Plant Basics

The tomatillo plant or Physalis ixocarp is a type of vegetable that is native to Mexico. The tomatillo is a member of the same family of plants to which potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants and peppers...

Watering plants has been the subject of debate among gardeners since agriculture began. Especially in modern times, with the ability to change water composition and temperature at will, there are...

Restoring a damaged plant to health provides a challenge for even the most experienced gardeners. Outdoor plants can be damaged from cold, weather or bugs. Indoor plants can suffer damage from...

Plants are usually divided into two categories: vascular and non-vascular. While these two types of plant have some different characteristics, such as having cells that transfer water from one...

Tropical palm plants are a popular choice for indoor planters. They require slightly more care and attention than other houseplants, but are still relatively easy to grow. However, palm plants...

Hanging plants are great for enhancing design and sprucing up a room. According to Umd.edu, they can add a great visual element that is lacking in conventional flora. You may have seen different...

A wide variety of fungi live in the soil and can take up residence in your plants. Infection can sometimes be prevented through application of chemical solutions early in the growing season. ...

If you own a home with a yard or garden, chances are good that you're anxious to spruce up that land with flowers, plants, vegetables or a lawn. Plants, flowers and vegetables can also be grown...

Mung beans are best known in their sprouted form, when they're referred to as bean sprouts. Mung beans are most commonly grown in in warm, arid environments such as India and Asia, and are used...

Gardeners are always on the lookout for pests that can eat and destroy outdoor plants and flowers. The most common pests that can infect elephant ear plants are mites, mealy bugs and aphids....

Identifying a plant may seem like a daunting task. However, if you break the plant down into more manageable pieces you will begin to notice small features that can help you make a positive...

Cane plants are also known as Massangeana cane, Fragrans cane, Dracaena cane or Arundinaria gigantean (giant cane). The Fragrans cane is variegated with yellow stripes. Fragrans occasionally...

Mold on houseplants is a problem that is important to overcome. Mold will grow on houseplants on a screened porch because the porch is prone to moisture, and excess moisture allows mold to grow...

French lavender plants are perennials that thrive in warm climates, yet can be brought indoors during winters in zones outside of 8 through 10. Blooms begin in midsummer and produce gorgeous...

Green plants come in many kinds of shapes and sizes, ranging from the giant redwood, which towers over 300 feet high, to minuscule algae organisms, which are only visible under a microscope.

Since milk is chock-full of vitamins and minerals, it is only natural to wonder if plants would get an extra boost if hydrated with it instead of water. Milk is full of protein and fats, which...

Buying plants by the flat can be a convenient and affordable way to purchase annuals for your garden.

Viable seeds are the products of successful fertilization in flowering plants using sexual reproduction. In many plants, a seed will have two individual parents; and in others it will have only...

Powdery mildew is a fungus that infects a wide range of plants. Although it may not seriously harm all plants it affects, serious injury can and does occur in some varieties.

You can make money off of Agave. Agave, or century plant, are a plant that is closely related to the lily, but if you've ever seen an agave, you know you aren't going to be picking it and placing...

For the most part, soapy water affects plants beneficially. Reusing your gray water can be good for the environment, and it contains nutrients as well as fertilizing ingredients for your plants....

Using indoor bedding plants is a strategy that allows gardeners in northern climates to extend their growing season. Plants that require a longer growing season than nature has provided are...

Bouvardia plants are shrubby, clustered and have very fragrant, tubular, white flowers. The plants can grow up to 4 feet tall, and the flowers bloom during summer to early winter. With the right...

It is important to treat houseplants and vines with proper care. Specific plants need specific things, depending on the species. To the layman, however, identifying houseplants and vines can seem...

Lantana is a hardy flowering plant similar to a shrub that produces an abundance of colored blooms during the spring, summer and fall months. With over 150 varieties of Lantana available, every...

The Chinese Fringe plant, also known as Loropetalum Chinense, is a large evergreen plant that can grow to 12 feet in height. The original Chinese Fringe plant produces delicate white flower...

While garden centers and catalogs offer a myriad of choices, wrapping up your own divided perennials or bulbs can make unique and inexpensive gifts. Plants are always an excellent gift idea, and...

Gardeners sell cuttings to generate extra income during the summer months. Plants easily propagated from cuttings keep expenses down and offer a steady supply of new cuttings each year. Most...

Ornamental gingers and culinary ginger (zingiber officinale),are grown indoors in all climates, or outdoors in zones 9 through 11 of the United States. Trimming rules are the same for all...

Monstera deliciosa, commonly known as windowleaf, Swiss cheese plant or split-leaf philodendron, grows wild in the jungles of Central America. This tropical plant features glossy leaves that...

The Oregon grape plant is an evergreen shrub that bears small, edible fruit clusters. Even though the name contains "grape," this plant is not related to grape plants. Meriwether Lewis discovered...

Privet hedges are popular, fast growing landscaping shrubs. They are versatile and give the gardener the options to have perfectly manicured hedging, stately well-trimmed trees, fantastic...

A Currant is a delicious, versatile berry fruit. The red, pink and white currants originate from three European species. Black currants are from both the European and Asian species. Currants will...

Daphne plants are easy to grow, and their color and scent make them a great addition to your landscape. Intensely fragrant flowers appear in late March to early April, and the clusters of lilac to...

Hanging plants in containers around a patio greatly enhances any outdoor living space. The advantage of hanging plants is that they are portable and can be removed easily to water or if the...

Peonies were first brought to America during the 1800s. The easy to grow plants with fragrant, large, showy flowers and dark green foliage were winter hardy and quickly became a favorite in the...

Many people grow a garden. This can contain flowers, vegetables or sometimes both flowers and vegetables. When you are gardening, you want to be sure that your plants are going to grow. For...

Pond gardening is a fun and different way to grow beautiful plants. Water gardening is fun because it combines the fun of the water with the art of traditional gardening. Thousands of pond plants...

During the winter months, homeowners are concerned about protecting their outside plants from the effects of the cold. Protecting gardens from frost damage takes time and consideration. It is best...

Scientists believe plants evolved from green algae during four periods, beginning with nonvascular plants about 460 million years ago. Vascular plants appeared about 350 million years ago,...

Blue fescue is an ornamental grass with stunning blue gray foliage. It can grow to a height of 6 to 18 inches and grows well in USDA zones from 4a to 10b. Blue fescue produces white blooms in late...

It is hard to imagine a more exotic flower than the tall, striking bird of paradise, also sometimes known as the crane plant. The flower does, in fact, resemble a water bird having a slender blue...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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...