AMERICAN GARDENER

Azaleas are flowering shrubs belonging to the genus Rhododendron, a member of the heath family Ericaceae. They are among the most celebrated ornamental plants in the world, prized for their spectacular spring blooms that arrive in dense clusters of funnel-shaped flowers. With over 10,000 named cultivars developed from roughly 800 wild species, azaleas come in … Read more

Cacti are a family of flowering plants (Cactaceae) containing around 1,750 known species, almost all native exclusively to the Americas — from Patagonia in the south to British Columbia in the north. They have evolved over millions of years to thrive in some of the world’s harshest environments, with the vast majority found in arid … Read more

Dahlias are members of the Asteraceae plant family, which was formerly called the Compositae family. This older name referred to the type of flowers in this family, which are composite or compound. Dahlia flowers are composed of a central head of disk florets surrounded by an outer ring of ray florets. Dahlia plants offer the … Read more

Dahlia is a genus of tuberous flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, native to the highlands of Mexico and Central America, where around 42 wild species have been documented growing at elevations between 1,500 and 3,700 meters. The genus was named in honor of Swedish botanist Anders Dahl in the late 18th century, and since … Read more

Spirea is a genus of flowering shrubs in the rose family (Rosaceae), comprising around 80 to 100 species native to the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with the greatest diversity found across Asia, Europe, and North America. These deciduous shrubs are among the most widely planted ornamental plants in temperate gardens worldwide, valued for … Read more

A hoop house is a low-cost protected growing structure consisting of curved hoops or arches — made from metal conduit, PVC pipe, or fiberglass rods — covered with polyethylene plastic sheeting or other transparent material. The arched framework creates an enclosed microclimate that traps solar heat, raises internal temperatures above outdoor levels, and shields crops … Read more

Musa ingens is the most physically imposing plant in the entire Musa genus and holds the extraordinary distinction of being the world’s largest herbaceous plant — a title that places it in a category of botanical superlatives shared by very few species on earth. Unlike the cultivated bananas that dominate global agriculture, Musa ingens is … Read more

The Thousand Fingers banana is one of the most visually spectacular and botanically fascinating cultivars in the entire Musa genus, occupying a unique niche as both a genuinely productive fruiting banana and one of the most dramatic ornamental food plants a tropical or subtropical gardener can grow. Known by a colorful array of regional names … Read more

The Robusta banana is one of the most commercially significant Cavendish subgroup cultivars in Asia, holding a position of particular importance in India — the world’s largest banana-producing nation — where it dominates both domestic fresh markets and the country’s growing export trade. Belonging to the AAA genomic group with three complete chromosome sets derived … Read more