Nicotiana alata [nih-ko-she-AH-na, a-LAY-tuh] is a lovely annual summer flower with a long bloom and pleasant fragrance, making it a popular choice for garden beds and window boxes. It belongs to the Solanaceae family of flowering plants, commonly called the nightshade family. You may hear it by the following common names: It comes from South … Read more
The Sago palm is a gymnosperm from the Cycadaceae family. It’s native to Japan and the Ryukyu Islands. Although widely used as an ornamental plant, the Sago palm’s main use is in the production of sago, a staple of traditional cooking in New Guinea, Brunei, Malaysia, and more. Its botanical name, Cycas revoluta stems from … Read more
Oleander is a legendary plant and was already widely cultivated when it appears in the writings of the ancient Greeks and Romans. This hardy shrub with sweet-smelling flowers is also one of the most toxic garden plants [1], and should be handled with care. What Is The Oleander Plant’s Origin? Oleander originated in North Africa, … Read more
Lantana is a pretty perennial shrub with beautiful clusters of fragrant flowers and handsome berries, prized by gardeners for being attractive and requiring very little maintenance. Unfortunately, the fact that it thrives in a wide variety of climates and soil conditions, and propagates readily by spreading and by seed, has led to it becoming an … Read more
Grown from seed each year, Centaurea Cyanus can easily add a splash of color to any garden bed or window box. It’s a beautiful plant with large, colorful flowers. Pronounced [sen-TAR-see-uh SY-an-us], the Centaurea Cyanus is also called bachelor’s button or cornflower. It’s part of the Asteraceae family and native to parts of Europe. The … Read more
Pieris (Andromeda)Common Name: Lily-of-the-valley-shrub The Andromeda are of unusual charm because of both the foliage and flowers. The most attractive one is Pieris japonica, commonly refered to as the the Japanese Andromeda. It has deep green, leathery foliage becoming reddish and bronzy in Winter. The flowers are white, bell-shaped, produced in drooping terminal clusters (panicles … Read more