AMERICAN GARDENER

Mexican Heather, also known as False Heather or Elfin Herb (Cuphea hyssopifolia), is a small evergreen shrub native to Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras. It is a member of the Lythraceae family and is commonly used as an ornamental plant, grown in orchards and gardens. This plant also grows on the banks of streams, associated with … Read more

Ocotillo cacti (Fouquieria splendens) is a flowering spiny shrub that is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It is commonly found in the Sonoran, Mojave, Chihuahuan and Colorado deserts. It prefers well-drained, rocky soils and open spaces like slopes, mesas, washes and desert grasslands. This plant is actually a deciduous shrub and not … Read more

The Empress Tree (Paulownia tomentosa), also known as the Princess Tree, Royal Paulownia, or Foxglove Tree, is a deciduous hardwood tree native to central and western China. The tree produces large, showy flowers before its leaves in the spring, which are light lilac-purple in color and resemble foxgloves. This tree grows rapidly with the potential … Read more

Cherry Blossom Trees, also known as Sakura Trees, are a type of ornamental cherry trees native to Japan, Korea, and China. The delicate pink or white flowers of these trees bloom each spring, for only about a week or two. These trees are a cultural icon in Japan, steeped in history, symbolism and aesthetic appreciation. … Read more

The Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria), also commonly known simply as Yaupon, is a species of holly that is native to southeastern North America, ranging from southern Virginia south to Florida and west to southeast Oklahoma and central Texas . The word “yaupon” itself comes from the Catawban language, where it literally translates to “ya” (tree) … Read more

The Trident Maple (Acer buergerianum), also known as the Three-toothed Maple or the Chinese Maple, is a species of maple tree native to eastern China, Korea, and Japan. In China, it is found in provinces including Shandong, Gansu, Guangdong, and Sichuan. This tree belongs to the soapberry family (Sapindaceae) and is commonly used for Bonsai. … Read more

The Blue Palo Verde tree (Parkinsonia florida) is a species of palo verde native to the Sonoran Deserts in the Southwestern United States and Northwestern Mexico, including the Baja California peninsula. It is a characteristic woody plant along washes in the Colorado desert, and occasionally in the Mojave’s mountains. Its name, derived from Spanish, translates … Read more

The Coontie Palm, scientifically known as Zamia integrifolia, is a small, tough, woody cycad native to the southeastern United States (in Florida and Georgia), the Bahamas, Cuba, and the Cayman Islands. It’s not actually a palm tree, but a cycad, a group of ancient plants that predate dinosaurs. Coontie palms are also known as “living … Read more

The Snakebark Maple is a small to medium-sized, deciduous tree that is part of the Acer genus, known for its distinctive bark. The bark of the Snakebark Maple is smooth and olive green, streaked with vertical green and white stripes, which gives it a distinctive appearance. This feature is most prominent on young trees and … Read more