Epazote
Epazote Overview DESCRIPTION Epazote is a pungent tender perennial most commonly used in Mexican cooking. Use the leaves fresh or dried in bean dishes and soups. Epazote blends well with oregano, cumin, and chiles, but on its own it has a strong flavor that some compare to kerosene. Mature plants grow 2-3 feet tall. Epazote prefers a dry, sunny site, but isn’t particular about growing conditions. In fact, it readily spreads throughout the garden unless you contain it and remove flower stalks before they set seed. GENUS NAME Dysphania ambrosioides COMMON NAME Epazote PLANT TYPE Herb LIGHT Part Sun, Sun HEIGHT 1 to 3 feet WIDTH null to 3 feet SPECIAL FEATURES Good for Containers, Low Maintenance ZONES 10, 11, 8, 9 PROPAGATION Division, Seed PROBLEM SOLVERS Drought Tolerant
English Ivy
Growing English Ivy You can grow this vine a number of ways in your home. Its trailing stems are perfect for growing in hanging baskets suspended in front of a window or on a shelf. Its pliable stems also make English ivy a classic plant for topiaries, so you can grow it up a moss form to add a touch of elegance to your favorite room. English ivy’s air-cleaning abilities make it a perfect plant for bright bathrooms, bedrooms, and offices. English Ivy Care Indoors, grow English ivy in a spot with medium to bright light. The plant tolerates low light, but over time it tends to get weak and spindly. But if you have a low-light spot that’s perfect for English ivy, try rotating it with another plant every couple of months to keep it healthy. English ivy has medium water needs, so it doesn’t want to dry out completely, but it…
Endive
Endive Overview DESCRIPTION If you love salads fresh from the garden, grow escarole and endive. They’re the basis of some of the most elegant salads.Endive and escarole are actually different forms of the same plant. Endive produces deeply cut, curled leaves with mild flavor. It is also sometimes called frisee, and is often included in mesclun salad mixes. Escarole has broad, smooth leaves and tends to be more bitter than endive.Grow either type in cool conditions for mild flavor. They become bitter in hot or dry conditions. Blanching (covering the plant with a pot to exclude sunlight) for two weeks before harvest also minimizes bitterness. By the way, take care not to confuse endive with Belgian endive, which is often cooked. GENUS NAME Cichorium endivia COMMON NAME Endive PLANT TYPE Vegetable LIGHT Part Sun, Sun HEIGHT 6 to 6 inches WIDTH 6 to 12 inches PROPAGATION Seed HARVEST TIPS Pick…
Elm
Elm Overview DESCRIPTION The mighty American elm with its distinctive vase shape and strong branches earns the popular vote as the perfect tree. While the wild form is dying out from Dutch elm disease, a host of new selections are being released that show improved resistance to this disease. New varieties of Chinese, or lacebark, elm combine the best of the American elm’s graceful shape with lacy foliage and showy bark. Cultivars of the Siberian elm survive the rigorous conditions of the Plains and Mountain states. GENUS NAME Ulmus COMMON NAME Elm PLANT TYPE Tree LIGHT Sun HEIGHT 20 to 20 feet WIDTH null to 50 feet SEASON FEATURES Colorful Fall Foliage, Winter Interest ZONES 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 PROPAGATION Stem Cuttings PROBLEM SOLVERS Drought Tolerant, Slope/Erosion Control More varieties for Elm American elm (Ulmus americana) is a stately tree with golden fall color. It can…
Elder
Elder Overview DESCRIPTION This wonderful, branching shrub features panicles of blooms that give way to their rich black berries. With foliage that comes in a variety of stunning colors, these plants make great additions to any garden. The wildlife will also appreciate their planting, as the tasty berries make snacks for the birds. GENUS NAME Sambucus COMMON NAME Elder PLANT TYPE Shrub LIGHT Part Sun, Sun HEIGHT 3 to 8 feet WIDTH 4 to 15 feet FLOWER COLOR Pink, White FOLIAGE COLOR Blue/Green, Chartreuse/Gold, Purple/Burgundy SEASON FEATURES Spring Bloom, Summer Bloom SPECIAL FEATURES Attracts Birds, Fragrance, Good for Containers, Low Maintenance ZONES 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 PROPAGATION Seed, Stem Cuttings Colorful Combinations Elders come in many different foliage colors, which makes these plants helpful accents in any garden setting. The lace-like leaves on the shrubs add a delightfully soft texture that won’t take attention away from…
Eggplant
Eggplant Overview DESCRIPTION Wonderfully versatile eggplant varies greatly from type to type. Depending on the cultivar, their fruits range in size from that of a grape to that of a football. Their fruit comes in white, yellow, red, green, violet, and purple. This wonderfully international vegetable, which originated in India, forms the basis for that country’s baingan bharta, as well as Greek moussaka, French ratatouille, Italian caponata, and a host of soups, pasta dishes, and meatless casseroles. Whether you plant them in the vegetable garden or perennial garden, give eggplants plenty of space to mature. Plants can grow 2 to 4 feet tall and wide, which means they need to be staked. Eggplants also thrive in heat like their close relatives tomatoes and peppers, so they go outside until after cool spring temperatures pass. Fruit fails to set at temperatures below 65°F. GENUS NAME Solanum melongena COMMON NAME Eggplant PLANT…
How to Plant and Grow Dusty Miller
This easy-to-grow plant is perfect for adding a splash of silver to garden beds and containers. Dusty miller is easy to grow and long-lasting. This plant seems to thrive in almost any situation and is excellent both in the ground and in a container. Dusty miller is a tender perennial that’s only winter-hardy in Zones 7-10. Otherwise, it’s grown as an annual. With its trademark silver foliage, dusty miller looks good in any combination of plantings, and it’s a good bedding plant. It also works well as a filler for cut flower arrangements. The silvery look of the leaves comes from numerous tiny white hairs that are most prominent on the undersides of the leaves and the stems. Dusty miller makes a low-maintenance bedding plant. Dusty miller is toxic to pets and can be toxic to humans as well when eaten. BHG / EVGENIYA VLASOVA Dusty Miller Overview GENUS NAME Jacobaea maritima COMMON NAME Dusty Miller PLANT TYPE…
Duckweed
Duckweed Overview DESCRIPTION Duckweed forms a fast-growing cover over pond and other water garden surfaces. Its free-floating network of disc-shape leaves spreads in a textured mat that looks like thyme foliage. The leaves, actually fronds, send out new foliage from their margins. Duckweed is a fast grower and will require thinning frequently. It is a source of nutrition for many forms of wildlife. GENUS NAME Lemna aequinoctialis COMMON NAME Duckweed PLANT TYPE Water Plant LIGHT Part Sun, Sun HEIGHT 6 to 6 inches SPECIAL FEATURES Good for Containers, Low Maintenance ZONES 10, 11, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 PROPAGATION Division
How to Grow and Care for Dracaena
Liven up almost any space in your home with these adaptable houseplants. PHOTO: BHG / PHOEBE CHEONG Dracaena is a large group of popular houseplants that tolerates a variety of growing conditions. It is grown primarily for the upright, straplike foliage that is either green or variegated. Occasionally the plants set clusters of small, fragrant, white blossoms (but rarely indoors). The small, bushy form of young plants suits mantels, tabletops, and desks. In the right conditions, the plants eventually reach 5 to 6 feet tall, making them perfect for adding life to a corner of the living room, dining room, or den. Dracaena’s narrow foliage may be completely green or include stripes or edges of green, cream, red, or yellow. Leaves start as rings around the center stem and take on the appearance of bamboo as they age. In fact, one of the most commonly grown dracaenas is marketed as lucky bamboo. Use…
Douglas Fir
Douglas fir is a beautiful, long-lived evergreen with soft, dark-green needles. It can grow to be a huge tree — more than 100 feet tall — and is native to areas of North America. It’s a favorite evergreen for growing as a Christmas tree, windbreak, and specimen plant. Douglas Fir Overview GENUS NAME Pseudotsuga menziesii COMMON NAME Douglas Fir PLANT TYPE Tree LIGHT Sun HEIGHT 20 to 20 feet WIDTH null to 30 feet SPECIAL FEATURES Good for Containers ZONES 5, 6, 7 PROPAGATION Grafting, Stem Cuttings PROBLEM SOLVERS Good For Privacy, Groundcover, Slope/Erosion Control