Flax
Flax Overview DESCRIPTION Airy stems and pretty sky-blue flowers give flax a delicate appearance. But don’t let the frothy beauty of this tufted perennial fool you—it stands up to drought and heat with ease. Flax regularly blooms right through the dog days of summer in many areas and adds a cool wash of color to any landscape. GENUS NAME Linum perenne COMMON NAME Flax PLANT TYPE Perennial LIGHT Part Sun, Sun HEIGHT 1 to 3 feet WIDTH 9 to 18 inches FLOWER COLOR Blue FOLIAGE COLOR Chartreuse/Gold SEASON FEATURES Spring Bloom, Summer Bloom SPECIAL FEATURES Attracts Birds, Good for Containers, Low Maintenance ZONES 5, 6, 7, 8 PROPAGATION Division, Leaf Cuttings, Seed, Stem Cuttings PROBLEM SOLVERS Drought Tolerant, Groundcover, Slope/Erosion Control Flax Planting Ideas Flax grows as a large carpet of color in its native environments of Europe and Asia. For a pleasing look in the garden, flax can…
Fir
Fir Overview DESCRIPTION Fir, a tree that is part of the pine family, brings a pyramidal form and and regal mountain magnificence to residential landscapes. This tree is valued for soft needles, upright cones, graceful branches, and strong fragrance. It’s no wonder that fir cultivars are frequently chosen by the American Conifer Society as Conifer of the Year. Native to cool, mountainous regions across the globe, firs thrive in moderate climates with adequate moisture and fertile soil. Plant firs in their ideal growing conditions and enjoy these slow-growing, long-lasting trees for decades. Tall, stately firs make an excellent evergreen screen in large landscapes because their densely needled branches will block views to neighbors. Don’t have space for fir trees in your landscape? There are many shrub varieties that add year-round color to perennial beds, foundation plantings, and low-maintenance shrub borders. GENUS NAME Abies COMMON NAME Fir PLANT TYPE Tree LIGHT…
Fig
Fig Overview DESCRIPTION Figs often fetch high prices at the grocery store or farmer’s market, but it’s easier than you may think to grow your own—if you live in the right climate and have room for one or more of these shrubs. A large fig can produce plenty of fruit, giving you enough to enjoy along with leftovers to share with friends and neighbors. Because they can grow into relatively large shrubs, figs can help provide privacy or create a visual screen with their dark green foliage. GENUS NAME Ficus carica COMMON NAME Fig PLANT TYPE Fruit, Shrub LIGHT Sun HEIGHT 8 to 20 feet WIDTH 10 to 20 feet FLOWER COLOR Green FOLIAGE COLOR Blue/Green SPECIAL FEATURES Attracts Birds, Fragrance, Low Maintenance ZONES 6, 7, 8, 9 PROPAGATION Leaf Cuttings Eating Figs Fresh figs are delicious sun-warmed and fresh off the plant. Ripe figs should be soft to…
How to Plant and Grow Ficus
A versatile and tough group of plants often grown indoors, ficus comes in many forms, ranging from creeping vines to giant trees. Its glossy leaves grow in a variety of colors and patterns, and even though this cousin of the edible fig is a tropical plant, it survives in various conditions. The 850 species span a wide range of looks. Leaves grow dark burgundy on the rubber plant, diamond-shape on the weeping fig, small-as-a-pinky-nail on some creeping varieties, and as large as a football on others. Gardeners in zones 10-11 can grow ficus trees outdoors year-round. Those in cooler zones grow them in containers that can be moved indoors when frost nears or as houseplants. Some varieties can tolerate the chilly temperatures in zones 6-9 with a lot of help. Ficus sap is toxic to pets.1 Ficus Overview GENUS NAME Ficus COMMON NAME Ficus PLANT TYPE…
How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Fenugreek
Add this annual herb to your garden for its tasty leaves and seeds. PHOTO: DEA / E. BANFI / GETTY IMAGES Long grown as a food source, spice, and medicinal herb1, fenugreek is a relative of peanuts, beans, and other members of the legume family. Fenugreek is native to dry regions around the Mediterranean. Today, it’s especially popular in India and is a major food ingredient in the region. In the U.S. this annual herb isn’t common to gardens, but it deserves to be more widely grown for its tasty leaves and seeds, plus its pretty flowers. Fenugreek Overview GENUS NAME Trigonella foenum-graecum COMMON NAME Fenugreek PLANT TYPE Annual, Herb LIGHT Part Sun, Sun HEIGHT null to 2 Feet WIDTH 3 to 6 Inches FLOWER COLOR Purple, White, Yellow FOLIAGE COLOR Blue/Green PROPAGATION Seed Where to Plant Fenugreek Fenugreek prefers full sun to part shade, and well-draining soil for best growth…
Fennel
Fennel Overview DESCRIPTION There are two different types of fennel. Both forms sport feathery foliage, similar to dill leaves, and have a pronounced anise or licorice flavor. The type grown as an herb—common fennel—features finely textured foliage that reaches 3 to 5 feet tall. Stems, leaves, and seeds from common fennel are harvested for use in culinary dishes. Florence fennel—the second type—is grown like a bulb-type vegetable. Shorter than common fennel, Florence fennel has dark green foliage and develops a large, flat rosette of stems at the base of the plant. This cluster of stems is often called a fennel bulb. GENUS NAME Foeniculum vulgare COMMON NAME Fennel PLANT TYPE Herb, Vegetable LIGHT Part Sun, Sun HEIGHT 1 to 3 feet WIDTH 1 to 2 feet FOLIAGE COLOR Blue/Green SEASON FEATURES Fall Bloom, Spring Bloom, Summer Bloom SPECIAL FEATURES Attracts Birds, Fragrance, Low Maintenance ZONES 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,…
How to Plant and Grow Evening Primrose
With brilliant yellow, pink, or white cups or goblets, beautiful evening primroses are so easy to grow that you’ll see them thriving uncared for along roadsides. Their cup-shape flowers of various sizes open during the day, and many are wonderfully fragrant. Take note, though: Some spread enthusiastically and need control. Evening Primrose Overview GENUS NAME Oenothera COMMON NAME Evening Primrose PLANT TYPE Perennial LIGHT Sun HEIGHT 6 to 12 inches WIDTH 8 to 24 inches FLOWER COLOR Pink, White SEASON FEATURES Fall Bloom, Spring Bloom, Summer Bloom SPECIAL FEATURES Attracts Birds, Fragrance, Good for Containers, Low Maintenance ZONES 10, 11, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 PROPAGATION Division, Seed PROBLEM SOLVERS Drought Tolerant Varieties of Evening Primrose ‘Greencourt Lemon’ Missouri Sundrops Oenothera macrocarpa ‘Greencourt Lemon’ has pale greenish-yellow goblet flowers on red stems. Each flower may reach 5 inches across, and the plants grow 6 inches tall. Plant…
How to Plant and Grow Euphorbia
Euphorbia is a large genus of plants, consisting of thousands of annual and perennial species, many of which make beautiful and hearty landscape plants. Euphorbias come in a variety of shapes and sizes, many boasting cacti-like leaves and colorful striations of red, white, and more. Nearly all euphorbia species are succulents, and those that aren’t are best described as woody shrubs or herbaceous plants. Many exude a sticky white latex sap from their stems, which is a known irritant to humans, dogs, and cats. Marty Baldwin. Euphorbia Overview GENUS NAME Euphorbia COMMON NAME Euphorbia PLANT TYPE Annual, Perennial LIGHT Part Sun, Sun HEIGHT 6 to 36 inches WIDTH 6 to 36 inches FLOWER COLOR Green, Pink, Red, White, Yellow FOLIAGE COLOR Blue/Green, Chartreuse/Gold SEASON FEATURES Spring Bloom, Summer Bloom SPECIAL FEATURES Good for Containers, Low Maintenance ZONES 10, 11, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 PROPAGATION Stem Cuttings PROBLEM SOLVERS Deer Resistant,…
Euonymus
Fall brings out the best color in this versatile group of plants. Euonymus Overview DESCRIPTION This group of plants consists of trees and low-growing shrubs with variable habits that make them valuable in different garden designs. Perhaps the most familiar species is the burning bush, which is widely planted for its brilliant red fall color. Many other euonymus varieties also feature stunning fall color, as well as showy fruits—typically hot pink and orange—or their sprawling evergreen habit. GENUS NAME Euonymus COMMON NAME Euonymus PLANT TYPE Shrub LIGHT Part Sun, Shade, Sun HEIGHT 3 to 8 feet WIDTH null to 15 feet FLOWER COLOR White, Yellow FOLIAGE COLOR Blue/Green, Chartreuse/Gold SEASON FEATURES Colorful Fall Foliage, Winter Interest SPECIAL FEATURES Attracts Birds, Low Maintenance ZONES 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 PROPAGATION Division, Seed, Stem Cuttings PROBLEM SOLVERS Deer Resistant, Good For Privacy, Groundcover, Slope/Erosion Control Colorful Combinations Many species of euonymus are…
How to Plant and Grow Eucalyptus
Hang a few sprigs of this aromatic plant in your shower. Known for its menthol-like scent and as a filler in cut flower arrangements, eucalyptus plants can also be grown as container plants and showy annuals. These tough trees, hardy in Zones 8-10, have over 700 species available, and most are native to Australia. Although some of these plants can reach over 200 feet tall, they can be used seasonally in many gardens and even as a houseplant. Eucalyptus is grown for its potent essential oils, commonly derived from the E. globulus. These fragrant oils are used to scent perfumes and fragrances. All parts of the eucalyptus plant produce these oils, but they are most commonly derived through steam distillation of the leaves. Eucalyptus bark, leaves, and oil are considered highly toxic to both humans1 and most animals.2 In fact, koala bears—who dine almost exclusively on eucalyptus leaves—can only tolerate the leaves because of the unique…