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
By Ralph E. Mitchell As I mentioned last week, we just finished our 2018 Master Gardener Training activity called the “Parade of Plants” where Master Gardener Trainees pick a plant they like and then develop a short ten-minute… Read More
By Ralph E. Mitchell We just finished our 2018 Master Gardener Training activity called the “Parade of Plants”. Master Gardener Trainees pick a plant and then develop a short ten-minute presentation on this plant. All of the presentations… Read More
By Ralph E. Mitchell A common, but often underutilized plant, crossandra is an ideal companion for any landscape that offers part-sun and part-shade conditions. This native to India and Sri Lanka is a perennial evergreen shrub that provides… Read More
By Ralph E. Mitchell A papaya is not a true tree, but a tree-like or arborescent plant. This large herbaceous plant is relatively short-lived, but can be a great producer of high-quality fruit. I have grown them for… Read More
