“Coneflower” refers to the entire Echinacea genus, which includes about nine species. The most popular and studied one is Echinacea purpurea, with its striking purple blooms. Native American tribes used Echinacea for centuries to treat wounds, toothaches,...
“Oregano” comes from the Greek oros (mountain) and ganos (joy), translating to “joy of the mountain.” The ancient Greeks crowned newlyweds with the pungent plant. The herb was uncommon in American cuisine before WWII, but GIs returning from...
The oddly beautiful bottlebrush plant comes from Australia, a land of bizarre creatures like the platypus and leafy sea dragon. Its cylindrical, long-blooming flowers resemble, well, a brush to clean bottles. The flower’s bright red “bristles” are...
Some azaleas are old enough to collect Social Security. These “royal” shrubs can live 50 years or more. Several plants in historic Japanese temples are centuries old. Azaleas belong to the Rhododendron genus and are native to Asia, North America, and...
Remember Earth Day? Yes, it’s still a thing. Rising public concern over pollution, smog, and environmental degradation fueled the first Earth Day in 1970. Sustainable gardening may seem like an Earth Day sequel, but many traditional cultures have practiced it...
Humans and hollyhocks go way back. Archaeologists have discovered hollyhock pollen in Neanderthal burial sites in Iraq, suggesting it had spiritual or medicinal importance as early as 50,000 years ago. Sumerian clay tablets mention plants with large, showy blooms,...
