There are a few of these around here in Central NJ, so this is probably a well known landscaping shrub and I just am in the dark about what it is. But I have really fallen for it -- the little buds are just like closed parasols.

Update, h/t NWLuna [Thanks!!]:

White Mountain Laurel
Kalmia latifolia

[I am going with the latifolia due to the leaf color and shape.] And it is not a common landscape shrub because it is difficult and costly to root or graft, and seeds don't grow true. It's an evergreen in the blueberry family, part shade to sun, and Luna is right, every part of it is toxic... including, honey that bees make from it. So that may well be why it isn't found around much.

More here.

Lily (maybe)

I'm pretty sure this is a lily, but that color! I don't even know how to describe it. How about blushing peach or something along those lines?

Anyway, if someone recognizes this little beauty, please tell us more. It's such a lovely flower, it deserves to be more well known.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

Click on the image for the full-size version. Click here to see the entire series.

Decomposition is so cool.

Feijoa sellowiana

Pineapple guava

This poor tree has been blooming for years, but has never produced fruit. It needs (I'm guessing) cross pollination and there's no second tree. Last year I bought seeds to grow a new one, but they didn't even sprout. I promised the tree I would find it a mate, so one way or another, it's going to have fruit -- someday.

Actually, I hope a second tree turns up, because the fruit sounds delicious -- like pineapple, but milder, or so I've read. Meanwhile, these blossoms could go in a salad. Yes, they are edible! In fact, they taste like candy. But the bees really like them, and bees are having a hard enough time without people eating their food. Over to you, bees!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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White Dogwood

Mystery plant

Here's a strange one -- this is a smallish (between 5 and 6 feet) tree or large bush growing in Zone 10. The leaves are heart-shaped and have serrated edges. (You can enlarge the image by clicking on it for a better view.)

The tree/bush is deciduous; every fall it loses all its leaves and they come back in the spring. But it has the weirdest little red "berries" growing on the branches, like raspberries but brighter red. I don't think the berries are preceded by flowers, but maybe I missed them. There's only one of these around that I know of, and I'm curious about what it might be. Look familiar?

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Lilac

Syringa

These are white lilacs, and the scent was heavenly. This is one of my favorite plants. Spring blooms form on summer wood, so if you prune them in the fall you'll never get flowers.

Dianthus barbatus

Sweet William

Not being a fan of small, fussy flowers, I tend to ignore some of the prettiest spring blooms. Today, we'll try to make up for it with a member of the dianthus family, sweet William. These spring favorites are often referred to as Pinks, although I have no idea why, since they come in a whole palette of not-pink colors.

Pinks are a huge family that includes carnations, both the florist variety (snore!) and the more interesting garden type, known as border carnations. These garden staples are easy to grow from seed, according to various sources. They do like sun and decent, fast-draining soil, preferably a bit on the alkaline side. Many of the Pink family members are fragrant, but the scent is spicy rather than flowery.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Viburnum

Virburnum x juddii

One of the most heavenly scents of spring. Right next to Lilacs. A deciduous shrub, and the blooms are followed by very decorative berries. 6-8ft tall.

Lonicera japonica

Hall's honeysuckle

Until we get Aroma-Net, you'll have to imagine how wonderful these flowers smell, because it's indescribable. This particular honeysuckle is a big favorite here in Zone 10, probably because it's a) easy to grow and b) so fragrant.

Actually, honeysuckle is so easy to grow, I'm surprised it isn't on the invasive list.
These plants tend to take over any nearby structure -- fence, wall, house, garden. The solution -- prune them back or train them to grow on a specific thingy. Or both. Otherwise, you'll be getting into Little Shop of Horrors territory pretty quickly.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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It's finally raining in the Northeast. Here's some pretty for your day.

Sargent Cherry Tree

Prunus sargentii

Beautiful single blossom cherry tree, has a small purplish fruit that birds love, in the autumn it turns a gorgeous bronze color. Without pruning it could reach 40' but under cultivation usually is trained to a more restrained height and shape.

That concludes the Cherry Tree series for this spring. Coming up, because Lex made me curious about what a flowering crab apple looks like, one of those.

Tropaeolum majus

Garden nasturtium

The perfect flower. Great colors, easy-to-grow, very low maintenance, self seeding and -- bonus! -- very tasty. This is probably the sixth year that the nasturtium patch in the backyard has bloomed, and it just gets better every year. Maybe it's my imagination, but I think the flowers are mutating or hybridizing themselves, because there are new color combinations popping up, like the one above. The flowers used to be bright orange and school-bus yellow; now some red has gotten in there. Every once in a while, a creamy beige colored flower pops up, too. Very interesting.

For more information, including recipes, try the aptly named website, nasturtiumflowers.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Decompose! Decompose!

Mystery plant

I'm fairly certain this is a succulent of some sort. At least, it sure looks like one (see image below for a better view of the plant itself). But that flower! I actually did a double take, because I've never seen a flower like that on a succulent. It looks like an anemone. But wait, it gets weirder!

This plant is growing in a vacant lot, so no one is taking care of it (you can see the long strands of grass and weeds growing near by). Someone planted it there, though, because it wasn't there a few months ago. Very odd. Anyway, I'd love to know what it is. Anyone recognize this plant?

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Pink Star Magnolia

Magnolia stellata

Spring in NJ, star magnolias against a blue sky. Heaven.

Hedera colchica

Persian ivy

At least I think that's what this is. Persian ivy has large, heart-shaped leaves and this sort of does, so I'm sticking with that unless someone has a better idea. A very popular plant here in Zone 10 for covering walls and fences. Right now, the new spring growth is so bright and shiny, it's almost a glow-in-the-dark green.

An easy to grow plant, ivy is good for holding soil. It doesn't need much in the way of care, although it does like some water. On the downside, there's not a whole lot of excitement with ivy. The green and white (variegated) varieties are as wild and crazy as ivy gets. Unless, of course, you're one of those people who likes to grow it over a wire shape and clip it to look like a poodle or a horse or a spaceship. In which case, I have a question: Why?

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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A fairly toxic plant, this is the Hellebore. This cultivar is the double flowered, nearly black, "Onyx Odyssey." The flowers face downward on the plant. This image is of an early spring bloom and so is still shading more towards purple than black.

They bloom for six weeks at the end of winter, often during the Christian Lent period, and so have been give the common name of "Lenten Rose."

Rhipsalis baccifera

Mistletoe cactus (in bloom!!!)

I'm not sure if this one is early or late to bloom -- because I've never seen the flowers before! They are small, only about the size of a fingertip, but so delicate and ethereal -- odd coming from a plant that looks like it's made from industrial tubing. Apparently, the flowers give way to fruit that is supposed to look like mistletoe fruit, hence the name.

And here's the weird part. There are two of these plants in the yard, one on the east side, one on the west. Only the one on the west side (which gets morning sun coming up over the mountain) is blooming. I wonder what that's all about.

Mistletoe cactus is easy to grow, and cuttings root quickly. It's supposed to be best in Zones 9B and 10, but I think it could grow indoors in other climates. These cacti seem to like light, but not hot, direct sun, so all you need to do is keep it warm. During winter, when the cactus is dormant, hold off on watering. In spring and summer, it's active again, so water and a little fertilizer are welcome. And this is what you get! Nice, although I am a little biased

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Prunus x Okame

Flowering Cherry Tree

Hardy zones 5-8, an early twentieth century hybrid from Britain. 20-30’ with a canopy spread of 12 to 20 feet. One of the earliest cherry trees to bloom, plant in full to part sun.

I took this picture a couple of days ago; it’s been in the mid 70s here in New Jersey. This tree is huge, and really old. It was so filled with bees that the vibration of it was like a giant hive.

What a great start to spring.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Mystery plant

For the moment, I'm calling this "Embarrassment plant." It's very common here, but I cannot remember its name. I even waited a couple weeks after shooting it, certain that the name would pop into my brain one night at about 4 am. No such luck. Time to admit defeat and ask for help.

This is a good-sized bushy plant, about 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide, in bloom now in Zone 10 (southern California). The leaves are soft and velvety. The flowers are about 3-4" in diameter. They remind me of a small, purple version of matilija poppies, but only because they appear to be made of crinkled up paper. Someone, anyone -- please put me out of my misery and tell me what this is. There's a hat tip waiting for the right answer!!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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It's Spring!!! Croci are up in the NE. These are from Connecticut. You'll find crocus from sea level to alpine Meadows, first cultivated that we know of in Crete but origins are misty and the name is possibly derived from Sanskrit.

All I know is that when they show up, snow be damned, I am starting to think about planting stuff.

Here's one of favorites:

And as a bonus, because this little guy hung around close all morning, a house sparrow:

Chrysanthemum

Lavender mums

Kind of odd seeing mums this time of year, since normally they bloom in the fall. But here they are -- making me wonder if they were grown in the southern hemisphere and shipped here, like so much of the produce in stores now.

There's something like 100-plus varieties of mums. If you count all the different colors and shapes, there must be an infinite number of possibilities. Well, maybe not infinite, but a lot! Zones 5 through 9 are ideal for growing these flowers. Provide them with full sun and moderate water. The birds and bees will thank you for it -- they love these flowers, too.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Mystery Plant

Jerz says maybe Millet Grass.

I put it in the "so ugly I might have to plant one" category. Growing full sun in NJ. 24 to 36".

Diosma, Coleonema

Breath of Heaven

If you like plants that bloom and bloom and bloom, here's one you'll love -- breath of heaven is a good-sized evergreen shrub (4 to 5 feet high) that always seems to be in bloom. The flowers are very tiny, maybe 1/4" in diameter, but there are lots of them. The flower color choices are limited to white and the pink-lavender above, but there is a variety called 'Sunset Gold,' which has yellow foliage and actually sounds pretty interesting.

Breath of heaven likes full sun, good drainage, light soil, and moderate water. The garden books say that if you break off a branch or crush the leaves, there's a nice fragrance. Since this one belongs to a neighbor, I haven't tried that. But maybe someone else has and can tell us what the scent is like.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Purple Coneflower

Maybe Echinacea?

Compare to Jerz's Grey Coneflower.

Mystery plant

Yes, another mystery plant, and it might be a tough one. This fern-like plant with little purple flowers was growing wild here (Zone 10, Southern California), so I brought one home and planted it in a shady spot in the backyard. That was two years ago. Now the offspring are turning up in potted plants all over the yard. I don't know how they got there, but they did it on their own. Spores maybe?

The stem in the center of the image above is a small avocado tree trunk, only about the size of my thumb. The flower is 1/2" - 3/4" across, very delicate little things. The scary-looking spines on the stem are actually soft and harmless. The plants remind me of something growing in an enchanted forest, mostly because they're so unlike most of the other Zone 10 vegetation. Any ideas about what these plants could be? (Click on the image for a larger view of the details.)

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Another Cattleya Orchid. :-) Enjoy.

Semi-mystery plant

Poppy of some sort

Icelandic? Oriental? Flanders Field? I've looked at so many poppy pictures that they're all running together. Please, someone take pity and identify this plant.

It's in bloom now here in Zone 10. There's another one just like it, but white, nearby, and they both have the shortest stems I've ever seen on flowers like this, only about 4 inches off the ground. Weird, but beautiful. Look familiar?

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Lily

I really like Lilies. So here's one of my favorites.

[Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series.]

Hydrangea macrophylla

Blue Hydrangea

There are deeper, richer blue hydrangeas, but this one, from far away, looked like a cloud growing on a plant, which was pretty cool! And even cooler was finding pink flowers on the other side of the plant. It seems that hydrangeas can have different colored flowers on one plant if the soil pH varies sufficiently.

Another nice thing about these plants is that they're very easy to propagate. Just snip off a branch of a healthy plant, put the cut end in a jar with some moist, sandy soil, cover it lightly and voila -- in a few weeks, you got yourself a hydrangea! You can find a lot more information on these flowers at the aptly named website, HydrangeasHydrangeas.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Was Mystery Shrub

Is now: Choisya ternata "Aztec Pearl"
[h/t insanelysane]

As I recall from last spring, this was a full sun shrub, very fragrant, about 3’ high, evergreen looking.

Under the fold is another pic, of more of the shrub.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Cruciferae

Kale

A relative of cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower, kale is commonly used as an ornamental plant in gardens. Actually, it makes an excellent salad, or you can add the leaves to soup, mashed potatoes, and a lot of other dishes. Kale is an excellent source of calcium, fiber, and a long list of other nutrients.

If you like to grow your own, kale is pretty easy. It likes moist, rich soil, nitrogen fertilizer, sun and water. Look out for aphids and if you see any, try washing them off with soapy water spray. The garden book also recommends moving the location of the kale patch around the garden each year, to prevent pests from eating them before you can.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote or Petidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Shofuso Japanese House and Garden
Horticulture Center, West Fairmount Park
Philadelphia, PA

“Shofuso, also known as Pine Breeze Villa, is a traditional Shoin-zukuri Japanese house with a teahouse and a Japanese garden located in the natural setting of Philadelphia’s West Fairmount Park…”

These summer images of the Shofuso are here to brighten up the gray of winter. This is a beautiful site in Philly’s West Fairmount Park. The interior contains murals by Hiroshi Senju painted on the rice paper walls.

More garden images below the fold.

The footbridge in the garden:

The pond:

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Calliandra haematocephala

Pink powder puff

A few months ago, this plant was a mystery that never got solved. Back then it was a simple hedge, all foliage, but fern-like and the new growth had a tendency to appear as arches of pink-tinted branches. Then this curious little cluster popped up out of nowhere on the hedge, with Plantidote clearly written all over it. So the next day, camera in hand, what do I find? Surprise!

Yes, a newly opened pink powder puff!! Mystery solved! At least if this is the right plant, it's solved. But I'd love to know if this is correct, since it's based on image searches and a somewhat haphazard selection process. So if you happen to have experience with powder puffs, please feel free to weigh in.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Viola tri-color

Pansy

I still have pansies in bloom in the bed off the patio. In New Jersey, at the end of January. This one is a really beautiful blue. See also Jerz’s post from October, for more information.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Dendrobium orchid

Any excuse to feature an orchid is okay with me, but this time, there's a really good reason -- the 20th World Orchid Conference in Singapore! Smithsonian magazine has a jaw-dropping slide show covering the "Orchid Olympics," along with a behind-the-scenes video and various articles on the flowers (the links to everything are all on the page linked to above). Even if you're not keen on orchids, this is a world-class display. Maybe even sufficiently engaging to help you forget this is Monday and that there are people in the world who would actually vote for Newt Gingrich. Yes, it's that good!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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This very interesting succulent had a tag on it that says it is a Rhodiola, also known as Roseroot or Stonecrop. I have my doubts, I think somebody switched tags since I can't find anything that looks like this that is called Rhodiola. I really liked this one, with its twisty stem.

So consider this a mystery plant. Please confirm or deny in comments.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Erica

Heath

An evergreen shrub that loves cool summers and humidity. Heath is a relative of heather (Calluna vulgaris), but it is a different plant. Some species of heath can survive frost, so there's probably a heath for every zone. In general, they like acidic soil, a steady supply of water and good drainage.

In the garden, heath is a bee magnet. It's also a good plant for holding hillside soil in place or it can be used as a ground cover. And here's a crazy idea -- according to one garden book, you can plant varieties that bloom at different times of year in the same area and have a brilliantly colored garden pretty much all year round. Genius!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Hibiscus

Rosemallow

Here's a yellow hibiscus to go with the one Jerztomato posted last October. Compare these with a related mallow, the Ilima, that twig posted in December.

Full sun, shrubs or small trees, annual or perennial, Hibiscus are found just about everywhere. This one just seemed so happy and bright, I had to put it up today to fight off the gray.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Mystery tree

There are two trees (see image below) like this growing in a wilderness park here in Zone 10. Most of the year, they're regular green trees. But in the fall, they turn bright copper-orange. In fact, the color is so unusual that it actually looks like the trees are dying, but they're not; they turn green again every spring. Also, the little seed things on the ends of the branches stay green. (Click on the image to enlarge it and get a better view of the seeds; they look like beads on a string.)

I tried googling all kinds of combinations of those words (tree, orange, fall, etc.) and got nowhere. They're striking in person, to the point that people actually stop and stare. They don't seem to be that common. In fact, these are the only ones that I've seen around here. Does anyone recognize these trees?

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Prunus Serrulata "Shirotae"

Mt. Fuji Cherry Tree

A touch of Spring here in January, as a reminder. This particular cherry tree is the Mt. Fuji. There are a number of varieties of Prunus Serrulata, and these are not the Cherry trees found in the DC Tidal Basin.

To Zone 5, height to 20’ and canopy spread averages 25 feet but it has a unique, horizontal branching system that without aggressive pruning can reach to 50 feet. The pink buds open to white flowers, pale green leaves mature into a dark green. The flowers are semi-double and fragrant.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Rose garden

It was 83 degrees here in Zone 10 yesterday, so the roses are happy and they're not the only ones Southern California usually has a warm spell during Limo Season (the weeks leading up to the Academy Awards, which is about as close to a religious event as we get). So here's a little preview of spring/summer to start the year right.

Happy New Year, everyone!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Sempervivum

house leek, live forever, hens and chicks

Claudius has sempervivum for brains! (which in my opinion is probably better than what most politicians have for brains) There are about 50 species of these succulents. 3000 are name cultivars. It's a no brainer to grow these little beauties. They are not fussy, just don't over water them or they will rot.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Mystery plant

Correntian Alcuin spotted this odd plant and wonders if anyone recognizes it. Here are some clues:

I found this on my property, which is in Southwestern Virginia in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The property is an oak-hickory forest with a good quantity of black cherry. There are also a few tulip poplars, a lot of dogwood, some Virginia white pine, and a single sycamore. Spicebush and blackhaw are the predominant understory shrubs. This plant is the only one like it that I've found on the property and all I can say is that it is about 18" in diameter and maybe 12" tall. I took this picture this past summer and when I went back in November, it had died back to a most attractive silver color. I was attracted by the spiky stalks - I had never seen anything like that before. I don't know if it is a native or an exotic. If it is an exotic, it is the only one of its kind that I've ever seen.

Here's a slightly different view (click on either image to enlarge):

It looks like a combination of Italian parsley and some kind of fern. But that can't be. Anyone know what this really is?

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Mystery tree

This is a big (20' high), beautiful tree that is situated right next to one that was in bloom through much of November and December (see image below). So actually, we're talking about two trees. The flowering one has none of the wicked looking thorn things, so I'm guessing this is a boy/girl type of deal -- maybe??

The flowers look a bit like orchids (click on the image to enlarge it for a better view). I forgot to check for fragrance and the flowers are gone now. If they were fragrant, it wasn't a very noticeable scent. At some point, the trees produce pods filled with what looks like white cotton. These trees are all over here in Zone 10, but what are they??

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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quercus

oak

Why choose an oak for the Christmas Plantidote? Well, these two small oaks remind me of poinsettias. No, not traditional red, but some those fancy hybrids that are available now barely look like poinsettias either. (yeah, that's my excuse) and when they grow up, I can cut them down and burn them as Yule logs.

There are about 600 species of oaks, 60 of them native to the US, 6 of them native to Pennsylvania, which is where I gathered the acorns. Actually, my granddaughter collected them and I took them home as souvenirs. Maybe someone can identify which variety? Here are the choices: white, black, scarlet, northern red, pin or chestnut oak.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Cotoneaster

A member of the rose family, cotoneaster grows all over here in Zone 10, sprouting out of rocky canyon walls and other inhospitable places. As it turns out, these plants actually like terrible conditions. According to the Sunset Western Garden Book:

"All [varieties] grow vigorously and thrive with little or no maintenance. In fact, they look better and produce better crops of fall and winter berries if planted on dry slopes -- where they will control erosion -- or in poor soil rather than rich, moist garden soil."

I hoped to figure out which variety is in the image, but there are a dizzying number of cotoneasters (scroll down just a bit to see the list--it's a long one!). So let's just say this is the special holiday version!

Merry, merry, happy, happy, everyone! Have a wonderful weekend!!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Chilly Chili

Capsicum Annuum

This is a great little Chili pepper plant. Long peppers, very showy color aging from yellow to red, compact, full sun and works great on the patio. Safe for children and pets as it is rated “sweet and mild.” Perennial in zones 9-10. This cultivar does not set seed.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Leucospermum cordifolium 'Flame Spike'

Pincushion protea or Nodding pincushion

Yes, we did do a protea Plantidote recently, but these plants are so interesting, why stop with only one? This is the pincushion version, which one person described as a flower that looks like a dish scrubber. As the earlier story noted, proteas are challenging to grow. And by challenging I mean just about impossible.

In their natural South African habitat, the seeds produced by the Pincushion Protea are gathered up by ants and buried in the soil. Only after a fire has killed the overgrowing plants, and returned their nutrients to the soil, do the seeds germinate to produce more of these spectacular blooms!

I'm guessing this may be why most of us have only seen proteas as cut flowers in floral arrangements, never growing in a garden. If you'd really like to know more about them, check out this page -- the macro photography alone is worth the click! Plus there's all sorts of botanical information. Pretty amazing plants!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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symphoricarpos albus

snowberry, waxberry, ghostberry, white coralberry

This shrub is native to North America (hardy zones 3-7). It isn't fussy about moist or dry conditions and you can grow it in full sun or full shade. It has pink flowers in the spring. The berries appear in the late summer and may persist until spring. The berries contain the alkaloid chelidonine, considered poisonous to humans (won't kill you, but you will be violently sick) Quail, grouse, pheasants and squirrels will eat the berries.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Mentha spicata

Spearmint

Plants in the mint family are all very attractive, have pretty flowers, and quite a few of them can be used for seasoning and making tea. They are also no-brainers to grow. In fact, the only downside is that they are, as one gardener noted, "easy to grow to the point of being invasive."

I'll second that. Mint was in the garden when I moved here almost 20 years ago, and it's still here, in spite of me pulling it up by the roots many, many times. It'll probably be here when I'm long gone. A word to the wise: grow mint in a container. Just take my word for it.

One mint plant can probably supply all your mint needs. Pinch off a leaf or two and make mint tea. Dry the leaves, crush them and use as a seasoning. Or just keep it in a windowsill as a nice houseplant. Bonus -- the purple flower spikes appear two or three times a year!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Unidentified tree at the Los Angeles Arboretum

Isn't it beautiful? Kind of like a combination of an evergreen and a weeping willow. Too bad I didn't get the name, but there was no badge on this one, so maybe someone will recognize it. Or not. Either way is fine. Because although it would be nice to know what this one is, this particular tree is not the real point of the post. That would be the following ...

... a spectacularly wonderful collection of the most famous trees in the world. Enjoy!!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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cyclamen persicum

florist's cyclamen

I am not a fan of houseplants. This plant was truly pathetic looking when I purchased it from the local big box store in July (for $1). The leaves were all yellow, but there was a hint of green in the middle. I re-potted it and fertilized it and stuck it on a windowsill. Look at her now! It turns out I had the perfect conditions for it. (high humidity, indirect light and cool temperatures)

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Sida fallax

Ilima

Yellow ilimas are the official flower of Oahu, used in lei making and as an all-around garden flower. It's a member of the mallow family, related to hibiscus. Although these blossoms resemble hibiscus, they're much smaller, only about 1" across.

Ilimas are native to Hawaii, but can be grown in USDA Zones 9 through 11. They're very hardy plants in the right climate. Here's an image of one growing in what appears to be a rock, and they're known for being drought tolerant. They're also evergreen and bloom all year long.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Red Pansy Orchid

Miltoniopsis

During the winter season, your Plantidotians will be digging into the archives, and expanding the plantidote horizon.
Today, an orchid. Exquisitely beautiful, tropical and dramatic, living pretty much on air, humidity, and being ignored.
I don’t know much about them (except I can kill them dead in heartbeat, so only visit them in captivity), so feel free to add info in comments.

This one is from the Longwood Gardens collection, Longwood PA, sometime in 2003. Former home of a member of the DuPont family, their Conservatory houses a specialized Orchid House:

• “This room houses the best of Longwood’s more than 3,200 different types of orchids. At any one time approximately 200 to 500 plants at peak bloom add color and scent the air.”

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

PLANTIDOTE GROUP FORMING: Want to help gather images and take Plantidote of the Day to the next level? Of course you do! Just email twig at the address above. http://www.floridata.com/ref/s/stro_dye.cfm

Agave attenuata (blossom)

Foxtail agave, swan's neck agave in bloom

Just when I was ready to give up on finding anything interesting to shoot for upcoming Plantidotes, one of the backyard agaves burst into bloom. The image above is a close up of the flower stalk, which is between 4 and 5 feet long!! Really -- these things are huge!

This has never happened before. According to the plantlust website, these plants bloom once after about 10 years in the ground, then die, leaving behind smaller versions of themselves. But the good news is that this stalk is still in the bud stage, so there'll be more images as the buds open. Yay, succulents!!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Lunaria annua

Money plant, silver dollar, penny flower, satin flower, moon wort, honesty

Don't you wish you could just go to your garden and get some money? In honor of OWS, I honestly recognize this annual. I'm a lousy writer, so I'll just give you the facts and you can make up your own amusing story. This plant is easy to grow in full sun or part shade. It prefers moist soil. It self sows freely and may become a pest. It attracts bees and butterflies. The caterpillars of the cabbage white feed on the foliage and the flowers have a sweet fragrance. Some people find its pollen highly allergenic. You can clean up the seed pods and save those silver dollars for future dry arrangements.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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?

It's one of those "I know what this is but can't quite remember the name" moments. All that keeps coming to mind is gallardia, which it is not. So please remind me -- what is this flower again?

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Phalaenopsis elegant 'Polka Dots'

Moth orchid

Polka dot orchids ... hmmmm, I'm not sure if this is an accident or what. Not that it matters. Orchids are the supreme beings of the plant world, imo -- they can do no wrong. Phalaenopsis have the added advantage of being easy to grow, which can't be said for all orchids. There are some fussy ones out there.

My introduction to orchids was through the Nero Wolfe mystery series by Rex Stout. The main character was a brilliant detective who had a serious thing for the flowers. Stout was a prolific writer, so reading his mysteries means reading about a lot of different kinds of orchids. That was before the intertoobz. Now you can go to orchid search engines, like this one or maybe this, and see what you've been missing.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Cleome hasslerana

Spider Flower

Annual, 3-4 feet, branching at the base only, great background flower wall. Grows in most zones, freely seeds. Hummers and bees love them. Deer avoid, grows just about in any soil condition, they do have thorns so wear gloves and have a musky scent to them that not everyone is fond of.

One of the favorites at Monticello, see here for a lovely purple version.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

PLANTIDOTE GROUP FORMING: Want to help gather images and take Plantidote of the Day to the next level? Of course you do! Just email twig at the address above. http://www.floridata.com/ref/s/stro_dye.cfm

Mystery plant

This image is just a teeny tiny part of a big shrub, which you can see more of below. It's growing in a botanical garden here in Zone 10 that specializes in warm climate plants, so there are a lot of Mediterranean, Australian and African specimens. Usually each plant has a name plate, but this one's seemed to be missing. Or it was overrun by the plant.

Whatever this is, bees absolutely love it. (You can actually see a bee inside one of the flowers on the lower left of the image above). Below you can see more of the overall plant. It's pretty big -- about 20 feet wide and maybe six feet tall at its highest point.

Look familiar? (Click on either image to expand and see details better.)

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Aster novi-belgii

Michaelmas daisy, purple aster, frost flower

This is a great alternative to the chrysanthemum for autumn bloom. It got its common name Michaelmas from the Feast of St Michael, which is September 29. It continues to bloom until heavy frost. It's easy to grow (z.3-9), likes full sun and well drained soil.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Eucalyptus erythrocorys

Red-cap gum tree

Thank you, Australia, for eucalyptus trees! In spite of Southern California's long association with palm trees, there are actually more eucalyptus here, spread over something like 150 different varieties (there are estimated to be more than 500 varieties in Australia!).

This red-cap is in a botanical garden, but it could be grown in the front yard (I wish!). It blooms throughout the year, but really gets going in fall and winter. The red-caps actually fall off, leaving behind the spectacular brushy yellow flowers. The tree itself seldom grows higher than 30 feet, but it's stunning at any size.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Kalanchoe tomentosa "Chocolate Soldier'

Teddy bear cactus, panda plant, pussy ears

Welcome to cute plant day! I swore I would never buy another living thing at one of those giant hardware stores, but one look at this fuzzy little guy and ... well, you can see how that worked out. The leaves are as soft as velvet to the touch, and the plant needs almost no water. In fact, kalanchoes seem to thrive on neglect, making this quite possibly the perfect plant.

For outdoor gardens, kalanchoes like Zones 9 and 10 best. But if you have a window with bright light, this plant can be grown indoors, too. Some kalanchoes bloom and I've read that the flowers on this type are fuzzy little bell-shaped things -- sweet! Unfortunately, I have not seen this in person. Yet. Keep your fingers crossed ....

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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foeniculum vulgare "purpescens"

bronze fennel

This perennial herb (z.5-9) has lovely fern-like bronze/smokey purple foliage that tastes like liquorice. The seeds are edible too. You may want to pick the seed heads to prevent this plant from taking over your garden as it is quite prolific. This plant attracts many beneficial insects and is caterpillar food for the swallowtail butterfly.

- - -
Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Asparagus densiflorus 'Myers'

Myers asparagus, foxtail fern

A native of South Africa, foxtail fern does best in zones 9 through 12, although it can be grown indoors anywhere. Foxtail ferns are pretty much pest free and easy to grow in a sunny spot with good drainage. Don't be fooled by their soft, fluffy appearance, though. The fronds are covered with sharp thorns.

The neon-green, 2 to 3 foot long fronds get a little color in late summer or fall, when tiny white flowers ripen into bright red fruit. The fruit is toxic, but you can save the seeds that are inside and use them to grow more plants. (Since foxtail fern is a member of the lily family, it doesn't propagate by spores, as real ferns do.) Or you can simply dig them up, divide the tubers and replant.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Kousa Dogwood

Cornus kousa

This non-native Dogwood is really beautiful, as are all dogwoods, as they flower in the spring, and this particular one just has the most impressive canopy spread as well. In the fall, however, it is covered with beautiful red fruit that is edible. Squirrels and birds love the fruit and so it rarely ends up staying on the ground as a mess for homeowners to clean up. The fruit is said to be sweet to slightly tart, and sometimes used for winemaking.

From flowers in the late spring, to a bright red fruit late summer to fall, to beautiful scarlet leaves in the fall, to exfoliating, mottled bark in the winter for wonderful texture; this is a very cool tree. Zones 5-8. Anywhere from 15 to 20’ feet in height and nearly as wide.

H/t to Jerz for the ID.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

PLANTIDOTE GROUP FORMING: Want to help gather images and take Plantidote of the Day to the next level? Of course you do! Just email twig at the address above. http://www.floridata.com/ref/s/stro_dye.cfm

Mystery plant

Ooooooo, a Halloween mystery! Actually, I'm pretty sure we've seen this small tree (shrub?) before, but can't recall the name. These berries eventually turn red, but this particular plant is in a shady spot so they may not be ripe yet. Whatever it is, it's very common here in Zone 10 and doesn't seem to be fussy about anything -- it's growing in what is basically a vacant lot. Look familiar?

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Sambucus nigra "Black Lace"

elderberry

This is a European elderberry bred for ornamental purposes. The berries and the flowers are edible (after cooking them).This flowering elderberry is sambucus nigra "Black Beauty", but the flowers are identical to "Black Lace". It's hard to believe that the other parts of the plants (bark, roots) are used for medicinal purposes, as they are toxic. Elderberries prefer full sun, but aren't fussy about soil. Birds and other wildlife will appreciate these shrubs in your garden (z.4-8) as they provide food and shelter for them.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Pinus canariensis

Canary Island pine seedling

It's the world's smallest pine tree! Only 4 inches high, this seedling was either deposited by a bird or ?? I'm so used to seeing 30 or 40 foot high pine trees that it's easy to forget they start somewhere.

These little trees spring up now and then in the backyard, but previous attempts to move them when they were tiny have been disastrous -- for the tree, anyway. So this time I'll wait until it's bigger and see if it can be relocated to a more secure area, instead of right next to a walkway. If that works, updates will follow.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Protea cynaroides

King protea

If you're looking for a "flower" the size of a dinner plate, here you go! Actually, the flowers are the little white tube thingys in the center, surrounded by bracts. King proteas are tricky to grow. They like acidic soil, good drainage and phosphorous- free plant food. But they are an amazing sight in the garden, reaching heights of five feet or more.

In their native country -- South Africa -- something like 150 species of protea grow in the wild. Unfortunately, we are pretty much limited to a handful of varieties here in the U.S. Zones 8 through 10 are best for growing protea outdoors, especially if they're just getting started. Once established, proteas can survive cold snaps. Proteas can be grown in pots, too, and kept indoors, as long as they have sufficient sunlight. Proteas make excellent cut flowers, lasting for weeks in a vase.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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sedum alboroseum "Frosty Morn"

variegated sedum

It's so easy to grow sedums. There are over 400 varieties to choose from. This one was developed in Japan.(perennial z.4-9) It likes full sun and some water. It's not picky about soil. In fact it probably looks better if grown in lean soil, as it will get floppy if grown in a good organic one. Butterflies love it.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Camellia sinensis

Black tea with lavender and cornflowers

If you're hoping to stay healthy this season, drink black tea. It's loaded with substances that have been shown to boost the immune system's bacteria-fighting abilities by 500%! Black teas are usually named for the region where they're grown, so some names to look for include Assam, Lapsang, Darjeeling, Pu Er and Ceylon. But there are many others from less well known areas.

Both green and black teas have impressive health benefits. Here's a short overview from WebMD.

The bulk of research shows that regular tea drinkers, people who drink two cups or more a day, have less heart disease and stroke, lower total and LDL (often called "bad") cholesterol, and that they recover from heart attacks faster.

Some laboratory tests also show that black and green tea may help boost metabolism to aid weight loss, block allergic response, slow the growth of tumors, protect bones, fight bad breath, improve skin, protect against Parkinson's disease, and even delay the onset of diabetes.

Considering that most tea is not very expensive, that's a pretty good return on your investment!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Globe Amaranth, “Strawberry Fields”

Gomphrena haageana

A really pretty annual (perennial zones 9-10), this is a beautiful red globe amaranth. Height to 2.5’ and spread 1.5’. Should be seeded heavily and early due to low germination rate and slow start. They are a bit thin and work nicely as edging and contrasts, but a patch of these in bloom, with the strawberry buttons all nodding in the wind, is quite mesmerizing.

They make wonderful dried flowers for arrangements. The red “flower” is actually the bracts – the flowers are teeny tiny yellow things, see here.

See here for a great arrangement of cut flowers.

More pictures here, as well as good information.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Rhododendron

Azalea

There are something like 2,683 different kinds of azaleas. Actually I just made up that figure, but there are a lot of different kinds of azaleas. My favorite garden book says there are more than 10,000 named varieties of rhododendron, which includes azaleas. Since I haven't been able to find anything more precise, let's just go with "a lot" -- unless someone has a source they'd like to post.

The azalea in the image above is an evergreen, as opposed to deciduous, and it's getting on in years. I'd guess it's probably 20 years old. In spite of that and the fact that I do nothing for these plants -- they're living in the shade, in clay soil that never gets fertilized -- they blossom without fail every couple of months. And not just a few flowers. These bushes are covered with purple or white blossoms for weeks at a time. The only downside is that the white flowers turn brown when they die and linger on the plant, but they're easy to clip off.

Zone-wise, it seems there are azaleas for everyone! The Azalea Society of America considers Zones 4 through 9 ideal, but here we are in Zone 10 with no problems. People in colder climates can grow these, too, if they keep them indoors, at least during winter. Azaleas do very well in a cool room with bright, indirect light. You can also create bonsai with them, which is so exquisite, it's mind-boggling.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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gaura lindheimeri "Siskiyou Pink"

gaura, butterfly gaura, bee blossom

This North American native (perennial in z.5-9) likes full sun and is drought tolerant. Due to its long taproot it can be difficult to transplant. If you want it to bloom profusely, don't fertilize it. Siskiyou Pink was a mutation found in 1994 at Siskiyou Rare Plant Nursery.
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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Yucca aloifolia

Spanish bayonet

This is a "bud" on a yucca that's never bloomed before. Since it's just starting to open -- and opening one of these flowers is a longer, slower process than most plants -- I thought it might be fun to show it in various stages. This is Day One, which is actually the first day I noticed it had a bud. Eventually, this little bud will be several feet long and spectacular! Stay tuned ...

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Spectabilis'

Spectacular Bamboo

I really love bamboo. It is notoriously invasive, however. But this rather rare form is one of my favorites: Spectabilis.
It has golden yellow culms (sections) with green stripes (sulcus) and strong red nodes. In the spring the colors are so brilliant and in the sun the delicate shoots are all bright red. It can go from 2 feet to 25 feet in five years, is hardy zones 5-10. It is a very upright form of bamboo but has some culms that are curvy in contrast to the generally straight ones. The culms themselves are 1-2” in diameter, so good for making trellises and stakes.

It has very dark green leaves that contrast with the stalks beautifully. The rhizomes are only about 4 inches under the soil, and so while they can travel fast they are also easy enough to reach and keep under control. The Canopy has a good compact spread and these make a great privacy hedge.
More (really good) spring pictures here, as well as information.

This is the small clump I came across. Only about 15-20 ft tall so maybe 4 years old.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Trichocereus pachanoi or Echinopsis pachanoi

San Pedro cactus

San Pedro cactus is more famous for being a source of mescaline than for flowers, but the flowers are still awesome. The buds are fuzzy gray balls that look like cat toys. (You can sort of see one on the right, just beneath the two open blooms.)

The buds stay that way for weeks and then one day, if you're lucky, you'll discover that they've opened into these incredible flowers. I say "if you're lucky" because the flowers last less than 24 hours, so if you miss opening day, you're pretty much out of luck.

After one whole day of blooming, the flowers wither and turn black. The dark thing protruding just above the single bloom on the left is a flower from two or three days ago. Here's an image of a much more prolific San Pedro than mine. I've read that the flowers are fragrant, but mine only blossom at the very top, which is about 15 feet above the ground, too far to tell.

San Pedros are very easy to grow, as long as you're in Zones 8 through 10. A few sources say they can be grown indoors, but you better have high ceilings, because a San Pedro can grow to heights of 20 feet or more. Of course, if the cactus starts outgrowing its space, you can always lop off a few feet and use the cutting to start a whole new cactus!
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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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fucshia triphylla "Gartenmeister Bonstedt"

fucshia

All fucshias are New World plants. Fucshia triphylla was discovered by Charles Plumier, a French Jesuit missionary around 1690. "Gartenmeister" is a hybrid created in 1905 in Germany. This is a tender perennial (z.9-11). I generally don't buy such plants for my garden, but I couldn't resist the price (25c) A local store does a fucshia week every spring. They sell fuschia "starts" in 3" pots so you can afford to go crazy if you want to. I will put it in the greenhouse for the winter, but if it doesn't survive, I'll just have to get another one next year.
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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Cucurbita maxima or Cucurbita moschata

Kabocha squash or Japanese pumpkin

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the pumpkin in half. This is probably the hardest part of the entire process, because the pumpkin's skin is very tough. I use the biggest, heaviest knife and rock it back and forth while pushing downward. Scoop out the seeds, place both halves cut side down in a baking dish and add about 1" or so of water. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the flesh is soft enough to remove easily.

Carefully (it's hot!) scoop out the flesh and put in a bowl, add 1/4 cup butter, a tablespoon or two of brown sugar, and whatever else you like -- garlic bits, chives or scallion slices, hot pepper flakes and/or salt and pepper. Mix all the ingredients well. Eat.

There are other ways to cook kabocha squash, including a method that involves wrapping it in foil so the skin is softened enough to make it edible. I've never tried that, but it sounds like a good idea, since most nutrients are usually just beneath the skin. Also, with this method, there's no need to cut the pumpkin in half.

You can also use the cooked pumpkin to make Pumpkin Spice Bread -- indescribably delicious! In fact, you can make all kinds of things with kabocha -- including soup, stew and even pancakes!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Hypericum revolutum

Curry bush

Shrub or small tree native to South Africa, and a relative of St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum), an herb sometimes used to treat depression. Curry bush's name comes from the fact that the leaves release a curry-like scent if they're crushed or after a rain. The leaves and flowers can be used in cooking, but the flavor will be much milder than actual curry, which is a combination of various spices.

Curry bush likes a mild climate, full sun and good, well-draining soil. Prune after flowering to encourage more blooms.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Albizia julibrissin "Summer chocolate"

chocolate mimosa, black silk tree

The original chocolate mimosa was discovered in 1990, among some seedlings grown by Masato Yokoi in Japan. The original green leaf mimosa hails from China. In many areas it has escaped cultivation and is a nuisance. I haven't read anything about Chocolate Summer being a problem. I know I won't have to worry, as it never blooms for me, no flowers = no seeds = no pesky seedlings.

- - -
Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Amaryllis belladonna

Belladonna lily, naked lady

Please click on this image and enlarge it -- spectacular!! Corrente's Eureka Springs sent it in, along with the one below, showing how they look in a yard. Wow!!

Belladonna lilies are South African natives well suited to Zones 7 through 10. They're drought resistant and not particularly fussy about soil type. Fragrant, leafless blooms appear in August, when everything else is pretty much toast.

Thanks ES -- wonderful job, as always!!
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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

PLANTIDOTE GROUP FORMING: Want to help gather images and take Plantidote of the Day to the next level? Of course you do! Join us by clicking the Join Groups menu item to sign up or email me at the address above!

Click on the image to see a larger version. Click here to see the entire series.

Canna

Beautiful, reliable, impressively tall – the Canna Lily. Not a true lily, in class of its own. They can be grown in most zones, require 6-8 hours of full sun a day, and protection in zones with winter cold.

These caught my eye because of the really elegant soft pink color of the blooms.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

PLANTIDOTE GROUP FORMING: Want to help gather images and take Plantidote of the Day to the next level? Of course you do! Just email twig at the address above. http://www.floridata.com/ref/s/stro_dye.cfm

Nerium oleander

Oleander

Oleanders are big (20 feet tall or more), impressive bushes that bloom almost all year long. They're used here in Zone 10 for privacy hedges and to landscape areas that aren't very plant friendly, like roadsides and freeway interchanges. There's a huge range of colors and different flower forms. Some are even fragrant, but I have no idea what they smell like.

There's only one downside to oleanders -- they're poisonous. Actually, the milky sap is the problem, but it's not one to take lightly. Children should not play around these plants and if you have a pet that likes to chew on branches, an oleander could be lethal. Even inhaling smoke from a burning oleander can make you sick. Other than that, though, these plants are great -- extremely low maintenance and drought tolerant. Interesting fact: Galveston, Texas, has the largest collection of oleanders anywhere in the world!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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caryopteris incana "sunshine blue"

bluebeard, blue mist shrub

What a great little sub shrub! Bluebeard is an easy to grow, drought tolerant, deer proof, bee and butterfly attracting shrub. (z.5-9) If you don't like the yellow foliage, it also comes in gray. The only negative thing I could find is that its botanical nomenclature is unappealing (IMHO) Caryopteris is from the Greek: karyon (nut) and pteron (wing)

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

PLANTIDOTE GROUP FORMING: Want to help gather images and take Plantidote of the Day to the next level? Of course you do! Join us by clicking the Join Groups menu item to sign up or email me at the address above!

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Chrysanthemum morifolium

Florists' chrysanthemums

There's not much exciting plant-wise here at the moment, but a really nice person at a local flower shop let me wander around the shop and take pictures. This mum was my first choice, just for the colors. Sometimes it's good to go a little over the top

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Celosia

Cockscomb or Chinese woolflower

There are two kinds of celosia -- the plume version, shown above, and the "cockscomb" style, below. Both are available in spectacular colors that could have been taken straight off a Peter Max poster (look him up, you young 'uns).

Celosia like full sun and long, hot summers, but they can be grown in most any zone. Since they're annuals, they'll die out no matter how mild winter may be. The "flowers" on both versions can be cut and dried for colorful fall or winter arrangements.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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anemone x hybrida

Japanese anemone

The Japanese anemone is really native to China, but introduced to Japan during the Tang dynasty. They are slow to establish, but once they are, they are long lived (z.4-8) and can actually become a garden thug. They do best in light shade and well drained soil. Anemones are not drought tolerant.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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UPDATE: The former mystery pods have been identified, thanks to NomNomNom, who emailed me this link showing how the pods look while still on the tree, before turning brown, like they are in my image. What appears to be a little flower at one end of the pod is a sort of "collar" in the area where the pods are attached to the branch.

Thanks, as always, for solving this mystery, NNN. Your hat tip collection must be huge by now!

These funny little pods were on the sidewalk on a nearby street. There was a Candelillo tree (Tecoma stans) nearby, but I'm not sure if these came from there or not. These are definitely not Candelillo blossoms. They look like this:

Has anyone seen pods like this before or know what they might be?

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Furcraea gigantea 'Variegata'

Giant False Agave [Mauritius Hemp]

Formerly a "Mystery Plant," two months later I have an id with thanks to plantlust.com.
See http://plantlust.com/plants/furcraea-gig... for more information.

A South American plant, so Zones 10, 11 -- here in Jersey pulled back to greenhouses for the winter. Grows to 3' high and 6' wide.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

PLANTIDOTE GROUP FORMING: Want to help gather images and take Plantidote of the Day to the next level? Of course you do! Just email twig at the address above. http://www.floridata.com/ref/s/stro_dye.cfm

Bromeliad

Guzmania 'Red Pearl'

UPDATE: Thanks to NomNomNom, the mystery bromeliad has been id'd -- it's Guzmania 'Red Pearl'. Thank you once again, NNN -- great job!!

So many bromeliads, so few brain cells. I lost the name tag for this one and can't remember which of the 3,000-plus varieties it is. Maybe someone who still has firing synapses will recognize this plant and provide us with specifics.

In the meantime, here's what I can tell you about bromeliads. Many of them are epiphytes, so they have insignificant root systems. In nature, they attach themselves to other plants, usually trees, but not in a parasitic way. They use the trees only for support and get nourishment from rain and organic matter in the air.

The fun thing about epiphytes is that they don't need to be in pots. You can wrap the roots in damp sphagnum moss, secure it with a twist tie or piece of string and attach the plant to all kinds of things -- tree stumps, driftwood, a gnarled limb or rock, for example.

If you prefer to grow them in pots, they do nicely in orchid mix or a combination of fir bark, perlite and sphagnum peat moss. Water by filling the center (where the bracts or leaves form a "flower"), and water the soil occasionally. Bromeliads prefer bright light to direct sun, even if the light is artificial. The Bromeliad Society has lots of additional information.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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cynara cardunculus

cardoon, artichoke thistle, cardone

This cousin of the artichoke has been cultivated for thousands of years in the Mediterranean region. (the stalk is edible) It likes full sun and relatively dry soil. It is a perennial in zone 7-9. It makes a lovely ornamental, but it gets quite large. It can self seed and become invasive (California).

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Epilobium canum 'Catalina'

Catalina fuchsia

Drought-loving California natives (Catalina is an island off the coast of Southern California), these plants can be grown in Zones 7 through 11, in sun or part shade. Blossoms appear in late summer/early fall, perfect timing for bees and birds, since by then, the rest of the garden is toast. Hummingbirds are especially fond of these flowers. Or, as one commenter noted: "Hummingbirds will fight wars over this plant."

To keep the plants neat and prevent them from becoming invasive, prune heavily late in the fall.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Senecio vitalis

Blue chalk sticks (in bloom!)

A South African native, blue chalk sticks love the warm, dry weather in Zone 10. They make an excellent ground cover for sunny areas of a xeriscaped yard. Typically, the little sticks stay close to the ground, reaching a height of 10" to 14". And once in a while, they bloom!! Actually, the "flowers" are a first for this plant, which I've had for years.

Succulents aren't for everyone, but if you live in a fire zone -- which it seems more and more people do these days -- these plants could save your home. Plus, succulents in general thrive on almost no water and benign neglect. In other words, the perfect plant!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Eucomis cocosma

Pineapple lily

This native to South Africa is hardy to zone 7. They prefer full sun, but will grow in partial shade. The flower lasts up to 6 weeks. I guess the common name pineapple lily came about because when the flower stalk starts to grow, it looks like a miniature pineapple. Slugs love this plant. Just look at all those holes in the leaves (Enlarge the picture, there's one of those buggers right there on that middle plant!)

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Pelargonium

Rosebud geranium

Until recently, I couldn't understand why people planted geraniums. They seemed so trite, plus they smell funny (apologies, geranium lovers, but you either like a plant or you don't, and this is one I didn't like much). Then I discovered this little rosebud geranium plant struggling to survive beneath a camellia bush.

Once it was freed from the dark corner where the previous owner had stashed it, it bloomed with the prettiest cherry red flowers. There weren't many, but these are supposed to bloom profusely, so maybe once it has a chance to recover, it'll have more.

We've written about geraniums before in Plantidote, but that was the ivy variety. I'm wondering if anyone else has experience with the rosebuds and if there are any tricks to keeping this specific variety happy. My new little buddy and I thank you in advance! (And a big thanks to insanelysane for catching my error There goes my career in taxonomy!)

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Buddleia davidii

Butterfly bush or summer lilac

Butterfly bush is a big (4 to 10 feet tall), rangy plant that can survive just about anywhere in Zones 5 through 10 with proper care. Some sun and an average amount of water keeps it happy and the type of soil is not as important as good drainage. In addition to attracting butterflies, buddleias are irresistible to bees and hummingbirds. With just this one plant, you'll have a non-stop pollination party going for weeks!

To get lots of "party favors" -- the big, fragrant cones of blooms -- you need to do some serious pruning, though, because flowers only grow on new wood. Sometime in the fall, after the plants have flowered, cut the branches way back, so that there are only a few inches of stems showing above ground. (In colder climates, you can skip this step. Buddleia roots can survive freezing temperatures while everything above ground freezes off and regrows in spring. At least, that's what the various gardening resources claim.)

If white is too boring, there are beautiful colors available. The plants are considered invasive in areas like the Pacific Northwest, but they can be kept in check by deadheading (removing old flowers) before their seeds spread.

NOTE: Kathryn, who usually posts Wednesday Plantidotes, will return as soon as the hurricane damage in her area allows. Good luck, Kath!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

PLANTIDOTE GROUP FORMING: Want to help gather images and take Plantidote of the Day to the next level? Of course you do! Join us by clicking the Join Groups menu item to sign up or email me at the address above!

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Ocimum basilicum

Sweet basil

One of the few plants that survived in the garden during the recent pseudo-summer, and I'm happy it did! You can put it in so many different dishes -- like spaghetti sauce, pizza, bruschetta, and pesto, to name just a few.

If you want something a little more exotic, there are all sorts of different basils. The purple variety ('Dark Opal') and the lemon basil (shown above) were both easy to grow and tasted great -- definitely different than sweet basil.

Even if garden season is winding down where you live, you can still grow fresh herbs all winter. All you need is a window sill, some seeds and a little soil. Or here's another option: buy a bunch of basil (or whatever herb you'd like to grow) at the store or farmers market and put a few leaves in water. They'll sprout roots, making an entirely new plant!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

PLANTIDOTE GROUP FORMING: Want to help gather images and take Plantidote of the Day to the next level? Of course you do! Join us by clicking the Join Groups menu item to sign up or email me at the address above!

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echinacea purpurea

purple coneflower, black sampson, hedge coneflower

Purple coneflowers are native to the Midwest and Southeast U.S. They are long lived perennials (z. 3-8) that are drought tolerant when established. They attract butterflies and birds, especially goldfinches who enjoy the seeds. If you find that purple coneflowers are boring, there are many hybrid coneflowers available in a variety of colors. Some of these hybrids can be grown in hotter and more humid conditions.
Echinacea also has medicinal value. Some people recommend it to boost the immune system.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

PLANTIDOTE GROUP FORMING: Want to help gather images and take Plantidote of the Day to the next level? Of course you do! Join us by clicking the Join Groups menu item to sign up or email me at the address above!

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Nerium oleander

Oleander

One of the few late summer plants still blooming here in Zone 10. Oleanders love the desert; they grow to heights of 12 feet or more in some of the least hospitable areas (i.e., freeway medians and vacant lots). Some varieties are fragrant, and there are also double flower versions. Color choices are limited to white and the red/pink family, as far as I know, but maybe someone has seen something new and will tell us about it in the comments.

The most important thing to remember about oleander is that all parts of this plant are poisonous, including the nectar which could end up in honey.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Lobularia maritima

Sweet alyssum

Easy to grow in any zone, sweet alyssum self sows in mild climates and blooms throughout the year. The tiny (1/2") flowers grow close to the ground, making them good candidates for ground cover or the front row of a floral border. Bees love alyssum, maybe because the flowers smell like honey.

In addition to white varieties, there are pink and purple alyssums, too.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Gardenia jasminoides "Kleim's"

Kleim's hardy gardenia

This should be a scratch and sniff Plantidote. This gardenia is hardy zones 7-10, but because it is a slow growing, dwarf evergreen (mature height/width is 3 feet) you could easily grow it in a pot.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Solanum carolinense

Devil's tomato or Carolina horsenettle

A member of the nightshade family, along with along with eggplant and potatoes, devil's tomato is native to the southeastern U.S. It grows all over the country, thriving on neglect. In some areas, it's considered a weed, in others, it's on the invasive list -- and yet somehow managed to escape Kathryn's notice

The "tomatoes" don't seem particularly satanic, but they can be lethal if eaten. Those bright yellow thorns don't look like much fun, either. But in spite of all the negatives, devil's tomato has very practical applications. Herbalists use parts of the plant to make concoctions that relieve spasms and help with relaxation. And the plant does shelter beneficial beetles, so it can be an asset in the garden.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Liriodendron tulipifera
Tulip Trees at Monticello

In the image above, the two enormous trees that flank the front of Thomas Jefferson's Monticello are Liriodendrons. If you look at the tree on the right, and then just towards the house, and you make the image as big as possible, you will see a person standing there. Just to give yourself an idea of scale.

Image is courtesy member insanelysane, who writes:

Monticello is so wonderful. Jefferson was an engineer, gardener, architect and all that other stuff too. I do have some awesome pics of the 2 gigantic liriodendrons on either side of the home from across that big back lawn. You don't grasp the scale until you realize that tiny ant dressed in tan linen is a person walking past the tulip tree. Thomas, himself, had these trees planted when he built Monticello, over 200 yrs ago. These are ancient trees. He planted olive trees in his garden in Va..... Imported them cause he had connections...heh! His vegetable garden is so inspiring, 80' x 1000'.

From the Monticello website:

“Thomas Jefferson described the Tulip Poplar as "The Juno of our Groves" when he forwarded seeds to a Parisian friend, Madame de Tesse, in 1805. The Tulip Poplar, also called Yellow Poplar or Tuliptree, is a fast growing tree and the tallest hardwood species of the eastern North American forest. It is both a majestic and graceful tree and is especially treasured in European parks and gardens, where it was first described in 1687. Its dramatic, golden yellow autumn color, its ornamental, orange and green, tulip-like flowers, and its unusual leaves and quick growth lend this species the mythological glory Thomas Jefferson justly admired.”

These trees are estimated to be 120’ tall. More information on Tulip Trees here.

From Wikipedia, image in public domain, the tulip flower in bloom:

BONUS PICS!!! More images from insanelysane, some of the Monticello gardens:
The Monticello Vegetable Garden #1 Purple Hyacinth Bean on rustic trellis [dolichos lablab]:

The Monticello Vegetable Garden #2, 80’ x 1000’ on a terraced slope.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

PLANTIDOTE GROUP FORMING: Want to help gather images and take Plantidote of the Day to the next level? Of course you do! Just email twig at the address above. http://www.floridata.com/ref/s/stro_dye.cfm

Erythrina caffra

Kaffirboom coral tree

What better way to celebrate Plantidote's first anniversary than by updating an earlier story. Back in April, the Plantidote of the Day was the Kaffirboom coral tree, a spectacular South African import that loses its leaves in the spring, then bursts into bloom with dozens of bright orange-red flowers on the mostly bare branches.

At the time of the original post, I had only two photos -- one was bad and the other was really bad. But today there's a better one available. So this should give you a better idea of why coral trees can stop traffic. There might be more handsome trees, but nothing quite as showy and unusual as this one. Enjoy!!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Lilium lancifolium (aka Lilium tigrinum)

Tiger lily, devil lily

This easy to grow lily (z. 3-9) is native to China, Japan and Korea. Tiger lilies symbolize wealth and prosperity in parts of Asia. The roots and flowers are edible, but the pollen can make you sick, so I guess you have to somehow "de-pollinate" it before eating. You may not want them in your garden if you have cats, as it is toxic to them. Deer and rabbits find them incredibly irresistible.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Rosa

Roses at the end of summer

Random roses from a nearby garden, still magnificent, even if they are a little past their prime. I love late bloomers. As long as they're around, winter isn't. So at least we've got that going for us for a little while longer

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Petunia hybrida

Common garden petunia

No weird mystery plants today, just an ordinary petunia. Perfection, in its own simple way.

Petunias like sunshine, water and some fertilizer every week or so. Take good care of your petunias and the results might surprise you.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Liatris spicata

gayfeather, blazing star

Liatris is an easy to grow, sun loving, drought tolerant perennial (zones 3-9) The flowers attract butterflies. You can leave the flower stalks for the birds to pick over the seeds.They're deer resistant, but not slug resistant.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Chilopsis linearis

Desert willow or desert catalpa

One of the most most beautiful trees ever! Desert willow thrives in Zones 7 through 10, and is especially happy near stream beds and desert washes.

A fast-growing tree, especially when it's young, desert willow can reach heights of 25 feet in the right environment, creating a light-filled canopy of airy shade covered with orchid-like flowers. If you plant one, be prepared to do some cleaning up, though. The tree is deciduous and tends to lose its leaves earlier than some others. In addition, there are long, catalpa-like pods produced by the flower clusters. Messy, yes. But the flowers last for months, so overall, a little broom and dustbin action seems like a small price to pay.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Euphorbia tirucalli

Pencil cactus or Pencil bush

Pencil cactus is actually not a cactus at all and has no thorns. It's a member of the same family (Euphorbia) as the holiday favorite, poinsettia. Like poinsettias and other related plants, the pencil cactus secretes a milky sap that irritates some peoples' skin. Other than that, this is an easy-going plant that requires very little care and almost no water.

The pencil cactus is happiest in warm climates like Zones 9 through 11. It makes a great indoor/outdoor plant, as long as it gets enough light. Pencil cactus can grow quite tall – anywhere from 2 feet to 30 feet or more, so plan appropriately before planting. They can be pruned (gloves are recommended, in case you're one of the people who find the sap irritating), either to keep it small or to give cuttings to friends. These plants are very easy to propagate; just cut off a branch and place the broken end in water or sandy potting medium to allow roots to form. If only more things were that easy!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Alstroemeria

Peruvian lily

(NOTE: Jerztomato, who normally handles weekend Plantidotes, is having computer problems and will be back soon!)

These lily relatives come in many different colors, making it just about impossible to choose a favorite.

Native to South America, alstroemeria can be planted in the fall, or even in winter in mild climates. They can tolerate the cold weather of Zone 6 and 7 if they're properly mulched as protection against freezing weather. A new variety, known as 'Sweet Laura', can even handle Zone 5 temperatures, and it's the only variety with a fragrance! Alstroemeria are great as cut flowers, staying fresh in a vase for up to two weeks.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Rosa

Rose

Nothing exotic today. Unless you count the fact that the bush this rose is part of was in a trash can at one point. A nearby house was being renovated, and the builder had all the landscaping ripped out and trashed.

Being semi-obsessed with recycling, I dragged out the partially smashed rose bush and an equally beat up little ficus tree and asked nicely if I could take them. The builder didn't answer at first. He just looked at me the way people look at someone when they're not sure if they should engage with them or call the police. Then he mumbled something that sounded close enough to 'Okay' for me.

That was about seven years ago. The rose recovered nicely from its dumpster day and blooms two or three times a year. And every single time, it amazes me with the most gorgeous yellow flowers -- complete with authentic rose fragrance!! The ficus tree is doing great, too. Why do people throw away so much perfectly good stuff?

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Daylily
Hemerocallis

With many thanks to Andre we have this beautiful image of Daylilies (with a shout out to the hostas in the background). Andre wrote to us about them:

“This is Hemerocalis 'Dancing Sunlight'. I had it for fifteen years in a garden that only gets four hours of sun and blooms came but they were few and small. The last two years it has been next to my driveway, which gets ten hours of sun, and the blooms are many and each about eight inches across. But alas, each only lasts one day, thus the name Daylilly.

I have a lot of daylillies. I got almost all of them from this place http://www.gilberthwild.com/ Their flowers are really inexpensive and they send you a freebie with each order. I got a lot of hostas from them too. Right beside Dancing Sunlight, in that picture, is a Royal Standard hosta which has late blooming, white fragrant flowers and flourishes in full sun. I don't know how I could find a better perennial than that.”

[Daylilies and Hostas are some of my favorites. As much because no matter how ignored or abused they are, they just keep coming back. Daylilies are native to Eurasia, and there are so many cultivars that you can find something to grow in zones 1-11. Many of them are scented, and heat and drought resistant. I have a real fondness for the cultivars like the one that Andre provided: simple, barely ruffled lemon creme with a lime throat -- Andre's reminds me of the cultivar "Compassion."
Bonus pic: my daylily -- unknown cultivar --

Kath]
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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Romneya coulteri

Matilija poppy or fried egg plant

One of my top ten flowers ever! Matilija (ma-TIL-i-ha) poppies are southern California natives, but if you want to see them "live and in person," you'll probably have to go to a nature preserve or botanical garden in Zone 10. Even though they're spectacular and fragrant, matilijas are rarely used in landscaping. That might be because they dominate any setting, easily growing to heights of 6 to 8 feet, with flowers from 6" to 12" in diameter. (If you click on the image above to get the larger version, it'll be close to the size of the real life flower, about 8" across.) I'm tall, but I had to stand on a hill to get the next shot, because the poppies towered over me.

Matilijas alternate between being temperamental and invasive. For beginners, they can be surprisingly difficult to get started. But once they're established, look out! The underground rhizomes can spread far and wide.

For those of us who love them, though, there's no such thing as too many matilijas. They are, as LA Times garden writer Emily Green said: "...without rival, the biggest, silliest, loveliest and most poignant of California wildflowers."

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Lycopersicon lycopersicum

tomato "sun sugar"

I dedicate today's Plantidote to all of you who are suffering through the oppressive heat. Yes, this cherry tomato is in the house, not because it is too hot outside, but because it is too cold. I was planning to plant it in a flowerbed, but I never got around to it. I kept waiting for it to "warm up". I ate the tomato after I took the picture, it wasn't as sweet as the ones I tasted last year grown in a "real" garden back East.

As a local news station reported that we've had 87 minutes of 80 degree temperatures this year. This is why I got a greenhouse. Look at how nice the tomato plant looks (a few tomatoes, all green). If you enlarge the picture and squint, you may be able to make out the temperature on the thermometer reads just under 70. This picture was taken Wednesday afternoon at 1 pm! All of you stay cool and hydrated, summer will be over in a blink of an eye.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Hesperoyucca whipplei

Our Lord's Candle

(Thanks to NomNomNom, this mystery plant has been ID'd!)

This plant was photographed a couple months ago, when my son was camping along the coast near Malibu (Zone 10, but much cooler and damper there than inland because it's so near the ocean). The long, spiky leaves on the plant are sharp edged and pointy, like some kind of yucca -- not at all people friendly.

Here's a closer shot of the end of the stalk (clicking on either image will show a larger, more detailed view):

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Sun Coleus
Solenostemon scutellarioides

This is a Sun Coleus, “Swinging Linda.” You know, there’s something like 360 varieties of Coleus, they’ve been overused by landscapers due to their adaptability. Sometimes I will admit to thinking, “oh a coleus, no imagination at all” when I see them in gardens. But that’s just not fair. And I ran into this cultivar at a local farmer’s stand, and I couldn’t resist. It’s a trailing form, it is hot pink and burgandy with white edges, very little green. And while it “trails” it has this habit of going upright on the ends and just always looking sharp. It gets more attention and more requests for identification than anything else I’ve got planted (which, ok, probably puts me smack in the ‘no imagination’ category, I admit).

This variety runs 6-8” tall, trailing, it handles a day mostly in the shade but then exposed to a few hours of hot late afternoon sun. It requires minimal care and shares its pot with a pretty potato vine. These grow from seed or from cuttings which root readily in water. The flowers should be pinched back to encourage denser growth but these looked so happy I couldn’t do it.

And to revisit plantidotes from the past, here's one from Valley Girl that I just think is one of the best images of Green harmony here. And it's coleus and mint.

Allium sativum

Artichoke garlic (Early Red Italian)

My first garlic harvest! The "seed" that sprouted into these bulbs was purchased after reading an article about growing specialty garlic. It turns out that all garlic is not created equal. There are strains available from all over the world, and each one has a somewhat different flavor and sometimes appearance.

Various sources recommended not using supermarket garlic to grow your own (pesticides, herbicides, irradiation, etc.), so I found organic varieties and ordered a small starter pack, with two varieties, one Artichoke (Early Red Italian) and one Purple Stripe. There were a few frustrations, as plants sprouted and then mysteriously died. But the ones that hung on turned out to be stellar producers. The bulbs have to cure before they can be eaten, so the taste test will have to be a separate post.

In addition to being a kitchen staple, garlic has impressive medicinal qualities. It's a recognized blood thinner (in fact, if you are taking a blood thinning medication like Coumadin, avoid garlic as it can make your blood too thin). It's also an anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory that's been used for centuries to treat infections and gastrointestinal problems.

If you want grow your own garlic, all you need is a sunny window, some pots, soil and garlic mother bulbs or "sets." You won't need much; typically seed garlic will produce anywhere from four to twelve times what you plant! There are dozens of different varieties and strains of garlic. Some do well in cold climates, while others like mild weather. Check with your local Department of Agriculture Extension or a regional Master Gardener for recommendations on which type is most appropriate to your area. Some varieties need to be planted in the fall, so don't wait too long or you'll find suppliers are sold out. And then instead of delicious homegrown garlic, all you can haz is a sad

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Crocosmia "Lucifer"

Crocosmia, montbretia

This easy to grow member of the iris family is native to South Africa. Just give it plenty of sun and average moisture (perennial zones 6-9). It's a hummingbird magnet.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Summer garden in Zone 6

Not long ago, Correntian Fran defied convention and created a lawn-free front yard, replacing the grass with this lovely meadow of flowers (click on the image to see a larger version!). Then she not only provided us with pictures, but she also described the process:

Two years ago I dug up my small front 'lawn'. I mixed in mulch from the free mulch pile our town has from recycling yard waste and Christmas trees, etc. I started with a small box of mixed seeds for a sunny area, that I bought at the dollar store.

I have been getting Poppies and Bachelor's Buttons, and other things ever since. The garden is full of them! The Poppies are really great and people like them. I never know exactly where they will come up each year, and now there are pink ones and red ones.

btw, I almost never water the garden. Since it is very sunny there, anything I plant can tolerate a lot of sun and very little water. I also only plant perennials, but many of the flowers just reseed themselves.

Brava, Fran, and thank you for this! Not only is this garden low maintenance and inexpensive, it's also way less thirsty than a traditional lawn, and eliminates the need for pollution-spewing lawn mowers and the chemicals so many people use to keep grass free of weeds. Plus, it's beautiful! Definitely a win all around!!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Fortunella margarita

Nagami kumquats

I waited waaaaaay too long to try kumquats, mainly because I didn't know how to eat them. Then one day someone showed me how. There's not much to it, actually -- you just wash them and pop one in your mouth, rind and all, and chew away. (The entire kumquat is edible, except for the seeds.) The rind is sweet and chewy, the insides are tangy and juicy -- the best of both worlds!

In addition to eating them as is, you can use kumquats as a garnish or for flavoring other foods. There are dozens of delicious-sounding recipes on the intertoobz, like the ones on this page for the Florida Kumquat Growers and this one from NPR.

If you live in a warm climate, kumquat trees are easy to grow. No space? No problem! There's a 4' high dwarf version that's perfect for a patio or balcony. And if you don't want to eat the fruit, the scent from kumquat blossoms is unbelievably wonderful!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Cornus kousa

Japanese dogwood, Chinese dogwood

This tree is native to Japan, Korea and China. It prefers moist acidic soil and full sun to part shade (zones 5-8). The foliage turns a red to purple color in the fall. The green fruit (in the center of the white bracts) turns red in September and is edible, but mealy in texture. I've never eaten any, but my rabbit has and loves them.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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UPDATE: Mystery solved! Please see second comment for details.

Spathodea campanulata

African tulip tree

This is a big BIG tree (or maybe a ginormous vine, it's really hard to tell) growing in a botanical garden's parking area, so it's without a name tag. The tree is probably 20 feet tall with long, leafy limbs spreading in every direction. There are clusters of flowers (mostly four flowers per cluster, but some may have dropped already) here and there. The flowers themselves are about 6" in diameter.

The garden specializes in Australian and Mediterranean plants, with a small section of Western US natives. I don't think this tree is native to the US, because I've never seen anything quite like it around here and it would be hard to miss. Look familiar?

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Platycodon grandiflorus
Balloon Flower

From sun to part shade, the pretty Balloon Flower stands out. Blue or white are the standard colors but other varieties have been cultivated. They grow 24-36” in height, zones 3a-9b, and are upright and hardy. Their name comes from the buds which resemble helium balloons. These are perennials that come from China, and into Russia as far north as Siberia. I always thought they were wildflowers but they have a long history of cultivation. The blue variety are my favorite and I love the little fireworks starburst centers.

More information here.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

PLANTIDOTE GROUP FORMING: Want to help gather images and take Plantidote of the Day to the next level? Of course you do! Just email twig at the address above. http://www.floridata.com/ref/s/stro_dye.cfm

Passiflora incarnata

Passion vine or Maypop

Correntian Scoff spotted this colorful flowering vine when he and his wife were out for a bike ride recently. This particular variety of passion vine is a perennial in Zone 8, where he lives, and is known for being hardy enough to survive cold snaps in any zone. The flowers turn into 2" long fruit, called granadillas, which are supposed to be edible. Maybe someone has tried granadillas and can tell us if eating them is a good idea or not

Some interesting factoids: First, extracts from the plant are often included in herbal insomnia and anti-anxiety remedies. Second, I always assumed that the "passion" part of the name had something to do with the flower's beauty. Wrong! The name comes from the Passion of Christ. Various flower parts represent elements in the crucifixion, so the frilly crown is a halo, the five stamens are the five wounds, and the 10 "petals" are the disciples. Finally, passion flowers are the favorite meal for gulf fritillary butterfly.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Weigela florida "Briant Rubidor"

weigela

Put your sunglasses on! This blindingly bright shrub (zones 5-9) is native to Japan, Korea and northern China. It's a magnet for butterflies and humming birds.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Dombeya burgessiae

Dombeya

Natives of South Africa, dombeyas are big-leaved evergreen shrubs/trees that can reach 15 to 30 feet in height and a similar width. The leaves on some varieties are covered in tiny fibers, giving them the feel of velvet. This particular plant has bell-shaped flowers that dangle from the ends of branches, but other varieties' blossoms -- like pink ball dombeya -- look more like hydrangeas.

Dombeyas are stunning in real life -- this photo doesn't really convey this plant's size (about 5 feet high and 8 feet wide) and you only get a hint of the copper-tinged stems and foliage. If you want to see for yourself, they're considered easy to grow. Dombeyas need some sun, good soil, water and most prefer a mild climate. But the burgessiae variety shown here can actually survive frost and even drought. So now there's a dombeya for everyone!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Physalis ixocarpa

Tomatillos

Tomatillos are relatives of Chinese lanterns, Halloween favorites that turn up in supermarket floral departments in October. Unlike Chinese lanterns, however, tomatillos are edible. I'm not sure if they're sold all over the country or if they're more of a regional, southwestern thing. But if you happen to see some, they're highly recommended, especially if you like salsa. Most recipes for tomatillo salsa require them to be cooked. But it's summer -- who wants to cook if it's not absolutely necessary? So here's a version that uses raw tomatillos and it is unbelievably delicious, great with chips, fish, rice and beans, etc.

TOMATILLO SALSA

1 pound or so of tomatillos, peeled (meaning remove the paper-like outer leaves, not the actual skin), washed and chopped

1 cucumber, seeded and chopped

2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped

1 clove of fresh garlic, minced
(All the above chopping and mincing can be done in a little food processor)

2 Tablespoons of sugar

Juice of one lime

1 teaspoon of salt (more can be added later)

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Finely chopped cilantro to taste

Combine everything, drain off some of the tomatillo juice and replace the liquid with a few tablespoons of chicken or veggie broth. Eat!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Iris hollandica "Bronze Beauty"

Dutch iris

This Bronze Beauty reminds me of a tequila sunrise (although, why anybody would drink tequila at sunrise baffles me)

Bronze Beauty doesn't need sunscreen, but you do. You don't want to end up a shrivelled blossom. This ends our summer solstice week.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Opuntia ficus-indica or englemannii

Prickly Pear cactus

What would summer be without cactus blossoms? Some of the most beautiful flowers I've ever seen have been growing on gnarled old cacti. The opuntia (I think that's correct, but if not, please feel free to set the record straight) shown above is huge, five or six feet high with branches going off in various directions. It's quite an amazing plant all by itself. But when it flowers, it's truly jaw dropping.

The prickly pear flowers eventually grow into edible fruit. I haven't tried them, but they sound delicious. Maybe someone who's more adventurous can tell us what they taste like. The University of California Small Farms website has a lot more information, including details on medicinal uses.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Monarda didyma
Scarlet Bee Balm

So the theme this week is “Summer Solstice.”

Here in NJ, it’s kind of a mixed ecosphere bag although it is the Garden State. So since I wasn’t sure what to do for this theme I ended up going down to the D&R Canal crossing near where I live. Built by largely Irish immigrants beginning in 1830 the canal and its towpaths are now a part of the state park system. Protected in their own way, because they haven’t been used in many decades as actual canals – they offer biking, hiking or canoeing. Every so often, there are preserved “Tender’s Houses” which have small old-fashioned gardens.

And this is where I found the most amazing tiny space filled with Bee Balm and Hydrangeas, in the backyard of a Tender’s house. Not to mention a lot of native Jersey plants that the garden folks couldn’t name. These Monarda were easily four foot tall, some taller than that.

Monarda is very invasive, it is a sure magnet for powdery mildew and rust, it will handle partial shade but is at its happiest in full sun. A native American plant in the mint family, the foliage is scented, it has cultivars that grow anywhere from ground cover to 4’. It is a hummingbird, bee, and butterfly magnet. It has a number of local names: bergamot, horsemint, Oswego tea, or crimson bee balm – and a long history of use in medicinal forms. The flower petals have a peppery taste and can be used in salads. Its distribution is largely East of the Mississippi (and Oregon and Washington State).

But, walking along the towpaths of the D&R Canal during summer, and seeing masses of Bee Balm along the banks, is one of those things that says "Summer" to me.

More information on the many uses of this plant, here.

And since Hydrangeas have already been featured on Plantidote, a little extra from the garden at the canal:

These were the most enormous white hydrangeas I'd seen, with daisies, and Bee Balm, and Lilies all massed on the banks of the canal.

Edit: 6/28/11 Went back to the canal this week and the Bee Balm were almost all in flower. Magical to walk through them.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

PLANTIDOTE GROUP FORMING: Want to help gather images and take Plantidote of the Day to the next level? Of course you do! Just email twig at the address above. http://www.floridata.com/ref/s/stro_dye.cfm

Helianthus

Sunflower

Summer Solstice Week begins with the quintessential summer flower, courtesy of Correntian Eureka Springs (who gets a sunflower-sized hat tip for contributing). It's hard for me to imagine summer without sunflowers. They are so easy to grow, and so wonderful to look at, like instant happiness! Not many things you can say that about these days.

No matter where you live, there's a sunflower variety suited to the climate. Plus, you can choose annuals or perennials, single- or double-flowering, funny little dwarf versions and even non-yellow flower colors.

One of the best things about sunflowers is that they provide lots of seeds for birds, squirrels and other critters to eat. Of course, people can eat them, too -- they're delicious roasted. Don't eat them all, though -- save some to start next summer's garden!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Pieris japonica

Japanese pieris, Japanese andromeda, lily of the valley shrub

Andromeda is a spring blooming (fragrant) evergreen plant (zones 5-8) You can grow it in full sun if the site is moist and acidic, otherwise it prefers part shade. I think this variety is" Mountain Fire", but that's a guess. I don't expect informative labels when I purchase $3 shrubs at the local home improvement center. Look at this picture. This picture of the same plant was taken on May 10. I wonder if these new leaves will eventually turn green.

The name Pieris is derived from Pierides, an alternate name of the mythological Muses, goddesses of the arts.

Have any of you noticed a theme running through all the Plantidotes this week? No? Okay, it was the color white. I'm sure Twig is open to suggestions for future themes you'd like to see.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Gnaphalium californicum

California everlasting

One of the prettiest members of the local chaparral (native plants). Everlasting is a member of the aster family. The plants grow wild here in Zone 10, big clusters of them dotting the canyon hillsides.

Growing them at home is an entirely different story. A lot of native plants are tricky to cultivate. They've adapted to living in blazing sun with their roots wedged into rocky crevices in extreme drought conditions. Moving them to a yard with regular water and fertilizer does not make them happy. But with so much wild space in California, the everlastings are never far away.

Interesting features of everlastings: they dry beautifully and live up to their name, lasting for what seems like forever. Also, this variety smells exactly like maple syrup, even after the flowers have dried, so they're great in dried arrangements -- as long as you don't mind your house smelling like an IHOP!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Evergreen Candytuft
Iberis sempervirens

This is the perennial, evergreen form of Candytuft, a great mounding plant around 12” in height and 2’ wide. It can grow in almost any conditions, partial shade to full sun, blooms strongest in full sun, and should be mulched for winter in Northern climes. It is best to cut Candytuft back after flowering as it will set more buds on summer growth for the next year.

This is a good plant for edging, low beds, hillsides and rock gardens, it will cascade nicely, it has a great early spring flowering that gives way to dark evergreen foliage the rest of the year. Zones 3- 9, a southern European native. And, at my house, also known as “deer bait.” Like you need that, right?

See here for a great article on this plant.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Viburnum carlesii

Koreanspice viburnum

I liked the scent of this shrub so much I planted 2 more. This slow growing shrub (zones 5-8) is native to Korea and Japan. Later in the season it gets berries which are red and later should turn black. (I've never seen this, probably the birds get them first). You can grow it in a wide range of soils, full sun to part shade conditions.

- - -
Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Rosa

Rose

Welcome to Self Indulgent Friday! We've gone almost two consecutive weeks without a rose picture and that's way too long, if you ask me. More roses, more roses!! (Feel free to jump in any time!)

This little flower is growing nearby, in a sort of abandoned area, so it's pretty much on its own. It's adapted very nicely to neglect. Apparently roses are way tougher than I thought. And that color! How to describe it -- Flamethrower Orange? Firecracker? Prison Jumpsuit? Suggestions are welcome!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Storbilanthes dyerianus

Persian Shield

This is one of those plants that I have an obsession with. And no matter where I’ve planted it -- Kansas, Texas, Florida, New Jersey – it just dies. But I keep trying!

Persian Shield is a low growing sub-shrub native to Myanmar. The leaves are the most amazing iridescent purple and green, and when new leaves sprout they have a nice silver sheen to them. It is upright growing to about 4’ with a 2-3’ spread.

It is very picky – depending on conditions it can grow in shade to partial shade, but it needs high humidity and warmth. A dry heat day will do it in (and today we’re scheduled to hit 97; bodes ill for this year’s attempt). I keep it well watered and misted, and in a back corner behind a hosta (you'd think it was a persnickety orchid or something).

In zones 9-11 this evergreen may do well outside year round, but north of that it has to be cut back, pulled and potted for inside during the fall/winter. It will flower, on tall brachts with trumpet shaped flowers, and can be propagated from cuttings. More information here.

[Edited 06/15/11 because the flickr image blew up. Kath.]

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

PLANTIDOTE GROUP FORMING: Want to help gather images and take Plantidote of the Day to the next level? Of course you do! Just email twig at the address above.

Cucurbitaceae

Acorn squash flower

First squash blossom of the season!! Technically, it's an acorn squash, but I prefer to think of it as a miracle! For the past few years, the plants blossomed but the flowers fell off without developing into squash. I'm not sure why -- maybe a fertilization problem? Anyway, this year, we can haz squash, as you'll see below, where the closed flower is turning into actual food!! Soon it'll be harvest time -- if the birds/gophers/moles/dogs/sasquatch in the backyard don't eat it first. That's a big if, so stay tuned for squash updates!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Dicentra spectabilis "Alba"

Bleeding heart, lady's locket, lyre flower, tearing hearts, Chinese pants

I was surprised to discover this plant can be grown as a perennial in zones 2-9. It is a shade plant and it needs plenty of moisture, other than that, it's very easy to grow. It is native to China, where its common name is "purse peony". All parts of the plant are poisonous. Guess that's why it's deer and rabbit resistant.

- - -
Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Mystery tree

Actually, I know what this tree is (for a change!). But judging by the number of people who stop to ask its name, it's not well known, even though it grows all over Zones 8b through 11. For some reason, the fruit (click on the image above to enlarge the shot) is not sold in supermarkets here, at least none that I know of. The fruit looks like an apricot -- it's ripe when it turns gold/yellow, like a few on the tree already have. The taste is very mild and not particularly interesting, which may be why these are not in grocery stores. Or maybe it's because squirrels and birds tend to scarf down the fruit before it can be harvested. Good thing they're cute

My favorite thing about the tree is not the fruit, but the fact that it's an easy-to-grow, evergreen tree with big, shiny, dark green leaves. Each piece of fruit contains 2 to 5 large seeds that can sprout into trees. If you want the fruit, these grown-from-seed type trees aren't dependable producers. For that, you'll want a grafted version from a plant nursery. But if you'd like to grow a nice low-maintenance tree that's likely to be between 15 and 30 feet tall when it matures, let me know -- I've got lots of seeds to give away this year!

First, though, does anyone recognize the tree?

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Petunia

Pretty Much Picasso hybrid

It must be fun to be a plant hybridizer and experiment with new varieties. Looking at this newly developed petunia, I have to wonder if there were other versions along the way that didn't make the cut -- like a mottled purple/green or a mostly green with a purple center that the marketing people decided wouldn't sell. I'd love to see the "outtakes" from this effort!

But back to Pretty Much Picasso. This is a non-GMO, sun-lover that's considered an annual, except in mild-winter areas like Zones 10 and 11. The flowers are small, maybe 1 1/2" across, but there are a lot of them and they seem to last for weeks. In spite of the small flower size, these plants are considered "vigorous" growers, so they need room to spread out , either in a container, hanging basket or garden.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Doronicum orientale

leopard's bane "Little Leo"

Sweet, little perennial (z5-8) native to Eurasia needs partial to full shade. It goes dormant in the summer.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Schlumbergera bridgesii

Christmas cactus

Seasonably inappropriate, you say? Maybe. But, like quite a few other plants around here (Zone 10), bloom times are changing. Sometimes it's only by a few weeks. In other cases (see Exhibit A, above), plants are blooming months early or late. Other people tell me they've noticed this, too, so it's not my imagination.

Seasonal aberrations aside, if you're a houseplant person, I highly recommend adding a Christmas cactus to your collection. These plants are ridiculously easy to live with. They like rich, well-draining soil, water and frequent feeding, but other than that, they're not particularly fussy or delicate. And look at how your efforts are rewarded! The photo shows just one section of a very large plant that's entirely covered in bright red flowers that last for weeks. Who cares if it's blooming in the wrong month?

Anyway, if bloom time is a deal breaker, several sources say that keeping the plant in a cool, dark environment for 12 to 14 hours a day during November will produce Christmas blooms. Has anyone tried this, or know of other ways to time blooms to the right season?

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Special Lost Mojo edition

That little container was supposed to be full of Love-in-a-Mist flowers by now. But this year everything in the garden is failing big time and I have no idea why. Normally, Love-in-a-aMist is a no-brainer to grow -- sprinkle the seeds around, cover them lightly and pretty soon you've got flowers. Not this year. This year I got ... mushrooms!?!? But wait -- it gets worse!

Here's the latest shot of another garden staple ...

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A week or so ago, that was a nice, healthy catnip plant. Normally, catnip grows here like a weed. Not this year, obviously. Various other seeds sprouted, then mysteriously withered away or were eaten by snails, slugs (new this year!) or who knows what.

Granted, it's been unseasonably cold here in Zone 10, but not thatcold! Of course, it could be me. At best, I'm a mediocre gardener, but this is a new all-time low. Anyone else having trouble getting -- and keeping -- plants going? Let's commiserate!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Dahlia

There are so many different kinds of dahlias that even if you don't care for the tidy, honeycomb style shown above, there's probably one that you would like. Maybe the shaggy cactus dahlia, for example, or something a bit more traditional, like the anemone variety – there's something for everyone in the dahlia world!

Dahlias are not just beautiful and varied, though. According to the American Dahlia Society, they're very gardener friendly.

Dahlias are easy plants to grow and yield beautiful blooms from mid-summer through fall. In many respects, “dahlia culture” is similar to “tomato culture.” If you can grow tomatoes in your garden, you can successfully grow dahlias.

Never having grown dahlias, I don't have anything to add to that. But maybe readers who know more about these flowers will leave comments with suggestions and advice. They look like beautiful additions to a garden, and it's great that there's something in this family for every zone (Yay! Something we can all grow!!). But it's always nice to hear from people with actual firsthand experience!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Iris hollandica

Dutch iris

I have no clue why they are called Dutch iris since they originally come from Spain and Morocco. (Maybe because the Dutch were the first to sell them commercially?) They need well drained average garden soil and sun to part shade to thrive. (zones 5-9) The bulbs multiply like rabbits, although rabbits resist them

- - -
Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Orchid

Correntian JoeinSF provided this shot of an unusual red orchid, something I can't recall ever seeing before. Burgundy and various shades of dark pink are common enough, but pure red seems rare, at least around here.

A little more from JoeinSF:

I suspect that this is a laelia cattleya cross, but I wouldn't bet the farm on it. It blooms several times per year with flowers lasting for three to four weeks. I grow it in in partial sun in the kitchen window.

Urban living in a city famous for its fog makes gardening limited. For the most satisfaction for the least space, container gardening is the way to go. Luckily, the Bay Area's cool climate is a great place for many types of orchids: Cymbidiums, epidendrums will grow outside while orchids such as phalaeonopsis and oncidium thrive inside the house. The trick is to put them in a  location with the right amount of light and DON'T overwater. Thanks to their long-lasting flowers, they give a lot of pleasure for a long time.

And when your friends see your orchids, they'll think you're a plant wizard.

Thank you, JoeinSF! My plant wizard hat is off to you!!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Aquilegia
Columbine

My second plantidote post and I had no idea what this was; many thanks to Jerz for the id. From Rutgers Gardens, in their shade garden, this is Columbine. A perennial that adapts to most conditions, flourishes in partial shade, zones 3-9 and height varies from small cultivars at 5” and others up to 36”. It has no problem with average soil conditions, and does well in higher elevations.

It does produce toxins, in its roots and seeds, which affect heart function. Columbine is very popular with some nocturnal moths that have developed immunity to the plant’s toxins. There are a number of cultivars available, they self sow via seeds and are very inter-fertile. It does help to deadhead this plant in order to encourage blooms throughout the flowering season (mid-spring to early summer). When grown from seed they will bloom in their second season.

I have no idea which cultivar this particular columbine is. The picture doesn’t do the color justice; it is a sheer pale pink bordering on peach, and the leaves are a velvety Kelly green. Please advise if you have any idea about which Columbine this might be. Thanks!

[edit: I could not decide on which picture to post. This one has more foliage in it.]

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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A perennial native to California and Baja California, sea dahlia is a member of the sunflower family. Although it's endangered and rarely found even in the wild, this is an easy plant to grow under the right conditions. Sea dahlias like sun and rocky, sandy soil that drains well. In exchange, you'll get a two- to three-feet tall plant with dozens of sunny yellow daisy-like blossoms that smell like honey and last for weeks as cut flowers.

If you're in Zones 8a through 11, sea dahlias are great for a xeriscape, in or out of bloom. And the bigger version -- coreopsis gigantea -- which grows up to eight feet tall, is even more spectacular!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Euphorbia polychroma

cushion spurge

This relative of the poinsettia is native to central and southeast Europe. It's a perennial in zones 5-9. It needs good drainage and sun to part shade. It's drought tolerant and goes somewhat dormant in the heat of the summer. Easy to propagate from seed, or you can just split the mound when it gets too large. All parts of the plant are poisonous. Take care in planting it. It oozes a milky sap that can irritate your skin.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Rosa

Mystery rose

I'm pretty sure this is some type of rose. The stems have thorns and the leaves look like large rose leaves, but the plant itself is bushier than a typical rose bush. That could be because it never gets pruned. The plant is located in a vacant lot where it's been growing wild for years.

Usually this bush only has a flower or two in the spring. Maybe because of all the winter rains, this year it's loaded with these exquisite blossoms. The flowers are fragile; they only last a day or two. Look familiar?

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Solanaceae

Bell or sweet peppers

Save the seeds!! Next time you're cleaning a red or orange pepper, set aside the seeds. You can grow new pepper plants from them, even if you don't have a garden. (Green pepper seeds aren't mature enough, so wait until the pepper turns red to try this.) First step -- spread the seeds out on a plastic, glass or ceramic plate and put them in a spot where they can dry for a few days. When they've dried to the point where they're no longer bendable, they're ready for planting.

Start the seeds in anything that will hold some potting soil and water -- plastic drinking cups, a hard plastic container that fruit, vegetables or salad are sold in at some supermarkets, empty yogurt containers, even the bottom 1/3 or so of a big soda or water bottle. Ideally, whatever you use should be soft enough so that you can poke a few drainage holes in the bottom.

Add a layer of small pebbles or gravel to the very bottom, then put in the potting soil. Dampen the soil so it's moist, but not soggy, cover it with a piece of waxed paper or a paper towel, then let it sit overnight so the soil can absorb the moisture.

The next day, sprinkle some of the dried seeds on the soil. Try to distribute them evenly and leave a little space between them, so they have room to grow. Cover the seeds with a very thin layer (about 1/4") of potting soil, spritz a little water on top and place the container(s) in a sunny window. Peppers like warmth, so covering the container lightly with waxed paper or plastic wrap helps retain heat. (My experience has been that a tight cover encourages mold to grow on the damp soil, but that may be a regional thing.) Check the soil every day to make sure it's moist, but not wet. You may want to put the container on a liner of some kind -- like an old plate or saucer -- so the moisture doesn't leak through the drainage holes onto the window sill or table top.

Seedlings should start appearing in about a week. If not, be patient. Sometimes it takes a little longer, especially if the weather isn't warm. When the seedlings have developed a couple of leaves, transplant them to larger pots and put them in a spot where they'll get sun, like a window or on the patio. In a garden, pepper plants are usually spaced about 18" apart, so one seedling per small (8") pot is good. If you have larger pots, two or three seedlings could share the space, but don't try to crowd too many together.

The first sign that peppers are coming will be small white flowers on the plants. Peppers self pollinate, so they can be grown indoors, without bees, etc. This article has lots more details on pepper growing.

If you're interested in something more exotic than conventional peppers, there's plenty available -- check here, here and here!

If starting plants from seed is a little too much work right now, you can also buy pepper seedlings at garden stores and keep them as houseplants. They're very pretty (the leaves in the image above are from a pepper plant) and you'll always have peppers handy!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Erthronium americanum

Trout lily, dog's tooth violet, yellow snowdrop, yellow fawn-lily, adder's tongue

This lovely lily with many strange common names is a native wildflower in the eastern US and Canada, so obviously it can be grown in many zones. It is naturally found in moist woodlands and meadows. Some wild colonies are purported to be 300 years old!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Clytostoma callistegioides

Violet trumpet vine

Native to South America, violet trumpet vine is known for being one of the hardier climbers, able to survive below freezing temperatures (but no lower than 10 degrees). The vines cascade over fences or use their tendrils to scale a trellis, arbor or whatever is handy. A profusion of three-inch-long blossoms appears in the spring and continues well into fall.

Violet trumpet vine is not particularly fussy about where and how it's grown. It's happy in sun or partial shade, and needs very little water once it's established. There are several different plants known as "trumpet vine" and according to various online resources, all have the potential to become invasive, so regular pruning is recommended.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Just because they're really, really beautiful and you can never have too many roses. So until the neighbor with the great garden tells me to get lost, we're in luck!

I'm not sure what variety these are. The flowers are about 5" or 6" in diameter and have had the scent bred out -- -- but they're still awesome. They remind me of the Flemish flower paintings, which is a very nice thing to be reminded of.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Mystery plant

Blooming asparagus? This little plant (little as in 7" or 8" high) came without a name tag. The care tag says it needs a lot of light but no direct sun. It has no fragrance, just the flowers and slightly fleshy leaves. Look familiar?

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Myosotis sylvatica

Forget-me-Not

This true blue flower (also available in pink and white varieties) is a perennial in zones 3-9. It thrives with lots of water and can be grown in full sun to almost full shade.

A medieval legend: A knight in full armor and his lady stroll along the river. He picks a posy of flowers for her, but falls into the river due to the weight of his armor. He throws the nosegay to her, as he is drowning and says "Forget me not!"

Forget-me-nots are worn by ladies as a sign of faithfulness and enduring love.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Drosanthemum hispidum or Delosperma cooperi

Ice plant

Easy-to-grow succulent that is perfectly happy in poor soil with very little water. As long as it gets some sun, ice plant thrives. To give you an idea of how indestructible ice plant is, it's typically grown along freeways, where it blankets medians and slopes with brightly colored flowers for several months of the year.

Actually, Drosanthemum is one of many different plants labeled "ice plant," and I'm not sure exactly which one is pictured above -- it could be Delosperma. Both are hardy and have big purple flowers. Maybe a succulent person will recognize the image and leave a comment.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Thanks to Correntian coyotecreek, we have a magnificent example of a blooming cactus to admire today. (Click on the image for a different view!)

This little (15 inches tall) cereus cactus rewarded us with a dozen blooms yesterday morning to thank us for keeping it warm during the Great Tucson Freeze of 2011. We had to stake the cactus up because the weight of the flowers was too much for it.

I didn't know a small cactus was capable of producing such an abundance of flowers. Thanks very much, CC -- what a remarkable plant!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Japanese garden at Bloedel Reserve, Bainbridge Island, WA

Frugality wins out. What better way to spend last weekend: exploring Bloedel Reserve for free and a plant sale to boot! Yes, the money I saved on admission was used to buy plants. (Of course I spent more.....) Bloedel Reserve was 150 acre estate that is now a public garden containing a Japanese garden, moss garden, camellia trail, woodlands. meadows and more.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Sedum morganianum

Burro tail, donkey tail

The sedum family of succulents is big and diverse, known mostly for their plump leaves and unusual shapes. Many are easy to propagate. Just break off a stem, stick it in some soil and get out of the way.

Most sedums produce flowers at some point, but they're just frosting on the cake. The burro tail is a good example. Those little green seed-like things in the background in the photo above are the leaves. They grow in long, ropey strands, kind of like dreadlocks, and spill over the edges of most containers. That's why they're usually grown in hanging baskets that show off the plant's unusual structure. Blooms are rare, but -- lucky you! -- this one is starting to flower, just in time to close out Pretty in Pink week. Happy Weekend!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Rosa

Rose

Pretty in Pink week continues with a coral-pink rosebud on the verge of opening. If you'd like to grow roses but aren't sure where to start, the American Rose Society can probably answer all your questions. Someone please correct me if this is wrong, but it seems that the most important considerations with roses are choosing the right plants for your climate and giving them proper care (lots of sun and water, appropriate nutrients and pest control). Not so hard, pretty much the same as with any plant.

Tempted to buy those inexpensive bare-root roses on sale at the supermarket or garden center? Not so fast! Only buy bare-roots plants that are recent arrivals. The longer the plants sit in the store, the more likely they'll be dried out, according to Sunset's Western Garden Book. Best results come from roses graded No. 1 or 1 1/2; lower grades grow more slowly and take longer to bloom.

Finally, you'll get a longer shelf life from cut roses if you follow these instructions from a Master Rosarian.

Reminder: If you happen to take pictures of your roses this year, don't forget -- Plantidote would be thrilled to have them!

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Camellia

Pretty in Pink weekend, initiated by jerztomato, has just become PiP week, and continues with this sweet pink camellia. So many camellias were damaged by the rain (and snow!) here in Southern California this winter. But this one managed to survive unscathed. (Definitely worth clicking on the image to see a larger version of this one.)

There are so many camellia varieties, plus half a dozen or so flower "forms," that I'm not even going to guess what this particular one might be. Maybe there's an astute reader out there who could supply some details
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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Rhododendron

The name rhododendron comes from the Greek rhodon "rose" and dendron "tree". Rhododendrons are among the most popular shrubs people grow where conditions are suitable. They grow best where there are not climate extremes and there is plenty of moisture (like the Pacific Northwest). The bloom season can extend from January to July depending on the species planted. They are shallow rooted plants that need to be mulched. All parts of the plant are poisonous.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chantrelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Cercis occidentalis

Western redbud

Western redbuds are small trees, usually no bigger than 20 feet high. But they know how put on a year round show. In the spring, if they've been exposed to below freezing weather, redbuds produce spectacular clusters of flowers, like the ones above. In the summer, bright reddish-purple seed pods take over for the flowers. For fall, redbuds' leaves turn red or a beautiful gold-yellow. Even in winter, the dark red seed pods make the trees' bare limbs look like they've been decorated.

Unfortunately, redbuds are happier in the cooler weather at higher elevations, so we don't see many here in the lowlands of Zone 10. Lucky for us, the LA Arboretum has an outstanding collection in bloom this month.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

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Pelargonium peltatum

Ivy geranium

These plants have been in the garden so long, I don't remember where they came from or what kind they are. They're not very demanding, so they get almost no attention, but they just keep on blooming. Strangely, however, this year there's a new blossom color -- the pinkish-coral on the right. I wonder how that happened.

The pelargonium/geranium family is an enormous group of plants, with some amazing varieties, and many of them are much more exotic than the one featured here. The International Geranium Society (IGS) is an excellent resource, especially for those interested in learning more about the confusion surrounding geraniums and pelargoniums.

Actually, the plants [sic] that gardeners have grown under the geranium name for several hundred years is not a geranium, but a pelargonium. Both plants, as well as a few others, are all members of the geraniaceae family. The problem arose when the plants were first brought from their native home of South Africa into Europe. All the early imports were labeled "geraniums" and continued under that blanket name for many years. When some observant botanists finally started a closer examination of these lovely new plants, they discovered many differences and then decided that the imports were not all the same plant type, but there were differences so were then moved into different named classifications.

One group of plants was given the original name of geraniums. A second group was classified as pelargoniums, then there were erodiums and sarcocaulons/monsonias. The plant we label "geranium" was put into the pelargonium category, however, it had become a well loved plant of gardeners in Europe under the old "geranium" label so although the botanists told them that the lovely pot or bedding plant they grew in such numbers was a pelargonium, they persisted in using the old name. That error has continued down the years and still persists today.

Geraniums and pelargoniums can be grown in every zone, says the IGS.

A true geranium is a hardy perennial. It dies down in the fall to re-appear the next spring the same as a daylily or violet. A pelargonium, at least the great majority of them, will not survive temperatures much below freezing.

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Readers, please send twig (twig4now [at] gmail [dot] com) images and stories for the ongoing Plantidote of the Day series. In exchange, you'll win undying fame in the form of a hat tip! Plants growing in your garden, your house, or neighbor's yard, plants from the forest or farmers' market, plants you preserved, plants you prepared (wine; cider; tea; dried beans), plants you harvested (grains; chanterelles), plants you picked (flowers), plants you dried (herbs), plants you covet or hope to grow someday. Herbal remedies, propagation tips, new varieties, etc.. And if you can, include some solid detail about the plant, too -- a story, the genus and species, or where you got the seeds, or the recipe, or your grandmother gave it to you. Or challenge us with a "Name That Plant" mystery entry ... And please feel free to add corrections and additional information in the comments.

PLANTIDOTE GROUP FORMING: Want to help gather images and take Plantidote of the Day to the next level? Of course you do! Join us by clicking the Join Groups menu item to sign up or email me at the address above!

Click on the image to see a larger version. Click here to see the entire series.