Articles

Carpetweed, Mollugo verticillata

Carpetweed lives up to its common name by quickly forming a flat mat over the ground. This prostrate summer annual is common in disturbed areas – gardens, new or thin lawns, and roadsides. Find out more about this common weed in this article.

Silver spotted skipper, Epargyreus clarus

Skippers are a group of small butterflies with quick, darting flights. The silver spotted skipper is one of the largest skippers. This chocolate-colored butterfly is easily identified by the conspicuous white or silver spot on the underside of its hind wing that gives it the common name. Read about this common, but often overlooked butterfly, in this article…

Fennel, Foeniculum vulgare

Fennel is a great ornamental edible, with ferny fronds that add textural contrast in plantings, as well as tasting great. To learn more about this versatile plant in this article.

Black swallowtail, Papilio polyxenes

If you’ve seen a large, mostly black butterfly lately, chances are it was a black swallowtail, a very common butterfly of eastern North America. The colorful caterpillars feed on many herb garden plants while the adults nectar at a variety of flowers. To learn more about this species and how to encourage it in your garden, read this article…

Cenchrus (Pennisetum) ‘Fireworks’

The annual purple fountain grass cultivar ‘Fireworks’ offers pink variegated foliage in an arching form that provides great contrast in color and form. Learn more about ‘Fireworks’ grass in this article.

Black-eyed Susan Vine, Thunbergia alata

Black-eyed Susan vine is a good choice for a vine with showy flowers in the yellow and orange range. Thunbergia alata is actually a tender perennial that grows fast enough to be used as an annual in cooler climates. To learn more about this African native, read this article.

Field Pennycress, Thlaspi arvense

Field pennycress is one of many weedy plants in the mustard family. Distinctive seed pods with a bottle-brush-like appearance makes this plant very noticeable. Learn more about this introduced weed in this article.

Giant Deadnettle, Lamium orvala

Lamium orvala is a tall, clump-forming plant with whorls of spotted purple-pink flowers, resembling orchids, in spring. Big leaves also provide good contrast in gardens. To learn more about giant deadnettle in this article.

Beetles (Coleoptera)

The beetles are the most numerous group of insects, with both pest and beneficial species. Regardless of whether they are plant feeders, scavengers, or predators, the adults all have the first pairs of wings hardened into sheaths that cover the abdomen. To learn about some of the most common types of beetle, read this article…

Dandelion, Taraxacum officinale

Those cheerful yellow flowers are everywhere in spring. Dandelion is a European species that has made itself at home throughout North America. A menace to gardeners and homeowners looking for a lush, green lawn, this plant can also be cultivated or foraged as food. You can find out more about this ubiquitous weed in this article…

Ramps, Allium tricoccum

There aren’t many native woodland plants that also double as vegetables, but the spring ephemeral Allium tricoccum is one. To find out more about this perennial plant, read this article…

Mayapple, Podophyllum peltatum

Mayapple is a native wildflower with distinctive, deeply lobed, umbrella-shaped leaves. It forms dense colonies in open deciduous woodlands and other shaded sites and makes a wonderful groundcover for a woodland garden or naturalized setting. More details about this unique herbaceous perennial, along with general care, are found in this article.