Plant Basics

Over the centuries, many plant species existed but, as years passed, became extinct. When plants become extinct, they can throw off the entire ecosystem. That is why many U.S. states and countries...

Harvesting plant seeds is not only a way to save money on next year's garden or a way to continue your garden from one growing season to the next. Harvesting plant seeds has become an important...

Staghorn ferns are exotic and beautiful additions to any plant collection. You can use chemical fertilizers on them in moderation--you can also supplement their need for potassium by feeding them...

The bee balm plant is also known as bergamot. It got its name because of its similarity to the scent of bergamot oil derived from the Italian bergamot orange. The plant is used to make oswego tea,...

The staghorn fern is an exotic plant that can be planted in several different ways because of its epiphytic nature. An epiphytic plant is one that does not require soil to absorb nutrients, but...

Simple, ordinary aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) is turning out to be a true miracle pill. It has a long list of remedies for your health, and aspirin has also shown to be beneficial for your...

Tropical plants are some of the flashiest, most exciting plants in the world. If you're lucky enough to have a garden in a hot, tropical climate, grow a wide variety of brilliantly colored flowers...

Coconut plants take a long time to grow. The coconut will send roots down into the soil and then the top of the coconut will split and fronds will emerge. It takes three to nine months for the...

The Alameda plant, or Arctostaphylos pallida, is a perennial shrub that is on the threatened list in the United States, and on the endangered list in California, according to the United States...

Nephrolepis exaltata, commonly known as the Boston fern, originates from the hot, humid climates of Florida, Central and South America, and Africa. The Boston fern exhibits feathery, arching...

Leeks (Allium ampeloprasum) are a member of the onion family but are milder in flavor. You can eat them raw, but most cooks use them used in soups, stews and casseroles. Gardeners have been...

Pale yellow, almost perfectly round fruits with a flavor somewhere between and apple and a pear, Asian pears have a light, crispy texture that delights the palate. For the gourmet gardener,...

Grass can invade your perennial beds no matter what steps you take to prevent it. Proper soil preparation, solid bed edging and even weedcloth do not seem to deter crabgrass, Bermuda grass and...

Zoysia grass is a genus of grasses that was named after the 1700s scientist Karl von Zois. Zoysia grass species can be found across eastern and southeastern Asia and Australasia.

Magnolias are majestic flowering trees, growing anywhere from 15 to 40 feet depending in which region it resides. The flowers are large, white and fragrant and bloom from May through June and...

Daphne odora--also known as leucantha--is prized for producing colorful, fragrant blossoms in winter when most flowering shrubs are dormant. While it can be tricky to root leucantha, if you are...

The angel wing begonia is beloved for its large, showy, winglike leaves--dark green with silver speckles and crimson undersides--and for its delicate flowers that range from white to red. The...

Rhododendrons are flowering bushes that are abundant throughout the United States, especially in the Southern region. They are very popular in landscape plans due to the fact that the leaves...

Rhododendrons are flowering shrubs and trees that produce vibrant-colored blooms for short periods of time each spring. One of the more common varieties of the rhododendron plant is the azalea,...

Growing plants in a greenhouse can offer you and your family valuable vegetables, herbs and even fruits for an entire year. Greenhouses are built to retain warmth in the winter and keep cool in...

Lobelia siphilitica, also known as Great Blue Lobelia, is a flowering perennial that produces impressive blue blooms that attract hummingbirds. This plant also has a rich tradition among Native...

Aloe vera is among the most widely used medicinal plants in the world. It has been propagated and used by humans for nearly 6,000 years, and is used mainly as a treatment for rashes, burns and...

The Mexican bird of paradise (Caesalpinia mexicana) is a lush evergreen that produces beautiful yellow flower clusters from the spring until fall. It will grow to 15 feet tall, but it can be...

The mushroom is the "fruit" of certain fungi, having evolved to enable the fungi to produce spores (the fungal equivalent of seeds) in large numbers. According to David Fischer, author of "Edible...

A pineapple bromeliad is, quite simply a pineapple plant. Like the flowers of other types of bromeliads, the pineapple grows on a single stem surrounded by a whorl of leaves.Eventually, a healthy...

Ornamental grasses include a wide variety of plants that suit a wide variety of needs in the garden. From small accents to large privacy screens, these plants are utilized in almost every fashion...

Seltzer water is sparkling water, which has carbonation. Everyone knows that plants need water in order to be able to grow, but does seltzer water help plants grow? It is important to look at the...

There are hundreds of thousands of plants, each with unique characteristics. Since you have found one that interests you, you'd like to learn more about it. Determining the type of plant you...

The agapanthus plant, also known as the lily of the Nile, produces clusters of blooms in blue, white or violet. Blooms generally appear from late spring to early fall. The name agapanthus is Greek...

Perennial plants need to be cut back at least once a year so that they have room to grow new shoots. The key to making sure that your perennial flowers will bloom at the same time every year is...

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a cluster of hydrogen and oxygen molecules. In nature, hydrogen peroxide is found in rainwater and is very beneficial for natural vegetation. The tap water we normally...

Vriesea (pronounced vah-REEZ-ee-ah) are a tropical bromeliad that grow outdoors in warm, frost-free landscapes or as houseplants. They have lance-shaped strappy leaves arranged in a circular...

Native to the tropics, an anthurium need warm, humid conditions in order to grow. An anthurium acclimates gradually to bright sunlight. This showy plant loves to climb, so it is important to...

The aloe polyphylla plant is also called spiral aloe because its leaves grow in a unique spiraling pattern. Mature plants have five rows of leaves spiraling from the center and flower rarely. The...

Liquid Karma is a concentrated growth catalyst for plants. It contains fermented compost solution, amino acids, vitamins and plant extracts that stimulate plant growth. It also contains humic acid...

White mold is a dangerous fungal disease that can affect a large number of plants. If left untreated, the mold can spread and infect other plants and may even be lethal to your vegetation. Plants...

Staghorn ferns, also called elkhorns because of the distinct shape of their fronds, need abundant air circulation and shade to thrive. If properly cared for, your staghorn fern will quickly...

Staghorn ferns are both lovely and unusual plants. They are epiphytic plants, meaning that they do not require soil to grow. Staghorn ferns, like other epiphytic plants, absorb nutrients from the...

Alliums require ample nutrients to develop properly. The soil where they will be planted should be turned with compost or other decayed organic matter and humus. Alliums require high nutrient...

The shrimp plant is an easy to grow, evergreen tropical shrub, native to Mexico. Typically, used as an ornamental plant, it will grow to 5 feet tall and bloom in shades of muted red, brown and...

Legumes and starchy vegetables are distinctly different groups of vegetables. Both legumes and starchy vegetables are considered starches in dietary planning, which is especially important when...

Pepper plants thrive in raised beds because their soil warms up earlier each growing season and tends to stay warmer than soil in non-raised beds. Raised beds also provide the flexibility to place...

The rose of Sharon is a flowering shrub that produces red, pink and white blooms. It can grow to a height of 4 to 10 feet and grows best in USDA zones 5a to 9a. It is in the hibiscus family. A new...

If you live in the South, planting asparagus in the fall will make sense, because the young plants of this perennially popular favorite thrive in cooler climes, and would almost certainly perish...

Growing lush, beautiful plants involves more than simply watering them occasionally. Plants can benefit from the judicious use of a little fertilizer. Deciding which type and how much to use can...

Like all plant species, tropical plants are not immune to infectious diseases caused by various pathogens or poor growing conditions. Ornamental tropical plant varieties include bird of paradise,...

For a natural and inexpensive way to reproduce a plant, you can take cuttings from an overgrown plant. They are generally taken from the stem, making them easier to root. Leaves and roots are...

Once established, fruit bushes often become dear to the gardeners that keep them. The simple pleasure of harvesting fresh fruit from a bush near your home combined with the often beautiful flowers...

Staghorn ferns (Platycerium species) are exotic, elegant and relatively disease-free. Common problems are overwatering, watering with softened water, and placing them in direct sunlight. They are...

Green beans contain enzymes that eventually destroy nutrients within the beans and change the color of the seeds. To preserve the color in green bean seeds, this enzyme action must be slowed or...