Asteraceae, which also includes the zinnia, sunflower, chrysanthemum, daisy, and, of course, aster, is the family that includes Dahlia. Dahlias elicit admiration and joy. Cultivating vegetables? Dahlias should be planted in a row along the edge, away from your vegetables. They produce beautiful cut blooms. Dahlias thrive in humid, temperate regions. Dahlias beautify any sunny...
Although the Thimbleberry is beneficial for wildlife, are they also edible to people? Yes. They used to be a staple diet for the local native populations. So if berries are on your mind, consider growing thimbleberry. This native plant is a thornless shrub with deciduous leaves. It grows untamed in disturbed areas, among hills covered...
The western bleeding heart, Dicentra formosa, also known as the Pacific bleeding heart, is a blooming plant in the poppy family that can be found from California to British Columbia in damp, forested environments. From a horizontal rootstock, it is a perennial (tuber). The plant can grow as tall as 0.5 meters. The flower has...
Rosa woodsii, also known as woods’ rose, is a wild-growing plant that is an important part of various ecosystems. The plant is a multi-branched, deciduous shrub growing up to 5 feet tall. What is Rosa woodsii? Rosa woodsii grows in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 8. Its flowers form from June to July, and the...
I’m a big fan of clovers, and red clover definitely has a space in my yard. I like to throw it in random spots, particularly along borders, as a sort of wild-growing flower. Red clover is generally grown in northern and midwestern states, however, it is occasionally grown as a winter annual in the Southeast....
When it comes to herb gardening, growing chives is something I don’t think I could do without. Every garden I’ve ever planted has a little section devoted to chives. Their flavor is great and I love their pink, tuft-like flowers. Chives are remarkably easy to grow, often requiring next to nothing from the gardener who...
This vintage beauty has occasional blooms throughout the summer and spring. Weigela requires little upkeep. Weigela is a robust and hardy shrub, thus taking care of it entails planting and watering a growing weigela in the appropriate location. What is Weigela? Although they rank one or two tiers below more familiar species like lilacs, azaleas,...
The Pride of Madeira is a popular addition to garden borders and beds and one of the easiest plants to grow and maintain. A native of the Portuguese island of Madeira and the Spanish Cayman Islands, it has become readily popular throughout America. Though the plant is not picky, it needs to be checked regularly...
Lantana plants are well-liked and cultivated in outdoor hanging baskets or as ground covers because of their distinctive vine-like appearance that sprawls from woody branches. Round clusters of tiny, vividly colored flowers, which can be yellow, orange, white, red, pink, blue, or purple, are what Lantana is famous for. The almost bright colors are frequently...
The Cigar plant (Cuphea ignea) is a low-growing, tender perennial shrub, and is more commonly known as the firecracker plant or the Mexican cigar plant. This tropical evergreen shrub is endowed with a bright red flower with black and white tips that resembles a lit cigar. The Latin word ignea means fire. The densely branched...
The well-known Annual Geranium blooms with red, purple, pink, or white blossoms and thick, pleated leaves. Authentic geraniums are frequently known as cranesbill or hardy geraniums. Before the genus Pelargonium was named in 1789, both kinds of plants were formerly classified as belonging to the Geranium genus. But many Pelargonium species continue to go by...
Early spring brings out the flowers of the Bleeding Heart vine (Dicentra spectabilis), which adorns the yard with eye-catching, heart-shaped blossoms borne on arching stalks. As the plant awakens from dormancy, attractive bluish-green foliage first appears. The Bleeding Heart’s flowers can be all-white or all-pink, as with the Bleeding Heart hybrid “Alba.” What are bleeding...
