Once dismissed as “worthless weeds,” petunias have gone from wild South American flowers to beloved garden staples. They’re a perfect match for Southern California — bold, sun-loving, and endlessly adaptable to our microclimates from beach to desert....
Few plants can match the canna lily’s bold beauty and long history. This tropical showstopper is a lily only in name — in fact, it’s more closely related to bananas and ginger. Once grown as food in ancient Peru, cannas, with their towering banana-like...
The wild ancestor of the cherry tomato originated in the coastal regions of Peru and Ecuador. These tiny, berry-sized fruits were tough and adaptable. Over centuries, wild tomatoes were domesticated and cultivated across Central and South America. Spanish explorers...
The ginger plant (Zingiber officinale) has been cultivated in Southeast Asia for over 3,000 years. It was one of the first spices exported to Europe through trade, prized for its flavor and medicinal uses. Candied ginger was a popular sweet in Europe from the 13th to...
It’s another “bleak” winter day in Los Angeles. Daytime temperatures will peak at 70 °F, with a bone-chilling nighttime low of 45 °F. Brrr! Or you could be in Chicago. While Chicago struggles with freezing temperatures and piercing winds, Los...
