Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia): Origin, Characteristics & Cultivation

Robinia pseudoacacia, commonly known in its native territory as black locust, is a medium-sized hardwood deciduous tree, belonging to the tribe Robinieae of the legume family Fabaceae. It is native to a few small areas of the United States, but it has been widely planted and naturalized elsewhere in temperate North America, Europe, Southern Africa and Asia and is considered an … Read more

European Elderberry (Sambucus nigra): Origin, Characteristics Varieties & Cultivation

Sambucus nigra, commonly known as the European Elderberry or Black Elder, is one of the most well-known species within the Sambucus genus. Sambucus nigra is native to Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia. Its natural range extends from Scandinavia in the north, through Central and Southern Europe, to parts of the Mediterranean region, and eastward … Read more

12 Different Types of Elderberries (With Pictures)

Sambucus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Adoxaceae. The various species are commonly referred to as elder, elderflower or elderberry. Elderberry plants are deciduous shrubs or small trees. They have pinnate leaves, with several leaflets. They produce clusters of small, white, or cream-colored flowers with a sweet fragrance. These flowers bloom in late … Read more

Snowdrop Tree: Origin, Characteristics & Cultivation

Halesia, also known as silverbell or snowdrop tree, is a small genus of four or five species of deciduous large shrubs or small trees in the family Styracaceae. This tree is native to the southeastern United States. The species can be found from Virginia south to Florida and west to Oklahoma and Texas. There are also … Read more

Ice Plant (Delosperma cooperi): Origin, Characteristics & Cultivation

Ice plant is a common name for many genera and species but two of the most popular genera known for their brightly colored flowers are the perennials Lampranthus and Delosperma. The name ice plant derives from tiny hairs on the plant’s leaves and stems that reflect light in a way that resembles ice crystals.  Delosperma cooperi, the trailing Iceplant, … Read more

Ajuga (Bugleweed): Origin, Characteristics & Cultuvation

Ajuga reptans is commonly known as bugle, blue bugle, bugleherb, bugleweed, carpetweed, carpet bugleweed, and common bugle, and traditionally however less commonly as St. Lawrence plant. It is an herbaceous flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae, native to Europe. It is also a component of purple moor grass and rush pastures, a Biodiversity Action Plan habitat in … Read more

Periwinkle (Vinca minor): Origin, Characteristics & Cultivation

General Information Vinca minor is a species of flowering plant in the dogbane family, native to central and southern Europe, from Portugal and France north to the Netherlands and the Baltic States, east to the Caucasus, and also southwestern Asia in Turkey. Other common names for this plant include small periwinkle, common periwinkle, and sometimes in the United … Read more

Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum): Characteristics & Cultivation

Galium odoratum, also known as Asperula odorata, the sweet woodruff or sweetscented bedstraw, is a flowering perennial plant in the family Rubiaceae, native to much of Europe from Spain and Ireland to Russia, as well as Western Siberia, Turkey, Iran, the Caucasus, China and Japan. It is also sparingly naturalised in scattered locations in the … Read more