Plants for a Plant Zoo: Pheasant’s Breast (Aloe variegata aka Gonialoe variegata)
Karen This tender evergreen succulent is also known as tiger aloe so can join the cat or bird parts of a plant zoo. The stripes on the leaves beg for inclusion…
Plant Profile: Lemonade Berry (Rhus integrifolia)
Native to coastal sage scrub and chaparral of Southern California and Baja, this evergreen shrub or small tree is a member of the cashew family, Anacardiaceae, that also includes sumac,…
Genus Erysium (Wallflowers) for the Garden
Often called wallflower or blister-cress, Erysimum is a genus of about 150 species in the mustard family, Brassicaceae, that also includes cabbage, alyssum, and stock. The plants may be annuals,…
Plant Profile: Wild Jujube (Ziziphus lotus)
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…
Plants of the Bible: Tumbling Saltbush (Atriplex rosea)
Also known as red orach, redscale, and tumbling orach, this annual shurb is native to Eurasia but as been introduced to many areas including the US especially in the West.…
Plant Profile: Atriplex dimorphostegia
This annual shrub is a member of the Amaranthaceae family that also includes spinach, beet, and celosia. It is native to western Asia from Arabia to Afghanistan and Tibet where…
Plant Profile: Cretan Rock Rose (Cistus creticus)
Also known as hoary rock rose and pink rock rose, this evergreen flowering shrub is a member of the Cistaceae family, a small group of shrubs and semi shrubs that…
Plants for a Zoo Garden: Giraffe Thorn (Vachellia erioloba aka Acacia erioloba)
Armed with 3″ long thorns, this evergreen tree or shrub presents a great opportunity to introduce children to the unusual feeding habits of the giraffe. Yup, a giraffe can feed…
Plant Profile: Kotschy’s Crocus (Crocus kotschyanus aka C. zonatus)
Native to parts of Turkey, Syria and Lebanon, this perennial corm is a member of the iris family, Iridaceae, that also includes gladiola, freesia, and crocosmia. Plants produce goblet-shaped pale…
Plant Profile: White Weeping Broom (Retama raetam aka Genista raetam)
This dense, deciduous, flowering shrub is native to arid regions of northern Africa from the Western Sahara to Sudan, Sicily, the Sinai Peninsula, the Palestine region and Saudi Arabia. It…