Plants

Trees that grow well in Vermont benefit from one of the most heavily forested landscapes in the entire United States, with woodlands covering an estimated 75 percent of the state’s total land area, a figure that consistently ranks Vermont among the two or three most forested states in the country. This extensive tree cover is … Read more

Trees that grow well in Ohio benefit from a landscape shaped by one of the more distinctive geological divides found in the eastern United States, since the last continental glacier flattened roughly two-thirds of the state into gently rolling till plains while leaving the rugged, unglaciated Allegheny Plateau of southeastern Ohio untouched, preserving steep sandstone … Read more

Passion fruits belong to the genus Passiflora, which contains more than 550 documented species, though only a relatively small fraction of these produce fruit that is actually cultivated or eaten by people around the world. The passion fruit’s unusual name has nothing to do with romance and everything to do with 16th-century Spanish missionaries in … Read more

Trees that grow well in Colorado face one of the more unusual sets of growing conditions found anywhere in the country, shaped by an elevation range that spans from roughly 3,300 feet along the eastern plains to more than 14,000 feet at the state’s highest peaks. This massive elevation shift creates dramatically different growing zones … Read more

Pine trees have a reputation for toughness, and in many ways they’ve earned it, surviving drought, poor soil, and harsh winters that would kill more delicate ornamentals. That reputation, though, hides a less convenient truth: pines are host to one of the longer pest and disease lists of any common landscape or forest tree, and … Read more

A healthy cherry tree can produce fruit for 15 to 20 years, but very few cherry trees make it through a full growing season without encountering at least one pest or disease along the way. Extension services tracking backyard and orchard cherry trees consistently report that fungal diseases and fruit-feeding insects account for the large … Read more

Most people picture a cherry tree the same way: white or pink blossoms floating above bright green leaves in early spring. Cherry trees with dark red leaves flip that image on its head, holding onto deep maroon, plum, and near-black foliage from the moment the leaves unfurl until they drop in autumn. Ornamental purple-leaf cherries … Read more

Cherry trees are usually associated with cold climates, but some varieties require far fewer winter chill hours than traditional cherries. These low-chill types can be a better choice for gardeners living in regions with mild winters. Low-chill cherry trees can flower and produce fruit without experiencing the long periods of cold required by many standard … Read more

Ornamental trees can completely change the character of a garden. A carefully chosen tree may provide spring flowers, colorful foliage, attractive bark, autumn color, unusual shapes, berries for wildlife, or welcome shade. Unlike many short-lived flowering plants, a well-placed ornamental tree can become a permanent feature around which an entire landscape is designed. The term … Read more

Ornamental Kale Plants: Beautiful Varieties for Fall and Winter Gardens Ornamental kale is one of those garden plants that becomes more interesting as the weather gets colder. While many plants lose their leaves or stop flowering in autumn, ornamental kale develops intense shades of white, pink, purple, red, and green. Its tightly packed leaves form … Read more