Bug Poisons from a Veterinary Perspective

Being a veterinarian and a pet owner I sometimes have a different perspective when it comes to battling garden insects as many of the toxins we use to casuall

The Medlar - Strange Fruit, Whats Inside of You?

Ill bet you have never even heard of Medlar, much less eaten one. It has been popular enough in the past to place it among the food items considered de rigueur for medieval and Renaissance-era banquets and feasts put on

Introduction to the Coral Trees (Erythrina species)

Coral trees include well over 100 species of some of the most beautiful flowering trees originating from all around the globe. The following is an introductio

Anemone, the Windflower: Part 3 - The Fall-flowering Species and Hybrids

In part 3 of this 3 part series, I will discuss the fall-flowering anemone, commonly called the Japanese anemone. For extending the blooming season in your ga

Common Houseplant Pests

Those of us that keep plants in the house must be vigilant for the slightest sign of pests. Here are a few common house plant bugs and what to do about them.

Alocasia watsoniana - A Giant Jewel!

Most of the Alocasia species that I consider to be jewels are small growers suitable for a windowsill or small conservatory. However, not all Jewel Alocasias

Is it a palm Tree Or Is It a Banana Tree?

What if I told you it is neither a banana or a palm tree?

Glorious Glory Lilies

Once in a while a flower grabs the gardeners attention and screams, Buy me, buy me! Thats the way the glory lily did me when I saw its picture on a bulb bin a

Dont Say Nyet to Russian Sage

During the precious few moments when the hoses are not in our hands, we Southern gardeners pass the scorching days of summer comparing notes about what plants

Collecting foxglove seeds

Common foxgloves have spectacular blooms and are fairly easy to grow. The flowers are finished all too soon, though. In early summer you may be looking at ugl

Bed Bugs, Plantago and Aunt Bett

Of all the plants Aunt Bett and I gathered from the mountainside, Plantago was her favorite. It would cure most anything, she said. I didnt think it had much

Eucharis amazonica - the Beautiful Amazon Lily

The Amazon lily is a tropical bulb that produces clusters of fragrant, star-shaped white flowers up to three times a year. Although hardy only in tropical reg

Crown Vetch: Use with Caution

Brought from Europe to North America in the 1950s, crown vetch quickly outlived its welcome. The aggressive plant is fairly attractive, and performs well as g

Euphorbia Flowers, an introduction to the amazing Cyathia

What most call flowers on Euphorbia species are a bit more complex than that. And though the Euphorbias actual flowers are somewhat dinky and similar, the cya

The Skeleton in the Garden

Admit it. You look out the window and the landscape is pretty bleak, unless you live in the southern part of the planet. Here in Ohio (Zones 5 & 6), the view

Garden Jokes and Humor: Daves Garden Sunday Funnies 5-15-16

You supply the caption for our weekly funny image.

Plectranthus

The GRIN Website lists 24 species of Plectranthus. However, other references suggest that more than 350 species are known. Obviously much reclassification of

Cineraria Keeps Its Cool

When is a daisy not a daisy?

Cats versus House Plants

Do you wage a constant war trying to protect your house plants from your cats? Is there a dustpan in every room? Do you hear falling clay pots on a regular ba

Botany for Gardeners - Mitosis and Meiosis in Plants

Here I intend to make plant growth and reproduction at the cellular level--a very complex subject--much more understandable. As a trained scientist, I, too, h