The shrublet
By Ralph E. Mitchell What is smaller than a shrub? A shrublet of course! One of my favorite shrublets is called false heather or Cuphea hyssopifolia, a native of Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras. There is… Read More
The other pineapple – the ornamental pineapple – a landscape jewel!
By Ralph E. Mitchell Are all pineapples edible? Technically, I suppose so, but in reality, there is a whole line of pineapples grown just for their looks – ornamental pineapples! Like all pineapples, they are… Read More
Pass the jackfruit
By Ralph E. Mitchell The first jackfruit I ever saw and tasted was in St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the West Indies. The attractive tree was evergreen and maybe thirty feet tall. The fruit… Read More
Hang-on, vines are on the way!
By Ralph E. Mitchell During one of my recent photo safaris to the Nature Park in Punta Gorda, the coral honeysuckle vine display took center stage attention with a wall of flowers. Vines like the… Read More
Cool name, heat tolerant – the ice plant
By Ralph E. Mitchell The ice plant is an unusual succulent groundcover that can be grown in our area. This perennial plant is very heat-tolerant and makes a great addition to your plant palette. The… Read More
Mindfulness
By Kristie Popa We have been hearing about mindfulness more within the past couple of years, but what does it really mean and how does it apply to 4-H? Mindfulness by definition is a mental… Read More
Who ate the crinum lilies?
By Ralph E. Mitchell As I drove into the entrance of the Murdock Administration Building, I glanced at the landscape and noticed that something was amiss. The large magnificent crinum lilies normally on display were… Read More
Introducing, or reintroducing, the lion’s ear
By Ralph E. Mitchell Bringing you back to the Nature Park in Punta Gorda, I wanted to introduce (or reintroduce) an underutilized perennial that fits into Florida-Friendly Landscaping™, has bright orange flowers from summer on… Read More
Cover your landscape with the blanket flower
By Ralph E. Mitchell Imagine a nice patch of yellow and orange flowers which bloom practically every day – this is the reality of the blanket flower – Gaillardia pulchella. Perfect for hot, sunny areas,… Read More
Worms in a bag – a cryptic caterpillar
By Ralph E. Mitchell As we explore the landscaping at our new facility at Centennial Park in Port Charlotte, we continue to find new things. A staff member discovered an infestation of bagworms nestled amongst… Read More