AMERICAN GARDENER

The first eucalyptus was catalogued in 1770s, in Australia by botanist David Nelson, a member of Captain James Cook’s famous Endeavor voyage. Today, the name eucalyptus describes more than 800 species of varying sizes and growth habits, with some of the largest species reaching up to 325 feet in height. Eucalyptus or gum trees are … Read more

Acer palmatum, commonly known as Japanese maple, palmate maple, or smooth Japanese maple, is a species of woody plant native to Japan, Korea, China, eastern Mongolia, and southeast Russia. The tree is characterized by a low growth habit, usually staying under 20 feet tall, and deeply dissected palmate leaves, which may be up to 5-inches long. … Read more

Both evergreen and deciduous trees change the color of their foliage in response to growth, season, temperature, disease, air pollution and soil conditions. Autumn is the most colorful time for most trees, as many different species exhibit their colorful fall foliage. Vivid shades of yellow, orange, red, rust and purple compete in a range of … Read more

Bark is the outer covering of a tree’s trunk and branches. Bark is analogous to an animal’s skin. Its purposes are conserving water and protecting the tree’s essential living systems from temperature extremes and storms as well as from attacks by diseases, animals and insects. Some tree species have extra-thick bark that protects the tree … Read more

What Are Heirloom Tomatoes? Heirloom, a term used interchangeably with Heritage, refers to varieties of tomatoes whose seeds have been passed down for generations. In other words, Heirloom tomatoes are varieties that have been grown without crossbreeding for 50 or more years. This tomato Varieties are often open-pollinated, which means that they are pollinated naturally, … Read more

Today tomato is a common food crop for the home gardener because it’s easy to grow and usually provides an abundant harvest.While it is possible to buy tomatoes in the grocery store year-round, vine-ripened tomatoes are only available during the growing season.  Globally, there are more than 2,000 tomato cultivars available. These cultivars may be … Read more

Evergreen shrubs are an ideal addition to your outdoor space, offering year-round color and providing an attractive backdrop to colorful annuals and perennial flowering plants and shrubs. The shrubs can provide a dense privacy screen all year long. Privacy hedges also serve as windbreaks, reduce street noise and block unwanted views.Shrubs are also habitats for … Read more

A caterpillar is the larval stage of a moth or butterfly. It is the second part of their four-stage life cycle (egg, larva, pupa, adult). Caterpillars have long, worm-like bodies with six true legs. They can also have a variable number of stumpy false legs (called prolegs), which help them to move and cling to … Read more

Overview The name “arborvitae” derives from Latin for “tree of life” and refers to several conifers of the cypress family native to North America and Asia. The two American species, the eastern and giant arborvitae, are, in their wild form, more commonly known as northern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis) and western red cedar (Thuja plicata), … Read more

What are caterpillars? Caterpillars are the larvae of butterflies and moths. Butterflies and moths form the order Lepidoptera, a very large group with more than 150,000 species, that are easily distinguishable from other insects.Caterpillars can cause serious economic damage. Most species feed on leaves and young shoots, and their enormous feeding capacity can rapidly decimate … Read more