"I can't resist these hew-KER-uhs," I told her as she rang up my purchase of three heuchera plants. *Please note that “HYOO-ker-ah” is the pronunciation given in every print dictionary and online plant pronunciation source I have consulted.
In Plant Pronunciation, Part 1, we examined some of the vagaries in the pronunciation of "people plants," or those whose Latin names honor a particular scientist or botanist. Not for Sissies -- Sisyrinchium, Anemone and Other Tongue TwistersPlease join...
Look up a couple of botanical names when you're sorting your seeds. Whether you are researching 200 year old plantation records, reading a German botanical journal, or buying seeds from Thailand, the Latin name will tell you exactly what plant is being...
It stays put and eventually forms a good-sized clump. If a plant does set seed, you can collect it and sow it fresh, using a good, peat-free sowing medium.Even better, you can take basal cuttings in the spring before there has been much growth.
So please, stay close to the garden path and keep your hands in your pockets -- we may encounter some creepy-crawlies! In this third and last article about plant pronunciation, I'd like to examine more tough-to-say plant names, this time focusing on those...
(And if you are one of the remaining 30% who are curious about plant names,contains thousands of botanical terms, their meanings and pronunciation.)This is easy once you know how to read botanical Latin.The only problem is that plant names are written...
For a more rounded, shrublike form, tip prune to encourage branching, especially when young. In a mixed shrub border, allow about 15 feet between Florida anise and other shrubs to maintain the individuality of each specimen.
Acuminata, its reddish-green leaves seem to resemble those of an avocado treeThe genus name, "Camptotheca," may be translated from the Greek as "curved sheath." It probably refers to the small, banana-like pods emanating from a central point to form a...
This form of planning is called zones of maintenance.Specimens that are known to be difficult to transplant or slow to become established should be planted in spring; this allows them a longer period of time to settle in.
I'm sitting in my office in Iowa City staring at the radar on my computer screen. Once there, I find hardly any of the building's occupants assembled. There is so much wind, water, and debris that the other side of the street is totally erased from view.I...
In the spring is has light pink or white petaled flowers and in the fall it produces a small reddish fruit. Ancient Chinese used the hawthorn berry to make a fermented beverage; archeologists have found traces of the hawthorn berry in pottery jars dating...
Different varieties of evergreen trees thrive in different regions of the United States. What are the must-haves and deal-breakers for you? They are less fragrant than most fir trees.
If you have land in a state where you can grow Christmas pines, you can do this for yourself, starting this year! Each of these trees took 6 or 7 years to reach cutting size! For plant and tree lovers, the death of these treesHowever, we can choose differently,...
The cones, which appear from 6-10 years of age, can remain attached to the tree for years.Lodgepoles can thrive in a surprising range of conditions. It is a beautiful blue-green color and can be seen growing in as many as 11 different forms.
For those of us living in most of Eastern North America; our native winterberry holly can be the preferred choice. Fortunately, through appropriate plant selection we can make our gardens truly a four season event complete with bright colours and architectural...
These are the trees we remember in our parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents gardens. The point is, there is no set list of trash trees and one man's trash is another man's treasure, right?
Miller Botanical Garden is located in Seattle, Washington.Manual of Woody Landscape Plants; Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses 'Soft Caress' is not only attractive in its own right, but especially so for gardeners...
It was just wide enough to hang a porch swing, but not very deep. Can you imagine what that sounded like from in the house? Pumping my feet, I could reach that split second where I was suspended in air, tied to Earth only by my hands holding the chains.My...
Use soil acidifying fertilizers in this latter situation.In the wild, Japanese maples grow as understory trees thus are rarely exposed to strong winds. You will find them throughout the Midwest, southern Ontario and Quebec and along the Atlantic seaboard...
This is a fundamental tool used to secure the climber and working both as an ascending and descending device. So after a few frights and bruised spots I decided to follow a short training with arborists.Arborists are the people who work on trees (‘arbor'...
Not only does this give your new tree a good drink, it's also a great way to settle the soil around the roots and to eliminate air pockets.What about mulch? Loosening and untangling the circling roots so you can spread them out in the planting hole can...
The hairy walnut is a type of laurel tree. It creates small, white blooms, and it grows up to 42 feet tall according to the Fruitipedia website. It gets it s name from the small hairs that grow on the leaves.
By fall most of the tender grasses, forbs, and plants that are eaten in spring and summer are but a memory. Birds such as wild turkey, bobwhite quail, ducks, blue jays, crows, red-headed woodpeckers and others depend upon them.
Originating in China, where it has been cultivated for at least 1500 years, it has been used for food, medicine, spiritual, and ornamental purposes.The history of the Ginkgo is fascinating indeed, but like all good stories the subject must be experienced...
This two-part series will introduce you to these less well-known cousins. However, there are a host of lesser-known ericaceous shrubs which can make admirable companion plants for rhododendrons and the like.
Part 2 of this two-part series will introduce you to more of the lesser-known ericaceous shrubs, from Ledum to Zenobia. Since many are evergreen and have leaves that turn bronzy, reddish or purple-tinted in cold weather, they can provide needed garden...
The following soil mix can be recommended:Old compost or manure is also beneficial and may be used as a replacement for leaf mould.If the plant is root-bound, gently pry apart the outer roots to help loosen them.
