This week: Redbud Trees, an Early Spring Indicator
Hello! Some native trees and shrubs are known as spring indicators. One is the Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) tree. It forms maroon-colored buds at this...
This week: Branch Pruning 101
Hello, This week, I noticed the Silver Maples and Redbuds are finally in bud — it’s nearly spring! Since many trees and shrubs are on the verge of breaking...
This week: Slope Prep and Planting Tips
Hello! Let’s close out the slope series by addressing some tactical challenges you might encounter: site prep and mulching. (Good news! If you’re tired of...
This week: Slowing Erosion and Stormwater Runoff on Slopes
Hello! Last week, we took a look at one way to solve a problem slope: planting shrubs. This week, let’s explore another reason to grow native plants on...
This week: One Simple Slope Solution
Hello! In honor of the Winter Olympics, let’s hit the slopes. Plenty of us have slopes in our landscapes and are stuck maintaining them with lawn mower...
This week: Straight Species vs. Native Cultivars
Hello! This week, I attended a webinar called "The Cultivar Conundrum" presented by Joseph Tychonievich, a horticulturalist and plant breeder. If you get the...
This week: Cutleaf Coneflower, a Very Tall Rudbeckia
Hello, Let’s ignore the piles of snow and focus on a sunny summer flower: Cutleaf Coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata). Cutleaf Coneflower is a stunning problem-...
This week: Red Osier Dogwood, an Everywhere Plant
Hello! Let's hope for a little sunlight and talk about a great wintertime plant. Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea) is a large native shrub that is perhaps...
This week: Seeing Red in the Native Garden
Hello! Sometimes it seems like our native eastern perennials have mostly yellow, purple, and white flowers, while vibrant reds seem reserved for non-natives...
This week: Blue-eyed Grass Examined
Hello! Looking for a small native plant to grow along the edge of the garden or as a groundcover? Consider Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium). This...
This week: Plant Native Holly for Winter Color
Hello, Perk up your winter garden with native Hollies! Some are evergreen and provide beautiful foliage year-round, and others have vibrant berries that...
This week: Seed Starting, a Holiday Tradition
Hello! Want to start a holiday gardening tradition? Try winter seed starting to celebrate the new year! Many native perennials require a period of cold...
This week: A Tale of Two Chestnut Oaks
Hello! This week, let’s take a look at a fun-looking member of the white oak group: Chestnut Oak (Quercus montana). Its leaves resemble chestnut foliage, and...
This week: Does Partridgeberry Make a Tasty Jam?
Hello! Festive reds and greens are everywhere this time of year, including the forest floor. Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens), a diminutive subshrub...
This week: Red Pine Is Hot and Cold
Hello, ’Tis the season to notice evergreens, and one relatively uncommon specimen worth spotting is Red Pine (Pinus resinosa). Red Pine’s native range...
This week: This Aster Is Still Blooming
Hello! Improbable as it may seem, some native flowers are still blooming near the end of November. Aromatic Aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium) is one of...
This week: Tiny Trees on the Forest Floor
Hello! Spend any time in an eastern forest, and you’re likely to stumble upon some tiny little trees. Many times, these groves of 2- to 6-inch-tall plants...
This week: Minty Fresh Teaberry
Hello! Teaberries are a Pennsylvania thing. This low-growing evergreen groundcover lends its flavor to Clark’s Teaberry Gum, developed in Pittsburgh by the...
This week: American Witchhazel Waits Till Fall
Hello! ’Tis the season for American Witchhazel (Hamamelis virginiana)! It’s one of the few native plants that saves all its action for the end of the year....
This week: Spectacular Sassafras
Hello! Sassafras trees (Sassafras albidum) rank very near the top of my list of favorite trees. When I was a kid, Sassafras trees were fascinating because of...