Behold the lime — a key ingredient in guacamole, margaritas, and refreshing sparkling water. Where would we be without it? We would live in a world of bland guacamole toast. The lime, most closely associated in the USA with Mexican cuisine, came to the West from...
In the 1967 movie The Graduate, Benjamin’s Alfa Romeo Spider breaks down in a citrus grove on the way to the church where Elaine is getting married. That grove bordered Fruit Street, so-called because La Verne, CA (the film location) was a prime area for citrus...
You can grow almost anything in Southern California, except maybe reindeer lichen. Bird of Paradise comes from South Africa. Bougainvillea hails from Brazil, and pampas grass is native to Argentina. They’re all familiar sights in LA-area landscapes. But while...
Lilacs are native to Eastern Europe and parts of Asia, where they were cultivated for their delicate flowers and sweet fragrance. Symbolically, they’re associated with love and renewal. These bushes can be grown in various environments, making them popular for...
Move over Canada; there’s a new maple tree in town! Only this tree is far from new in any sense. The graceful Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), native to Japan, Korea, and China, has been cultivated for centuries in Asia. It was introduced to the USA following the...
The Ginkgo biloba tree is a marvel. This living fossil has existed for over 200 million years, surviving many extinction events and earning its place as one of the hardiest plant species. The dinosaur vanished 66 million years ago, but the mighty Ginkgo soldiers on —...
