The Texas Madrone

April 6, 2010

The Texas Madrone is a wonderful evergreen tree for those looking to plant an attractive native in hardiness zones 7 through 8. It makes a great shade tree planted in your yard or next to a deck or patio. You can expect your Texas Madrone to grow up to 40 feet tall, and spread out [...]

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Birch Basics

April 6, 2010

The birch is a native of Europe and North America and comes in many different varieties, each with unique properties. For the purposes of this article, we’ll refer mostly to the Paper Birch (Betula papyrifera) which is native to North America. We’ll also talk about some interesting features of other types of birches that are [...]

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Houseplants with Red Berries

April 6, 2010

Once of the best red-berried plants for the winter months is the Ardisia crenulata, also known as the coral berry or spice berry.  It is easy to grown from seed, but the seedlings develop slowly.  Seeds sown in March or April will bloom the following spring and produce berries the next winter.  The plant grows [...]

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How to grow a Vanilla Orchid

April 6, 2010

The Vanilla orchid, (Vanilla planifolia Jacks. ex Andrews, Vanilla fragrans, Vanilla vanilla) is the source of natural vanilla flavoring. It is native to Mexico and the Caribbean and is now cultivated in tropical areas throughout the world. Madagascar is now the largest producer of vanilla in the world. In the U.S. vanilla can be grown [...]

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Apache Plume, Exotic Xeric Wonder for the Desert Southwest

April 6, 2010

The Apache Plume, Fallugia paradoxa, is a great choice for a xeric garden in arid areas of the Southwest. A shrub from the rose family, its exotic seed heads look like something that you’d find in a Caribbean coral reef rather than in the desert. The flowers themselves are an appealing light pink to white. [...]

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Jade Plant: How to Care for and Grow This Houseplant.

April 6, 2010

The Jade plant (crassula argentea) is a very popular houseplant that is a native of South Africa. They are easy to plant from cuttings and are relatively maintenance free. Jades have a long life span and can be grown as shrubs or small trees. Jades usually bloom in December when left in a room with [...]

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A Touch of Silver for Your Xeric Garden: Russian Sage

April 6, 2010

Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage) is a classic plant for your xeric or perennial flower garden. It features unusual silver-colored foliage and lovely lavender flowers springing out among the fern-like leaves. Russian Sage is a member of the mint family (Labiateae) and can actually be a good replacement for lavender in areas where lavendar is too [...]

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How to grow your own Cocoa Beans

April 6, 2010

Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) is native to tropical areas in Mexico, and Central and South America. The Aztecs and Mayas widely cultivated cacao for ceremonial as well as culinary purposes. Please see Aztec Gardens for more information on the pre-Hispanic foods of the Americas. Most people interested in growing cacao in the United States have [...]

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Caring for Rubber Plant houseplants

April 6, 2010

Looking for a carefree houseplant that grows tall and occupies a decent amount of space? The rubber plant (Ficus elastica) may be just what you’re looking for! This plant does well in just about any home or office and will provide years of indoor greenery if cared for properly. Rubber plants have unique deep green [...]

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The Scent of Lilacs

April 6, 2010

Having a beautiful purple lilac in my family’s home garden while I was growing up gave me a special fondness and appreciation for this spectacular flowering shrub. The arrival of the fragrant and colorful flower buds always meant that spring was on the way and the joys of summer were not far behind. The lilac [...]

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