Euphorbia Caput-Medusae (you-phor-bi-ya ca-put me-dus-sa) is a unique succulent plant native to South Africa. While the Euphorbia genus contains many exciting species, the Caput-Medusae is the most fascinating. The species name Caput-Medusae references the famous character from Greek mythology, Medusa. Medusa was known to have living serpents as hair and that whoever looked into her … Read more
Kalanchoe tubiflora (kal-un-KOH-ee too-bih-FLOR-uh) is a succulent plant native to Madagascar. It’s a fast-growing plant that is low-maintenance and easy for gardening novices. The plant grows upright with a single stem, sometimes up to 3′ tall. It thrives in crowded conditions similar to its native habitat. The plant grows well outside, assuming you live in … Read more
Horticulturally speaking, Mexico is a country of great intrigue because its varying altitudes give it a wide climatic range. Varied Plant Lives This results in extremely varied plant life, including both tropical and temperate kinds that come from all over the world. When I was in Mexico City during February, a metropolis that boasts an … Read more
Many amateur gardeners say that growing alpines from seed is a complicated procedure, not to be attempted in the home garden. I have grown thousands of alpines here in my Pennsylvania garden, and find that raising them from seed is both a simple and pleasant pastime. The first, and one of the most important steps, … Read more
Most woody plants have green leaves throughout the growing season, but some have different colored foliage in the early Spring, and because of this, they may be given special varietal names. These colors may be pronounced – for a few weeks as the plants start into growth -but in many plants, these colors gradually give … Read more
What, to plants, is the meaning of shade? Have we ever asked ourselves why the sunflower loves the sun, the wood anemone the woods? Why is it that certain plants can be grown successfully in partial or even dense shade while others scarcely seem able to exist without abundant sunlight? The two plants cited have … Read more
If you were to order from a nursery a couple of dozen small rhododendrons and/or azaleas in the fall to grow in your garden for future landscaping purposes, how would you plant and prepare them for winter months ahead? Although spring is the orthodox season for planting rhododendrons, they can also be set out early … Read more
If you’re looking for a beautiful and easy to care for cactus, Notocactus scopa is an excellent option. Notocactus scopa is a type of cactus that is native to South America. It is part of the greater Notocactus family, which includes over 100 different species. Notocactus scopa specifically gets its name from the Latin word … Read more
Rebutia fiebrigii is a member of the cactus family, native to Bolivia. It is an abundant species, living in the Andes Mountains at altitudes between 7,000 – 13,000 feet. In their native habitat, they grow on rocky slopes, plateaus, and grassland valleys that are fully exposed to the elements. Because of the harsh conditions, Rebutia … Read more
No one could fairly call the shagbark hickory (Carya ovata) beautiful. It is a little on the rough-diamond side, with strong, often ungainly limbs that seem to have a variety of individual ideas on where or how to grow. coupled with a determination to carry them out. If shagbarks were human they would probably wear … Read more