: Winter Flowering Clematis (Clematis cirrhosa)
Native to scrubby woodlands of the Mediterranean area, this delicate evergreen to semi evergreen woody vine is a member of the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, that also includes delphinium, columbine, and…
Genus: Bottlebrush (Callistemon spp)
Native to Australia, these broadleaf evergreen shrubs or small trees are members of the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, that also includes clove, allspice, and eucalyptus. The common name, bottlebrush, comes from…
Plant Profile: Mountain Pepperbush (Clethra acuminata)
Also known as cinnamon pepperbush, this deciduous shrub or small tree is native to the Appalachian Mountains of the southeastern US. It grows up to 8-20′ tall and has an…
Genus: Abelias for the Garden
Abelia is a genus of about 30 species of deciduous and evergreen shrubs native to eastern Asia and Mexico. It belongs to the honeysuckle family, Caprifoliaceae, that also includes weigela,…
Plant Profile: Swamp Azalea (Rhododendron viscosum)
Also known as clammy azalea, and swamp honeysuckle, this flowering deciduous shrub is native to the wetlands of eastern and southern US and a member of the heath family, Ericaceae,…
Plant Profile: False Indigo (Amorpha fruticosa)
This deciduous shrub is native to North America from eastern Canada throughout much of the US and into northern Mexico, where it grows along stream and pond edges, moist open…
Plant Profile: Water Hyssop (Bacopa monniere)
Also called thyme-leafed gratiola, herb of grace, and Indian pennywort, this herbaceous perennial is native to moist to wet places such as on streams, river and pool margins, and in…