Genus Chionodoxa The genus chionodoxa is home to 6 species of perennial flowering plants. This small group of plants comes from the asparagaceae family and the subfamily scilloideae. Their common name is Glory of the Snow, and this comes form their habit of flowering in the high alpine in which they are native to. These …
Cichorium Intybus Known as blue daisy, blue dandelion, blue sailors, blue weed, coffeeweed, cornflower, hendibeh, horseweed, ragged sailors, succory, wild bachelor’s buttons, wild endive, but of course most commonly; common chicory. It is a member of the daisy (asteraceae) family. Common chicory is a woody perennial herbaceous plant that is native to western Asia, Northern …
Cerastium Tomentosum The snow in summer plant is a herbaceous perennial plant that is native to Italy and other alpine regions of Europe. Thankfully for the rest of the garden lovers of the world, they are a wonderfully resilient plant and have been naturalized in many other places. Snow in summer is part of the …
Catharanthus Roseus Part of the botanical family apocynaceae and the genus catharanthus, the madagascar periwinkle is a plant that is not only valued for its ornamental quality, but for its medicinal quality as well. This superstar of a plant also goes by the names of bright eyes, Cape periwinkle, graveyard plant, old maid, pink periwinkle, …
Plumbago Auriculata Plumbaginaceae is a genus of flowering plants that are native to South Africa. The species is commonly known as the plumbago plant, though today we’re going to be covering plumbago auriculata, or more commonly, blue plumbago, Cape plumbago, cape leadwort, or sky flower. Blue plumbago is a climbing evergreen shrub. They can be …
Zantedeschia Species The calla lily is not actually a true lily from the genus liliaceae, but instead it is a member of the genus araceae that consists of 8 different species of herbaceous perennial flowering plants. The calla lily is also sometimes known under the name of arum lily. This extraordinarily beautiful flower is often …
Iberis Sempervirens Iberis is a genus of flowering plants that is part of the brassica botanical family (brassicaceae). This genus is comprised of 30 different plant types, including evergreens, annuals, perennials, and subshrubs. The name candytuft does that actually derive from the word candy (though their beautiful flowers do kind of look like lovely candies), …
Genus Cannaceae Most of you have probably heard of calla lilies, but have you ever heard of a canna lily? This flowering plant is part of the genus cannaceae that only consists of 10 species. Canna lilies are not actually true lilies, but are related to birds of paradise, heliconias, bananas, ginger, and arrowroot. The …
Genus Calceolaria Calceolaria plants are members of the genus calceolaria and the calceolariaceae botanical family. This genus consists of 388 different herbs and shrubs, though there are only a couple of hybrid cultivars that are actually available for purchase! Calceolaria plants also go by the nicknames of pocketbook flower or pocketbook plant, lady’s purse flower, …
Buddleia Davidii/ Buddleja Davidii Also known as the summer lilac, the butterfly bush gets its name because there is no other plant that can attract butterflies to your garden better than buddleia davidii. This marvellous plant stays in bloom all spring and summer long, and its evergreen leaves make it attractive all year long. This …
Borago Officinalis There’s a chance you’ve heard of borage before but heard it under the pseudonym of starflower or bee bush. This plant has been awarded these nicknames due to the shape of its beautiful flowers, and because they are an ultimate favorite landing spot for bees and other pollinators. Borage is a super fast-growing …
Genus Callistemon Callistemon plants, or bottlebrush plants (sometimes considered as a small tree, “bottle brush tree”) are a genus of large shrubs that are part of the myrtle family (myrtaceae). These are called bottlebrush plants due to their strange and peculiar flowers that look exactly like a cylindrical bottle brush! This attractive shrub grows at …
Bouvardia Ternifolia Bouvardia ternifolia is a member of the genus bouvardia, and the rubiaceae family. This genus is comprised of 30 or so flowering plants that live in hot and humid climates. Some common names for this plant include the hummingbird flower, the firecracker bush, or the trumpetellia. The plant earns these nicknames because it …
Genus Brachyscome The genus brachyscome is comprised of a large variety of flowering plants in the aster botanical family (Asteraceae). This is a very simply shaped flower – as anyone would recognize this plant as being a common daisy – though it is a specific species that can only be found in Australia! The most …
For many of us, the word “ivy” brings to mind the beautiful greenery that creeps up a garden wall or the side of a house. Flip through glossy brochures for private schools and elite colleges and you’re likely to see stunning photos of buildings gracefully adorned with the leafy plant. As you may have concluded, …
I never realized there were so many different types of parsley. After all, when recipes call for parsley, they almost never suggest that you use a specific kind. But then I got into cultivating herbs and using essential oils, and I discovered that there are several kinds of green garnish. Here’s a look at the …
The parsley vs cilantro debate can get as heated. Many people have a passionate preference for one or the other. Their health benefits are touted, their tastes are beloved. Ironically, it can be difficult to tell them apart. Parsley and cilantro are both herbs commonly used in cooking. They look very similar. So how do …
We all have that one bohemian family member that constantly smells of oregano. This person in my family is my mother. I was always so perturbed by the natural remedies she would prescribe me when I was feeling ill as a child; raw garlic when cold was coming on, pouring warm olive oil in the …
Calendula is basically everything we wish we could be. It’s attractive, resilient, thrives off of neglect, and stays beautiful for the majority of the year when the rest of us turn into purple, crusty cabbages during the winter months. Also known as “pot marigold”, calendula is not only an ornamental plant! But I won’t give …
Ginger root! What a beautiful thing. A staple item in a great number of cultural cuisines, this spicy, intense, fresh, over-the-top root is not just delicious, it’s nutritious! On top of that, it is surprisingly easy to grow in your own backyard garden, or even in a pot inside. With the cold and flu season …
We’ve all seen them before; walking by a farmers market and spotting an astonishing array of tomatoes. Purple tomatoes with yellow streaks, super short and fat tomatoes with tons of ridges, completely black tomatoes, small ones with red and yellow stripes… These are all varieties of heirloom tomatoes. This special fruit is such a varying …
It is common to get overwhelmed by caring for tomato plants. Other pests seem to desire them just as much as we do, they don’t like too much or too little water, and they are very prone to plant diseases. I’ve made the mistake of trying to raise tomato plants without doing enough research, and …
Winter is known as a time for the death of plants. Everything turns gray or brown and you look over the sad remains of your landscaping and garden feeling down. But you don’t have to rely on berries and evergreens to add color to your outdoor areas. There are many winter flowering plants that can …
Gardening is not only reserved for those with backyards. Gardening can be done in many creative ways, and here we’ve prepared a list of herbs that require nothing more than sunlight and a dainty cup. Once you’ve experienced the joy of going to your window sill to pick the garnish for your lovingly prepared roasted …
The world of carnivorous plants goes so far beyond the Venus Fly Trap. There are so many ways in which these remarkable plants actually trap their food, and some of them are so unique that they’ve earned themselves their own category of trapping method. 5 Types of Carnivorous Plants and How They Trap briefly explains all …
We’ve created a little series, starting with 5 Types of Carnivorous Plants and How They Trap, looking into all of the absurd ways that carnivorous plants function. We’ve taken a closer look into each and made it through pitfall traps, snap traps, suction traps, flypaper traps, and now we’re going to look into the lobster …
In the article 5 Types of Carnivorous Plants and How They Trap, we discuss exactly how these extraordinarily adaptive plants actually trap their prey. Carnivorous plants are very varying in where they choose to live and how they function. There are 5 different ways that carnivorous plants trap: flypaper traps, snap traps, suction taps, lobster …
Humans should always be taking advice from nature. Especially when it comes to dealing with pests. Everyone is familiar with those nasty flypaper traps we hang in our summer cabins and kitchens. The ones that dangle from the ceiling like twirly cemeteries for unlucky flies. Turns out that we got that idea from plants. The …
A healthy garden makes a happy home, and if taken care of, it can sustain you throughout every season (curious about food preservation? Read about it here!) We discuss symbiotic gardening practices in a previous article and wanted to create a more comprehensive list of great pairings to make in your fruit and vegetable garden. …
There truly is only one celebrity when it comes to the land of carnivorous plants. Whenever anyone mentions carnivorous plants, the mind immediately thinks of the Venus Fly Trap. But it does the entire family of plants injustice to ignore the others! Doing research into the different types of carnivorous plants and how they operate, …
Alright, what you are about to read may possibly be one of the strangest descriptions of plant life that you have ever come across. I had never heard of a Waterwheel plant before researching this, and my life will never be the same going forward. 5 Types of Carnivorous Plants and How They Trap gives …
Fresh basil is a herbaceous plant that belongs to the mint or Lamiaceae family. They originated in India where the people used them as a spice and as medicine for over 5,000 years. There are 160 varieties of basil that vary in size, leaf and flower color, chemical composition, and aroma. Fresh basil has high nutritional …
Cilantro is an annual flowering plant that belongs to the parsley family. It originated from South Europe, North Africa, and West Asia and was first cultivated in 2,000 years B.C. It was cultivated in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and was one of the most popular spices even in ancient Egypt and Greece. The ancient …
Green onions can be any type of onion that has been picked before it’s fully grown. These baby or immature onions are different from bulbing onions in both appearance and taste. What do Scallions Look Like? Green onions have a sleek linear shape with white or pale-green bulbs and long green tops. Both the bulb …
Asparagus is a flowering herbaceous perennial plant that belongs to the Asparagaceae family. It is also a distant cousin of the onion and considered a part of the lilaceae family. It originated in Europe, North Africa, and West Asia and has been consumed for more than 2,000 years. It’s popular in ancient Egypt as evidenced by a number …
Basil is one of the most popular and widely used herbs in a number of cuisines. While we are familiar with the sweet basil, there are actually plenty of types that come with a variety of colors and flavors. Growing one in your garden is a good choice as they are not just ornamental but …
Plants such as oregano have a wide variety of uses. Many people use common oregano when cooking (to add spice to their meal), but did you know there are many different types of oregano plants, and they each have their own unique benefits. Some oregano plants are edible while others are only to be used …
Eggplants or aubergines are flowering plants that belong to the nightshade family. Botanically, the eggplant is also considered a berry fruit while culinarily they’re considered a vegetable. It originated in India and has been cultivated in both India and China for over 1500 years. The earliest written record about the benefits of eggplants existed in …
Silvermound or Silvermound Artemisia is a dwarf plant with the scientific name Artemisia schmidtiana. Silvermound is the name of a specific cultivar of this plant. Other names for this cultivar include “nana,” and a name that most people will be familiar with, “wormwood.” Although the name might allude to a burial spot that contains the …
Skunk cabbage is a perennial wildflower that is found in wet, swampy areas in forests. It is part of the Araceae family and has the scientific name of Symplocarpus foetidus. This plant is found in Eastern Canada, Northern United States, Minnesota, Tennessee, and North Carolina. This plant appears from February through May. Related: Sun-Loving Flowers | …
The polka dot plant is an evergreen shrub that is native to South Africa, East Asia, and Madagascar. It is a member of the Hypoestes species. The scientific name for this plant is Hypoestes Phyllostachya. Other common names for this plant include polka dot plant and freckle face plant. This plant originates from Madagascar, which …
The lemon balm is an herbaceous perennial that belongs to the Melissa genus. Its scientific name is Melissa officinalis. Oftentimes, this plant is confused with the Bee Balm plant, although they are not the same. It belongs to the mint family, which is known as Lamiaceae and is native to Southern Europe and the Mediterranean …
Dictamnus Albus, also known as gas plant, belongs to the citrus family, Rutaceae. It’s a lovely herbaceous plant with extensively showy blossoms. Native to southern Europe, Asia, and North Africa, the plant is grown as an ornamental in gardens and backyards. It is also referred to as burning bush, fraxinella or dittany. The herbaceous perennial …
Also known as the Indian turnip, American wake robin, brown dragon or wild turnip, jack in the pulpit is a species commonly found in moist, rich, deciduous flood plains and woods where it can thrive under the shade. With the scientific name of Arisaema triphyllum, a jack-in-the-pulpit plant (also written as jack in the pulpit) is …
The scientific name for the Dusty miller plant is Jacobaea maritima. It is native to the Mediterranean region and belongs to the Asteraceae family. This plant is mainly grown for its ornamental foliage. They are mainly used for landscaping and can make gardens look beautiful. Related: Sun-Loving Flowers | Water-Loving Flowers | Shade-Loving Flowers | Types of …
Various types of pruning tools are used to get rid of certain plant parts. Pruning involves the cutting and trimming of some areas of a plant for whatever purpose it may benefit the plant. The roots, buds, and branches of a plant are the targets of the pruning practice. Related: Types of Polka Dot Plants …
Roots are the non-leaf part of a plant’s body that does not bear any nodes. It is the organ that lies below the surface of the soil. Roots can also be aerial i.e. growing above the surface of the ground or aerated which means floating over the surface of the water. Roots are responsible for providing the stems …
Quicklist: Types of Jade Plants Crassula Arborescens Crassula Arborescens Blue Bird Variegata Crassula Arborescens Undulatifolia Crassula Argentea Gollum Crassula Argentea Gollum Variegata Crassula Ovata Botany Bay Crassula Ovata Harbour Lights Crassula Ovata Hobbit Crassula Ovata Hummel’s Sunset Crassula Ovata Little Jade Tree Crassula Ovata Minima Crassula Ovata Pink Portulacaria Afra Portulacaria Afra Aurea Portulacaria Afra …
There’s nothing quite like having a sea view, or breathing the sea air, or having the convenience of being able to often enjoy swimming in the sea. As much as they are powerful and to be respected, the seas can also be very relaxing, as the more peaceful the water is, the greater the tranquility …
Watching butterflies as they flutter their little wings around your garden, flying from one plant to another, can be an effective way to just relax and de-stress. But first, you need to make your garden more attractive to these colorful winged creatures. You can fill your garden with specific garden plants that can entice butterflies …