By Ralph E. Mitchell What seasonal plant better rings in the Holiday than the cuetlaxochitl! For that matter, what is a cuetlaxochitl? Would the name Euphorbia pulcherrima ring a bell? No? How about the poinsettia? This holiday charmer… Read More
By Ralph E. Mitchell Are you a candidate for the Charlotte County Master Gardener Program? Do you enjoy meeting and talking with people? Do you like searching for answers to gardening questions that you or others have? If… Read More
By Ralph E. Mitchell Many gardeners like desert-dwelling plants in their landscapes and gardens. One such popular plant is the agave. Made up of over two-hundred species within the agave family, it can become a plant collectors delight… Read More
By Ralph E. Mitchell For those into topiaries and formally pruned landscape features, a commonly available garden center plant may be of interest to you. The woody plant known as Eugenia, or more accurately, Syzygium paniculatum, is a… Read More
By Ralph E. Mitchell Sweet potatoes are surprising plants. Native to tropical America, this tuberous relative of the Morning Glory, is both edible and ornamental. An excellent source of vitamin A, the tubers come in yellow, orange and… Read More
By Ralph E. Mitchell Common plant names once again can be confusing and often relate best to how a plant looks at a glance, or even how the flowers smell. Asiatic jasmine is a good example. Not related… Read More
By Ralph E. Mitchell Many gardeners shy away from exotic -looking plants with a mistaken fear related to their personal lack of horticultural skill. One such plant in bloom now is the scarlet ginger also known as Hedychium… Read More
By Ralph E. Mitchell Crape myrtles are perhaps one of the most popular small flowering trees in our area. The flowers of this tree are summer favorites with colors ranging from white to lavender, and from pink to… Read More
By Ralph E. Mitchell I wrote an article awhile back about canna lilies. These perennial plants are so well-adapted to our area and their floral display is orchid-like and abundant. While the blooms are fantastic and come in… Read More
By Ralph E. Mitchell Anything with “queen” or “king’” attached to the name of a plant generally means some degree of magnificence. One such plant is the Queen’s Crape-Myrtle. Growing upwards of forty feet tall, the pink to… Read More
