a charlotte garden

botanical valentines: capsella

2012-02-09T09:35:00.001-05:00

Shepherd's purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris)
original photo By Beentree via Wikimedia Commons
edits mine
...

Today's valentine is for those who pay attention to small details, who appreciate the minute. Shepherd's purse produces tiny heart-shaped fruits all along the flowering stem as the flowers fade and the seeds begin to mature.

Shepherd's purse is a common edible weed, not native (believed to have arrived with Columbus), but used in America as a pot herb and for medicine by the earliest European settlers. It is a member of the mustard family (Brassicaceae), and has its familiar sharp taste.

Enjoy these peppery seed pods raw on a salad and sprinkle them into your soup. Or just marvel at the fine form of your miniature botanical valentines.

~*~

There is interesting info about Capsella bursa-pastoris at kindomPlantae.net.

Closeups and botanical specifics at Missouriplants.com (the photos are from NC!)

botanical valentines: sarracenia

2012-02-08T15:08:00.000-05:00

Coppertop pitcher plant (Sarracenia flava var. cuprea)

You would have to look hard to find a more unlikely valentine than carnivorous Sarracenia flava. These weird plants tend to have more of a Halloween vibe. But, those are distinctly reddish, heart-shaped hoods atop the tubular leaves of this intriguing plant. I think they make rather exciting botanical valentines.

~*~

Sarracenia in its native habitat is an excellent Flickr photo set by Brad Wilson. Seeing these plants in their native wetlands is so inspiring; you will love these pictures.

Marsh Pink, Sabatia is a post I did this summer about marsh pinks, with a couple more pictures of this plant (and a few others) in the little bog garden I made.

botanical valentines: cercis

2012-02-07T09:10:00.000-05:00

Redbud (Cercis canadensis), April 2011

Bright green hearts float along the branch of this redbud tree in my backyard. Redbuds are understory trees that have edible flowers and seedpods as well as good ornamental value. They are relatively short-lived trees, but they grow quickly, producing magenta flowers directly from the branches and trunk in early spring. In my garden they reseed quite zealously. I have to pull most of them, but I leave one or two each year to keep new ones coming along as others age. They love me back with botanical valentines all summer.

~*~

Redbud by the Great Plains Nature Center is an interesting short article about this beautiful native tree, including a closeup of the blooms.

botanical valentines: cheiridopsis

2012-02-06T10:56:00.000-05:00

Cheiridopsis pillansii
McMillan Greenhouse, UNC Charlotte, 2010

This valentine comes from South Africa where it grows in the arid, pebbly soil around Steinkopf, the northwestern corner of the country. Dormant during the heat of summer, winter rains bring about active growth and cause the plant to bloom.

In the photo above, you can see that each "heart" is composed of two lobes that appear fused (though they're not). Each lobe is a chubby, fluid-filled leaf! The leaves are attached to very short stems, so short you can't see any evidence of them here. As a bud begins to enlarge down inside the heart, the leaves separate at the cleft, and new leaves or flowers burst forth. C. pillansii in bloom (photo).

Cheiridopsis is now in the Aizoaceae family, but is still often grouped with Mesembs (Mesembryanthemaceae). For inspiration -- either for your xeriscape garden or for a spectacular trip -- check out this photo: The Namaqualand desert blooming with Mesembs (Cheiridopsis is hardy to around 21F degrees.)

Succulent lovers might like to check out this detailed article with all sorts of particulars about the many genera of Mesembs: Mastering the Art of Growing Mesembs

~*~

january roses

2012-01-31T15:16:00.000-05:00

This is the centerpiece of the largest formal rose garden in Florida, part of the Henry P. Leu Gardens in Orlando. I was here a couple of weeks ago, delighted by roses and 70 degree weather in January. It will probably be April before we see roses like this in North Carolina, but this garden was a sweet reminder of what's coming.

Snowdrops

2012-01-26T13:18:00.000-05:00

Galanthus elwesii

Snowdrops (Galanthus), like orchids and tulips, have their wildly passionate advocates. They can become an obsession. Author/blogger John Grimshaw recently posted on his blog that a galanthophile had purchased a single bulb of Galanthus 'Green Tear' for 360 British pounds (that's $564 USD)!

I can't say I would pay large sums for a bulb, but I am among the charmed. The diminutive size, dainty, nodding blooms, fresh white and green color, and a fragrance you notice as you kneel for a photograph, make them entirely captivating. I added dozens of bulbs to my garden last fall. Now they are blooming and every morning there are new spots of light in the leaf litter.

~*~

indoor farming

2012-01-25T11:29:00.000-05:00

Years ago we had a pair of gerbils named Limp and Bizkit. Did she say Limp and Bizkit? Yes, she did. They were named by my (then) fifth-grade son for a band he deemed worthy of ... something ... I'm not sure what. I guess naming gerbils after. These gerbils lived a long time, in spite of fifth-grader's inconsistent attention; one of them was twice as old as an average gerbil when he finally departed this world to reunite with his gerbil brother who had passed on a couple of years prior.

"Does this have anything to do with indoor farming?," you might ask. I strive to connect dots, but don't always manage ...

Anyway, we kept these gerbils in a fish tank filled with peat moss, straw and topsoil so they could live life a little more naturally than in a wire cage. They took to it very well and scurried about arranging the dirt and straw to suit them. Seeing the tunnels and underground rooms they made was a lot of fun.

-ants instead of gerbils, but you get the idea-

photo from "let the children play: ant farms at preschool"

BUT, the most incredible thing they did was farm!

We watched amazed as they prepared for famine by piling up seeds from the food we gave them into gerbil silos. We watched them bury some of the seeds, and then when they sprouted, harvest the shoots!

These pictures you're seeing are of a little mushroom tray full of sprouts, my indoor farm. It might be gerbil-sized, but it is growing food indoors, and that's the point. Did you wonder if I would get to a point? Well, here's one: Like our gerbil friends, we can grow food indoors in the winter! It's organic, full of vitamins, and perfect for adding to a salad, sandwich or smoothie.

All there is to it, based on an article on page 15 of the most recent Botanical Interests seed catalog, is this:

Get a recycled produce container
Add about an inch or so of sterile soil
Sprinkle on the seeds of almost any vegetable or herb
Cover seeds lightly with soil
Mist with water

I poured on lots of seeds, covered them with plastic wrap and kept them out of direct sun until the seed coats cracked open (about 3 days). Be careful to keep them watered once you move them into the sun. If you use a clam shell container (like blueberries come in), then you won't need plastic wrap. Don't forget to open the top once the seeds sprout or you will cook your babies! When the shoots are a couple of inches tall - micro greens - cut off at the base and consume!

I used a pack of mixed greens seeds left over from last year. What a great way to use seeds you probably wouldn't wind up using! The Botanical Interests article suggests amaranth, beet, broccoli, basil, cilantro, mustard, kale, peas, and more. I've tried dried lentils (from the grocery store), fenugreek, alfalfa, mung beans. Anything sold for sprouting can also be grown as micro greens as can most dried beans and peas.

If you sow your seeds in a few inches of potting soil and let them continue to grow past micro stage, they will eventually look like this beautiful pot of salad I photographed last year at the McMillan Greenhouse -- intoxicating, fresh as spring -- in January!

~*~

blame it on susan orlean

2012-01-24T15:08:00.000-05:00

I've been re-enamored of orchids lately, for a couple of reasons. For one, it's that time of year. You can find them on display everywhere right now, from botanical gardens to restaurants, malls and airports.

hotel lobbies, too

Orchids get their chance to shine during winter when we're more focused on indoor gardening than outdoors; once they start blooming, the flowers can last an entire winter.

my new miniature moth orchid (Phalaenopsis). i couldn't resist this cute one with the intensely red-toned, white-edged petals. (also pictured top of post)

gaylord palms convention center atrium
kissimmee, florida

It wasn't just seeing them around town that stirred my orchid lust, though. It was reading Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean. Have you read it? It came out a while ago, so I'm slow getting to it, but I'm glad I finally did.

Lost in the book, I spent a few hours in the Florida swamp with smugglers, convicts and schemers collecting ghost orchids...and then attended a prim and proper orchid show with body guards!

Botanical detail, interesting Florida history, and very enjoyable characterizations made Orchid Thief a lot of fun for this plant-obsessed Florida lover. It was a great wintertime read.

And it put a bee in my bonnet about orchids again. I'm especially fond of the minis, so when I saw them at Trader Joe's for less than $10, I convinced myself to grab one. Ten dollars worth of cut flowers wouldn't last nearly as long, right?!

Will it bloom for months and then be happy enough to rebloom next winter? I will keep you posted. Meanwhile, if you haven't already, go read Orchid Thief. I think you'll love it.

~*~

Blooming Today: Jelena Witch Hazel

2012-01-23T10:12:00.001-05:00

Last spring we added four witch hazels to our garden, Hamamelis x intermedia 'Jelena'. I had only seen pictures of these but loved the unusual flower form, the great color of the blooms, and the intense hues of the autumn leaves. I crossed my fingers that the ones we got were correctly labeled; you know how it is with tags sometimes.

early fall, Hamamelis 'Jelena'

Just a few days ago, I told Karin at Southern Meadows (also in zone 7b) that I had no witch hazel blooms yet, but yesterday I walked out to look again and found that two of the shrubs do have a few blooms!

The brown leaves of last season still cling to the shrubs, so I didn't notice flowers at first. Do you know if it is characteristic of this plant to retain the dead leaves? I hope not; it's ugly. I didn't notice a scent, either. Has fragrance been sacrificed for bigger flowers (ie. hybrid tea roses)? Maybe 'Jelena' releases scent at particular times or in certain weather. If you know, please leave a comment. I do hope it is fragrant.

Even without fragrance, the blooms are nice. My artistic son took a glance at my photos and decided they look like crayon shavings. Crinkly, waxy -- I can see it, can't you?

~*~

UPDATE February 2, 2012: Jelena IS fragrant! It doesn't seem to float through the air like winter honeysuckle, but up close it's nice.

Free-Range Chicken Gardens: New Book and Contest by Timber Press

2012-01-20T10:59:00.001-05:00

Keeping chickens in your backyard has become quite the hip thing to do these days. Have you considered it?

Timber Press is releasing a new book this month, Free-Range Chicken Gardens by Jessi Bloom. The cover of the book and this cute one minute video of author (and award winning garden designer!) Jessi Bloom in her garden, have got me trying to figure out how I can possibly add chickens to my suburban backyard.

From the Timber Press website:

It's true, you can keep chickens and have a beautiful garden, too. And fresh eggs are just one of the many benefits — chickens can help your garden grow and thrive.[...]For anyone who wants a fabulous garden where colorful chickens happily roam, this essential handbook is the guide that will bring the dream home to roost.

Win!

More good news for you, besides the release of the book, is this contest. The only requirement is that you enter your email address.

Here's what you can win --

· $50 gift card for chicken feed or supplies from McMurray Hatchery

· One chicken coop plan from The Garden Coop (a $20 value)

· 1 lb. of organic chicken forage blend and seeds for chicken-friendly plants from Peaceful Valley Farm & Garden Supply (a $20 value)

· A copy of Free-Range Chicken Gardens

-- everything you need to start your own chicken garden. You have until February 17, 2012 to enter, but why not do it now?

Timber Press Free-Range Chicken Gardens Contest

~*~

I will receive a free review copy of Free-Range Chicken Gardens from Timber Press for promoting their contest.

did i fall asleep in the tub?

2012-01-18T20:18:00.001-05:00

Looks like you could step right off the edge of the world here at the north end of Anna Maria Island, doesn't it?

I got an unexpected treat when my daughter invited me to meet her in Florida for the weekend. She had a conference to attend, so during the day we went separate ways, meeting at night for dinner and the chance to catch up.

On Monday, I drove across Florida to the gulf coast. It was so warm! There were people sunbathing and playing in the water!

I've been south in the winter before, but this is always like a dream, miraculous. Only an hour and twenty minute flight away, it is FREEZING!

As I walk out to the beach, I pass these beautiful pine trees and take a minute or two to get acquainted with them.

They create pleasant shade along the intensely sunny Florida shore line.

The needles are soft.

I am disappointed to find out that Australian pines (Casuarina sp.) are invasive, introduced to Florida in the 1800s. It is no longer legal to plant or propagate them because they displace and hybridize with native species. (Only I would have a dream with invasive species in it.)

I pick up a prickly cone; these cover the beach under the trees. I suppose that's a nuisance in itself. This one has already released its many nutlets.

I hang out with the seagulls for a while. There are far more of them than people on the beach today.

It's getting a little late and I haven't had lunch, but there's a restaurant right on the beach.

There's a bit of a wait because the food is really good. (That's it above -- the Sandbar.)

I order grouper tacos...and then take a bite before I remember to take the picture. Oops.

After lunch, a little stroll takes me past this house.

Wonder who lives there? Or maybe it's a hotel? It's a scene that really jump-starts my imagination. A dream within a dream!

The unreal day is blessed relief from the stress and the cold at home.

I look back across the beach toward Orlando and my daughter and head back to the car for the two hour trip.

~*~

just like dandelions!

2012-01-13T16:56:00.004-05:00

The last flower left from Christmas was this Gerbera daisy. I kept it all alone in a vase because it was so stunning by itself. But the petals had finally begun to droop, so I pulled them off, and then watched in amazement as the seeds expanded their wings in slow motion and prepared to take off!

The fluffy structure is called a pappus; the seed is in the ovary just below. All flowers in the Asteraceae family have compound flowers made up of two types, discs and rays. The disc flowers are clustered together at the center of the flower and the rays have one long colorful petal and are arranged around the disk flowers. My explanation is lacking, but here is a good diagram.

The intense red of these petals is still so pretty I don't want to throw them away just yet. I will scatter them over the bowl of Christmas I told you about yesterday and enjoy them for just a while longer.

~*~

little bowl of christmas

2012-01-12T14:28:00.001-05:00

My husband and I are always out of sync when it comes to the Christmas decorations and when they should go. He is ready to tear them all down and haul the tree to the curb on the 26th. I would really rather leave them up until at least New Year's Day. I am so focused on getting ready for Christmas that I enjoy them most after the rush.

Lots of spouses are like this, aren't they? What do you do at your house?

This year we compromised and took the tree down on the 29th, but I kept a little bowl of Christmas in the living room by making potpourri with some of the greenery, flowers from the Christmas morning table arrangement, and a few spices and citrus peels. It smells so good! And isn't it pretty?

My mother-in-law who is a wonderful potter made the bowl. I love it! She also gave us the old books in the background; the candle is from my mom. I didn't really plan out the photo (if only I had thought to light the candle!), but I like how well it conjures Christmas for me.

I hope you have happy memories of the holidays, too. Happy New Year!

~*~

echeveria

2011-12-28T14:00:00.000-05:00

echeveria with picnik's winterize effect applied

~*~

wordless wednesday

Poppy

2011-12-19T12:29:00.000-05:00

Flower and seedpod outside the McMillan Greenhouse classroom, April 2010.

~*~

Macro Monday

december in the garden

2011-12-14T19:48:00.000-05:00

Can you believe that in the middle of December, after numerous frosty nights, there are still summer-blooming flowers in the garden plugging along, hanging in there? I thought this month's bloom day would have to rely on houseplants! This time last year I had several pots of amaryllis opening up. This year, except for my gorgeous Schlumbergera, which I posted pictures of yesterday, all the blooms are outside.

The bright red and green of pineapple sage is more than welcome inside or out at Christmas. I thought this plant was done for the season several weeks ago. It lost lots of leaves and the tips of the ones that were left after a couple of frosts were all black. But it's still blooming!...which is especially good for me because I like to nibble on the flowers; they have a pleasing texture and a sweet drop of nectar at the base (like honeysuckle).

Plentifall pansies keep blooming their little heads off. They've been a joy to have. The autumn ferns beside them are favorites, too. Beautiful and green all year, they take drought very well and tolerate some sun. If you don't have them, try them! I think you will be happy you did.

The way 'Plentifall' trails over the pot's edge is so pretty. (Should I worry about these spots on the leaves?)

I'm glad I didn't bother forcing any paperwhites this year since they're already blooming outside (and have been since Thanksgiving). I'm not fond of the strong scent in close quarters, anyway. Janet at The Queen of Seaford posted a pretty close up of her paperwhites blooming in January, which is a little more typical.

Just a few feet away from the paperwhites, a coneflower keeps trying. Isn't it interesting how the petals look quilled? I've never noticed one opening that way in the summer. I like the lime green undersides, too.

Black-eyed Susan is persistent. I've had repeat blooming on these plants for six months! The seed heads stay until the birds clean them off.

A few periwinkle blooms are opening above the leaf litter. In a few weeks, these will cover the ground underneath a cheerful yellow daffodil canopy. It's a combination I always look forward to.

Sweet alyssum is still throwing a bloom or two.

Quirky-blossomed Mazus never completely stops blooming; there's a flower on it somewhere most of the year. Any time it warms up even a little, new blooms arrive. I love it, especially when fresh new leaves are completely covered with blooms in the spring.

Camellia japonica 'Professor Charles Sargent' is blooming! This is the very first bloom of the season. My mother gave this shrub to me (and another to my husband) for Christmas last year. Both plants are full of huge buds. Davy at Davy's Louisiana Gardening Blog says his 'Professor Charles Sargent' has fragrant flowers, but mine seem completely unscented. Maybe it's more fragrant at different times of day? Fragrant or not, this scarlet red camellia is quite a Christmas treat.

~*~

See what's blooming today in gardens around the world ~

It's Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day at May Dreams Gardens!

Schlumbergera 'Caribbean Dancer'

2011-12-13T18:33:00.000-05:00

Wordless Wednesday

~*~

Take a Look at Native Holly

2011-12-08T08:15:00.001-05:00

Image in the public domain, via Vintage Catnip

A vintage postcard with a sprig of holly says Christmas, words or not, doesn't it? Usually the holly represented at Christmas is English holly (Ilex aquifolium). Our landscapes are full of exotic hollies from around the world, particularly Asia. I was pleased to find out, though, that we have a native American holly that looks perfectly holiday-worthy: Ilex opaca.

Ilex opaca
By Photo (c)2007 Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man) (Own Picture.) [GFDL 1.2 (www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/fdl-1.2.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

There are many other beautiful native hollies as well; surely one or more - or one more! - needs a spot in your garden. Local wildlife will be appreciative, and you can use the leaves (of evergreen types) and berries for fall and winter decorations and arrangements.

~*~

Cindy at Garden By the Sound describes the growth habits and appearance of Ilex opaca, and gives some history of holly in her post, Christmas Holly, Our American Version.

Ellen Sousa highlights beautiful, deciduous winterberry hollies in her post, A Very Berry Time of Year, at Native Plant Wildlife Garden.

Winter Soltstice and Hollies is the Florida Native Plant Society's excellent list and descriptions of many native hollies, most of which will grow in the warmer parts of the Carolinas. Included is legend and lore, some identification, and how-to-grow tips.

~*~

Enjoy the season!

~Daricia

Poinsettia Flowers Up Close

2011-12-02T07:27:00.001-05:00

photo copyright Frank Tiemann

The poinsettia's secret is out, so maybe you know already that the red "flowers" are actually modified leaves called bracts. The true flowers are clustered at the the center of these bracts and that's what you're looking at in these beautiful photographs from Flickr.

photo copyright Martin Heigan

Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) share these very distinctive flowers with all euphorbs (also known as spurges). Unique structures called cyathia hold the flowers. Flowers are either male or female; each cyathium contains both. As the flowers mature, they begin to protrude from the top of the cyathia.

In the center of the photo above you see the fat pomegranate-like ovaries of the female flowers. Male flowers with their anther-topped filaments are more apparent at the extreme right of the photo in the picture below.

photo copyright Rafael Buono

Here, ants steal from the glandular nectaries before the plant can appreciate their visit; the anthers are still too immature to dust them with pollen.

~*~

The poinsettia was named for Joel Poinsett, a Carolinian who lived in Charleston. He brought the plant from Mexico (where it is native) to the US, in the 1800s.

The poinsettia has been determined to be not poisonous! The Poinsettia Pages by The University of Illinois Extension will fill you in on the facts about that, and all sorts of interesting and useful facts about the poinsettia.

"About the genus Euphorbia" is an excellent article (with beautiful diagrams).

Camellia 'Yuletide'

2011-12-01T09:37:00.001-05:00

Just in time for the season my Yuletide camellia is blooming! (Camellia sasanqua 'Yuletide') I'm especially excited about this because it's the first year it's bloomed. And, the whole truth is that I had one before this one that never bloomed until it finally died. That one was mail ordered and wasn't in great shape when I got it. And I didn't place it very well, or water it enough. I've killed a lot of plants!

But, I'm persistent. This plant started out as a tiny sprig of a potted shrub, maybe 8 or 10 inches tall. I took it home from Lowe's for about $7, 3 years ago. It lives underneath deciduous trees where it gets dappled sun. We planted it high, in other words a couple of inches above soil height, and then mulched to make up the difference. (That tip comes from the American Camellia Society.) It was watered well all summer.

It has grown like crazy! Eventually it should reach 8 feet or more. If you've seen one of these with a little age, you know they are covered with bright red blossoms. My shrub is small enough still that I don't want to cut the branches for arrangements yet. But, I will float a few flowers in a dish or bowl.

~*~

Monrovia has a video about the differences between japonica and sasanqua camellias. Also - drum roll! - see a new pink (and fragrant!) 'Yuletide.'

Les at A Tidewater Gardener posted some beautiful pictures of his yuletide camellia. You can get a better look at the entire shrub in his post. In another post, there is an especially nice close up.

Sue at Sierra Foothills Garden decorated hers as a Christmas tree!

what's that bug with the green sweater?

2011-11-30T10:32:00.001-05:00

Have you ever seen anything like this?! It was crawling on my sweetshrub (Calycanthus 'Hartlage Wine') a few weeks ago. I found out it's a saddleback caterpillar, native to eastern North America. That little green sweater likely serves to protect it from potential predators in one way or another.

I thought it looked cute colored like that. Fortunately I looked it up before I tried to pet it because fuzzy and friendly, it isn't! There are stingers all over it capable of producing lasting and very painful stings.

The fuzz looks more like stingers in this photo.

Eventually saddleback caterpillars become nondescript moths, small and brown. I won't be too upset if I don't see any more, but I'm glad I got pictures of this one.

Acharia stimulea - Saddleback Caterpillar Moth
Insects of the Duke campus: Acharia stimulea

Baby Toes

2011-11-29T07:11:00.001-05:00

Any time the weather is gray, rainy or cool outside, a stroll through the McMillan Greenhouse at UNC Charlotte makes me forget all about it. Inside the eight rooms, air is heavy with oxygen and the scent of growing and composting greenery; it's heaven as far as I'm concerned.

The succulent room has tables and shelves full of all sorts of amazing and unusual plants from all over the world. Here's an interesting for instance from the deserts of Namibia -- baby toes.

Baby toes (Fenestraria rhopalophylla) is also known as window plant because of the clear, liquid-filled tips of the leaves. In the wild these leaves grow mostly underneath the sand where they are able to avoid the worst of the intense light and heat of the desert sun. The tips of the leaves peek out from the sand just a bit which allows sun to enter the windows, filling the interior of the leaves with light so photosynthesis can still take place.

Nice strategy, baby toes.

Read more about this plant and many others in the book by Larry Mellichamp and Paula Gross, Bizarre Botanicals. Also, visit the McMillan Greenhouse where most of the plants in the book live.

Blooming Today: Mint Marigold

2011-11-28T08:52:00.001-05:00

Frost finally blackened the tips of pineapple sage, made fuzzy gray mush of Cuban oregano, and killed basil to the ground, but Mint Marigold (Tagetes lucida) is going strong. It starts into bloom late; even as tardy pineapple sage unfurls its flower spikes in late September, mint marigold is still tight in bud.

Just around the time we expect the first frost (after October 15 in zone 7b), golden yellow blooms appear. They bloom for several weeks showing no signs of cold stress; this year an early 23 degree night did no harm.

Cute, late season marigolds make this plant good for the border and nice for autumn arrangements. The bloom time is perfect for the Thanksgiving table. I often put small vases full on my kitchen windowsill.

Spicy anise/tarragon flavored leaves are an even better reason to grow it. French tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) is not well-suited to the South because it needs colder winters, so growing it here can be a pain. Mint marigold is a satisfactory substitute in most dishes; in many ways it's more versatile than French tarragon.

Herb gardener and cookbook author, Lucinda Hutson, is a fan of mint marigold, listing many uses for it in The Herb Garden Cookbook. Here are a few of her suggestions:

try steeping the leaves for tea -- serve hot or cold
mix it into herb butter mixed with orange zest and minced green onions, serve with pasta and creamy tomato sauce
try whole leaves mixed into a jar of pickled beets
mix it into vinaigrette and serve with spring greens and chicken, tuna or shellfish salads
add it to fruit punch or sangria
mince it with garlic and put it under the skin of chicken before you roast it
use the flowers as an attractive edible garnish

I like mint marigold in chicken salad and, along with its flowers, in green salads. I find the flavor is lost fairly quickly with cooking and prefer to eat it chopped fresh. It tastes strongly of anise with a little heat, but lacks the hint of vanilla-like sweetness that tarragon has. Tarragon is easy to overdo; not so much with mint marigold.

You can grow mint marigold from seed or cuttings. It likes full sun, though mine grows acceptably at the edge of the woods in part sun. It is considered an annual north of zone 8, yet in 7b, mine stays green for all but the coldest winter weeks and then comes back with the first warm days. I divide the clumps nearly every spring. South of here, it is an aggressive grower; you might have to contain it or be prepared to dig up unwanted seedlings.

Mint marigold is known by several other common names -- Mexican marigold mint, Mexican tarragon, Texas tarragon, yerbanis, anisillo, Santa Maria, pericon, yerba de las nubes, cloud plant, sweet mace. In Mexico, where it is native, mint marigold tea is commonly used to soothe upset stomachs.

Gardenia Fruit

2011-11-27T14:38:00.001-05:00

A few days ago Plant Delights Nursery posted a picture of gardenia fruits on their Facebook page. In spite of having gardenias for many years, I had never seen, or even considered, fruits! I'm kind of embarrassed to admit that. But, I had only one shrub, Gardenia jasminoides 'August Beauty'; it is on a shady side of the house beside the air-conditioning unit, planted there by previous owners; I rarely walked by it.

Gardenia 'Frostproof'

Last year we added seven Gardenia jasminoides 'Frostproof' in a more prominent area at the edge of our patio. Prompted by the Plant Delights post, I went outside to inspect my plants, and what do you know? -- bright yellow fruits!

The gardenia is already a fabulous shrub without this added bonus of fall fruits. It's evergreen, with glossy, dark green leaves. The flowers are pristine white with fleshy, intensely scented, (edible!) petals. But, one variety, 'Grif's Select', has been especially selected for the heavy red seed capsules that show up in fall. That shrub I will have to see -- it might just be the perfect southern garden plant!

As I poked around 'August Beauty' I found bright orange fruit! The blackened remnants of summer flowers are still attached. Furrowed ovaries make me wonder if this cultivar is sterile, or if the seeds just haven't developed yet. Even undeveloped, the bright orange is quite noticeable.

How in the world could I have missed them all these years?

Turkey Tail

2011-11-21T11:50:00.001-05:00

When I was a child, I believed these wavy, leathery, tree stump outgrowths were lichens. They are, in fact, fungi. Their interesting bands of color have given them the common name Turkey Tail.

Photo from Wikimedia Commons

There's a good resemblance, isn't there?

Photo copyright Kim R. Brown

The turkey tail fungus (Trametes versicolor) and the very similar false turkey tail (Stereum ostrea) are bracket fungi, which means they form overlapping cup-shaped layers along the sides of logs or wounded trees. You will often find them growing on rotting oaks, hickories and pines.

Most of the fungus grows into the log; these beautiful "tails" are the showy fruiting bodies. Shades of cream and gray or brown are typical of the turkey tails in my garden.

But, turkey tails can display shades of red, purple, yellow or even navy blue.

Photo from Pinterest: click for history

Sometimes, as with lichens, algae will grow with the fungus adding to the range of colors you see. The lime green of this turkey tail growing on a stump in South Carolina is likely to be caused by algae.

By Ecornerdropshop at en.wikipedia (Transferred from en.wikipedia) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Turkey tails grow actively from late spring to late fall. Several garden creatures like to eat them, including squirrels and turtles. They are not poisonous to humans but are too fibrous to eat. Turkey tails have been used medicinally.

Turkey Tail Info Sheet

Stereum ostrea, False Turkey Tail Fungus

The Totally True Turkey Tail Test