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From the scaly-coned Pacific Silver Fir to the spiny-barked Devil’s Walking Stick, readers will discover over 540 unique native species and almost 2,500 color photos. If you read our review of the “National Audubon Society Birds of North America,” you know you’re in for a treat with the scope and quality of an Audubon book. In this article, we take a deep dive into the Society’s most authoritative work to date on the trees of North America....

One of the creatures gardeners sometimes like to attract is the butterfly. Its beautiful colors and ability to pollinate flowers are welcome attributes to most backyards. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. Buddleia Davidii This is the common Butterfly Bush. It is a very large shrub, reaching a height of 6′ to 12′ if left on it’s own....

It’s not a new leaf – you’ve seen those develop and know what the sprouts look like. It’s also not an offshoot or pup, since they form below the leaves. How strange! We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. You’re here for answers, so let’s get straight to it! Read on as we explore flowering in aloe plants....

Is it too much to expect them to bloom, too? We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. So the thrill of anticipating a bloom is tinged with the knowledge that it heralds the plant’s death. The full story still has a happy ending, though, so keep reading! Here’s everything I’ll cover: Do Hens and Chicks Bloom?...

Some gardeners want this cool-season vegetable to keep producing in hot weather, for example, and that’s just not possible. But you may not be aware you can rely on most varieties of Lactuca sativa to keep growing as freezing temperatures set in, with some support from you, the gardener. You will need to protect most types from frost. But when you do, you can expect this species to produce baby leaves and even full-size heads well into late autumn or winter, times of year when fresh greens are so welcome....

Surprising, right? Even today, research shows that your homegrown beets really can bring a bounty of health benefits! We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. Beet Background In Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa where they originate – and long before they were first consumed as a root vegetable – beets’ ancient ancestors were harvested for use in herbal medicine....

This makes it convenient for them to steal food and larvae to feed the members of their own colony. These particular pests are one of the smallest species of ant around the world that commonly infest houses. Their tiny size makes them formidable opponents. It enables them to sneak into packaged foods, and hide almost undetectably in crevices in your home. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products....

These plants take a little bit of work to maintain if you want to keep those flowers flowing as long as possible. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. In this article, we’ll help you figure out why and when to deadhead, and how to do it the right way so you can encourage more blooms that will continue long into the growing season....

And while today’s modern cultivated varieties offer a palette of hues that also includes orange, pink, white, and bicolor combinations, I find there’s nothing quite as breathtaking after a gray and snowy winter as a drift of golden blossoms beneath a refreshingly blue sky. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. In this article, we focus on dividing daffodils....

It is one of about 600 types of non-stinging Pilea species in the Urticaceae, or nettle family. This tropical species thrives outdoors year-round in Zones 11 to 12 as a short-lived evergreen perennial. It is also grown as an outdoor annual or indoor houseplant in all zones. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....

There are numerous aster species in several genera within the Asteraceae family that contains chrysanthemums, daisies, and sunflowers. Most plants are suited to full sun or light shade cultivation in moderately rich, slightly acidic soil in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 8. They bloom from late summer to fall, often until frost, in shades of blue, pink, purple, and white. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products....

Baneberry is a plant in the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, that’s worthy of a spot in your woodland garden. The common name for many species of plants in the Actaea genus, this plant is aptly named. “Bane,” of course, is a word that means deadly. It is closely related to wolfsbane and monkshood, two other toxic plants. This bush is often found growing in the wild, preferring to root itself in heavily wooded areas that contain moist, nutrient-rich soil....

We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. Another is the Norway maple, a species of Acer that’s known for its beauty, adaptability, and tolerance for a plethora of less-than-ideal growing conditions. This tree sports a rounded, symmetrical habit of densely-growing foliage that starts off a gorgeous dark green before changing to a striking yellow come autumn....

These plants add lush green foliage to our households, can adapt to a variety of conditions, and are supremely easy to care for. They make the perfect plant companions for houseplant newbies! In fact, there are few other houseplants that are as easy to care for and flexible in their care needs as these trees. And many of the notable exceptions, such as sansevieria and pothos, are toxic if ingested by pets or children....

And thanks to the work of plant breeders, there are a variety of colorful, full and double cultivars of the English daisy that you can grow in your garden. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. Read on to learn how to grow enough of these bright flowers to make daisy chains, dry them as cut flowers, or add the edible blooms to salads and confection for days!...

While they get more love in the UK than in the US, even there they take a backseat to their raspberry and blackberry brethren. It’s my mission to change that by the end of this article. Once we’re done, you’ll be singing the gooseberry’s praises from your rooftops. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....

While all the fancy additions like heat and supplemental lighting can extend that period even longer, a simple, basic, unheated greenhouse can also do wonders if you know how to work with it. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. An unheated greenhouse is still warmer than the outside because the sun heats up the interior air and that heat stays trapped inside, helping you to keep plants alive that wouldn’t otherwise thrive in your region....

Additionally, there are a number of pathogens that can cause disease, potentially leading to a reduced harvest, or in severe cases, death of your plant. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. In our guide to growing blueberries, we discuss how to cultivate these plants in your landscape. In this article, we’ll go over the major pests and diseases that can affect the health of your plants....

If you want bright color without a lot of work or worry about diseases, mums are the way to go. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. In chrysanthemums, powdery mildew is one of the most common issues you’ll come across. While it has the potential to kill your plants, it usually just makes them look kind of ugly....

Whether you’re using the whole root, paste, or powdered form, it’s a spice any seasoned cook will reach for, especially when they want an easy way to add a dash of Asian flavor to their dishes. You don’t see ginger farms sprawling across the countryside of Europe or America. Now, why is that? We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....