What are Boronias? Boronia is a member of the citrus family, filled with essential oils in the abundant flowers and foliage. It is sometimes called “scent leaf” because of the fragrance in the leaves. Fragrant, star-like blooms appear in spring and bloom through early summer, attracting pollinators and begging to come inside in your cut-flower arrangement. If you wish to add some of these to your arrangements, cut long stems early when they’re budding....

What are Hican Nuts? Here is some hican nut information in case you are asking “What are hican nuts?” Hicans are nuts produced from trees that result from crossing hickory and pecan nut trees. Hican nut trees fall into one of two categories – shagbark or shellbark – depending on whether the hickory parent was a shagbark or a shellbark. Generally, the shellbark X pecan produces larger nuts, while shagbarks produce more nuts....

Rice Leaf Smut Information What causes rice leaf smut is a fungus called Entyloma oryzae. Fortunately for your garden, if you see its signs, this infection is usually minor. It is widespread where rice is grown, but leaf smut doesn’t often cause serious damage. However, leaf smut can make your rice vulnerable to other diseases, and ultimately this can cause a yield reduction. The characteristic sign of rice with leaf smut is the presence of small black spots on the leaves....

What is a Mexican Yam? Mexican yam root is a perennial warm-weather vining plant with an enlarged tuberous caudex or stem. Each season, another tuber forms and sends up a deciduous vine with heart-shaped leaves. The vines die back during the cold season, but the “tortoise shell” caudex continues to grow as it sends up one to two new vines per year. The attractive tortoise shell-patterned caudex makes Mexican yam root a desirable specimen plant for warm coastal climates....

What is a Royal Palm Tree? That depends upon who you ask. Some classify it as the genus Roystonea, but others say it’s just the species Roystonea regia (both the genus and species imply royalty, so it’s hard to commit). Royal palm trees are very large, reaching 50 to 80 feet (15-24 m.) in height and 15 to 25 feet (4.5-7.5 m.) in spread. The leaves are 10 to 15 feet (3-4....

Cold Hardy Juniper Plants Zone 4 regions of the country get pretty cold, with winter temperatures sinking well below 0 degrees F. (-18 C.). Yet, many conifers thrive in this zone, including cold hardy juniper plants. They grow in many regions of the nation, thriving in zones 2 through 9. Junipers have many plus factors in addition to their delightful foliage. Their flowers appear in spring and subsequent berries attract wild birds....

Identifying Invasive Plants The best way to avoid problems in the landscape is to become familiar with what plants are aggressive. Identifying invasive plants is key to controlling them. Invasive plants seem to swallow everything up in their path. They wind their way around other vegetation, spread wildly, and seem nearly impossible to tame. Many plants that are known to be aggressive spread by underground rhizomes. Propagation of this nature makes keeping plants confined difficult at best....

About Aleppo Pine Trees These tall pine trees grow naturally from Spain to Jordan and take their common name from a historic city in Syria. They only thrive in the United States in USDA plant hardiness zones 9 through 11. If you see Aleppo pines in the landscape, you’ll notice that the trees are large, rugged, and upright with an irregular branching structure. They can grow to 80 feet (24 m....

What is an Algerian Iris? An Algerian iris is unlike any other iris plant in your garden in that it is winter blooming. The Algerian iris plant starts out slowly as it produces an evergreen mound of narrow, arching, grass-like foliage. Then, starting in late fall, you will delight in its lovely flowers. Algerian iris bulbs produce small, lovely lilac blue flowers with a yellow throat. The flower stalks are not tall....

If you’ve never considered growing hybridum alsike clover, perhaps you should. Read on to learn more. Alsike Information What is alsike clover used for? Alsike clover isn’t planted on its own. Rather, it is seeded along with grass or other plants, such as red clover, to improve soil, or as hay or pasture. It is rich in nutrition, providing food and protective cover for livestock and wildlife. It can be difficult to tell alsike clover from red clover, but it can be an important distinction....

Austrian Pine Information Austrian pine trees (Pinus nigra) are native to Austria, but also Spain, Morocco, Turkey, and Crimea. In North America, you can see Austrian pines in the landscape in Canada, as well as in the eastern U.S. The tree is very attractive, with dark-green needles up to 6 inches (15 cm.) long that grow in groups of two. The trees hold onto the needles for up to four years, resulting in a very dense canopy....

The opened flowers resemble those of bellflowers, their kissing cousin. While most often deep blue or purple, white and pink varieties are also available. Depending where you are, the balloon flower may also be known as Chinese or Japanese bellflower. Growing Balloon Flowers The balloon plant is easy to grow and hardy in USDA Zones 3 through 8. It will thrive in sun or partial shade. It likes well-drained, slightly acidic soil; and although the balloon flower plant will tolerate dry conditions, it prefers (and needs) plenty of moisture....

Baumann Horse Chestnut Info Baumann horse chestnut trees are a common landscaping and street planted tree throughout much of the United States. Reaching heights of 80 feet (24.5 m.), these trees provide growers with beautiful, white, flower spikes each spring. This, in tandem with their dark green foliage, make the tree a popular option for those wishing to add curb appeal to their properties. Though the name may imply it, Baumann horse chestnut trees are not members of the edible chestnut family....

Identifying Blueberries with Stem Canker If you live in the southeastern part of the country, your blueberries are at risk for botryosphaeria stem canker. This is a serious fungal disease of the berry shrubs and requires quick action on your part. That means you’ll want to recognize stem canker on blueberry plants rapidly. The first signs you are likely to spot if your berry bushes have botryosphaeria stem canker are lesions appearing on the stems of the shrubs....

When to Water Brugmansia The frequency of brugmansia irrigation depends on a number of factors, including temperature, sunlight, time of year, and whether the plant is in a pot or in the ground. The key is to get acquainted with your brugmansia and it will tell you when it’s thirsty. Basically, water the plant when the top of the soil feels dry to the touch and the leaves begin to look a little wilted....

How to Grow a Potted Mountain Laurel Can you grow mountain laurel in a pot? The short answer is, yes. Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) is a large shrub that can reach as much as 20 feet (6 m.) in height. There are dwarf varieties available, however, that are much more suited to container life. “Minuet” is one such variety, a very small shrub that reaches only 3 feet (1 m.) in height and breadth and produces pink flowers with a bright red ring through the middle....

Tips for Pruning Clematis Before you get started, there are a couple tips for pruning clematis that you should know: Dead or damaged stems may be removed at any time when pruning clematis vines. Damaged plant parts will never be productive, so get rid of them as soon as they are noticed. Know when your clematis blooms. You may want to wait until the second year to prune clematis, especially if it is the large flowering variety....

About Sicklepod Weeds If you read some sicklepod information, you will find that this is one interesting plant. Look for a stalk up to 2 ½ feet (0.75 m.) high, smooth, hairless, oval leaves and showy, buttercup-yellow flowers with five petals each. Most striking is the long, sickle-shaped seed pods that develop from each flower after it matures. The plant was used by indigenous people for medicinal purposes. However, another common name for this plant is arsenic weed, in reference to the weed’s toxicity when consumed, so it is best not to ingest it....

About Head Smut on Corn Corn head smut is a fungal disease of corn plants that is caused by the pathogen Sphacelotheca reiliana. It is a systemic disease that can infect a plant as a seed but the symptoms do not appear until the plant is in its flowering and fruiting stages. Head smut can be easily mistaken for another fungal disease of corn, common smut. However, corn head smut only displays its very specific symptoms on the tassels and heads of corn whereas common smut’s symptoms may appear on any part of an infected corn plant....

Types of White Cut Flowers Fresh cut flower arrangements are great for nearly any occasion. White flowers for weddings are no exception, as most people can easily envision a bride walking down the aisle with a white flower bouquet. Knowing which types of white cut flowers work best in hand-held arrangements, boutonnieres, and centerpieces is exceptionally important when you want to create a memorable floral design. White cut flower arrangements are also used frequently for religious gatherings, at funerals, and by those wishing to add an air of sophistication or elegance to special events....