Plants

Lilly pilly is the common name for numerous species in the genus Syzygium, part of the myrtle family that also includes eucalypts and tea trees. Worldwide, Syzygium contains somewhere around 1,200 species, and roughly 50 to 75 of those are native to Australia, occurring from the Kimberley region of Western Australia across the Northern Territory, … Read more

Australia’s flora is genuinely unlike almost anywhere else on Earth, a direct result of the continent drifting in near-total isolation for tens of millions of years after separating from the rest of the ancient supercontinent Gondwana. That extended isolation let plant life evolve along its own path largely undisturbed by the species mixing that shaped … Read more

Zone 5 is where the negotiating starts. A zone colder, the answer to nearly every borderline herb is just no, full stop, no amount of mulch or clever placement changes that. Here, the answer shifts to “maybe, if you help it a little.” French tarragon, which simply doesn’t survive Zone 4’s winters, can make it … Read more

Serviceberries get their name from a piece of genuine American folklore: the plants bloom as soon as the ground thaws in early spring, and in some rural communities, that first flush of white flowers signaled that the frozen earth was finally soft enough to dig graves and hold burial services for anyone who’d died over … Read more

Rabbits can cause frustrating damage in flower beds, especially when they find young, tender growth. Fortunately, some perennial flowers are less appealing to rabbits and can provide reliable color while reducing the chances of heavy browsing. Iowa State University Extension notes that rabbits tend to avoid plants with strong aromas or dense, hairy foliage, although … Read more

Wild edible plants to forage exist in far greater numbers than most people realize, growing in lawns, fields, forests, wetlands, and coastlines across virtually every climate in North America. As with foraging anywhere, positive identification always comes first, since a number of edible plants have toxic look-alikes, and harvesting location matters just as much as … Read more

Weeds with yellow flowers make up one of the largest and most visually consistent groups in the entire plant kingdom, since yellow pigments are relatively easy for plants to produce and highly visible to the bees, flies, and beetles that most weeds depend on for pollination. That shared color hides an enormous amount of underlying … Read more

Shrubs with stickers can be some of the most useful plants in a landscape. Their thorns, prickles, or spines can create an effective living barrier around property lines, discourage browsing animals, and provide nesting cover for birds. Many are also attractive ornamental plants, producing colorful flowers, berries, fall foliage, or evergreen leaves. The term “sticker” … Read more

If you live in USDA Zone 8 and want shade quickly, you have an impressive selection of trees to choose from. The long growing season, relatively mild winters, and warm summers allow many trees to establish rapidly, particularly when they receive adequate moisture, sunlight, and sufficient rooting space. But there is an important distinction between … Read more

Finding a shade tree that grows quickly in Zone 9 is not difficult—the harder part is choosing one that grows quickly without becoming a problem later. The warm growing season in Zone 9 allows many trees to put on several feet of growth each year, especially when they have adequate moisture, sunlight, and room for … Read more