Scientific name: Shepherdia argentea (Pursh) Nutt. Common names: Silver buffaloberry, buffaloberry, bull berry, thorny buffaloberry Family: Elaeagnaceae (Oleaster family) Life Form: Deciduous, dioecious, nitrogen-fixing shrub growing from 6-20 feet tall Bloom Time: March Distribution: Native to Western Canada and [...]

Scientific name: Vauquelinia californica (Torr.) Sarg. Common name: wild crabapple Family: Rosaceae (rose) Life form: Perennial, small tree/large shrub Bloom time:  May-July Article by Eva Maria Räpple Vauquelinia is a genus of broadleaf evergreen shrubs or small trees native to [...]

Scientific name: Peraphyllum ramosissimum  Common name: wild crabapple Family: Rosaceae (rose) Article by Noah Gapsis, SFBG Horticulture Assistant Before this summer, a widespread but seldom-seen wild crab apple was not to be found at our Garden; but, as of [...]

Scientific name: Salvia rosmarinus 'Arp' Common name: 'Arp' rosemary, 'Arp' rosmarinus, romero 'Arp' Family: Lamiaceae (Mint) Hardiness: USDA Zone 6 (-10 to 0 °F) Life form: Shrub/sub-shrub Article by Eva Maria Räpple Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean region, southern [...]

Scientific name: Prunus armeniaca Common name: apricot Family: Roseace (rose) Life form: Herbaceous perennial plants or annual plants (depending on species) Article by Linda Churchill, Director of Horticulture Disclaimer: Apricot is this author’s favorite tree (and fruit). Along with the [...]

Genus: Cosmos Common name: cosmos Family: Asteraceae Life form: Herbaceous perennial plants or annual plants (depending on species) Article by Peggy Rudberg The word cosmos evokes stunning images of nebula and galaxies. Translated from the Greek kosmos as "order" or [...]

Scientific name: Arctostaphylos × coloradensis 'Panchito' Common name: 'Panchito' manzanita Family: Ericaceae (Heath) Distribution: Cultivar discovered in Colorado Hardiness: USDA Zones 4b -8 Life form: Shrub/sub-shrub Article by Eva Maria Räpple Description Arctostaphylos × coloradensis 'Panchito'. Photo: Cristina Salvador Little pink-white [...]

Scientific name: Pistacia chinensis Bunge Common name: Chinese pistache Family: Anacardiaceae (Sumac family) By Cheryl Fossum Graham The Chinese pistache is native to central and western China and Taiwan. It is a member of the cashew family, Anacardiaceae. It [...]

Scientific name: Pinus ponderosa Douglas ex C.Lawson Large center cone is from Pinus sabiniana. The two bottom are from ponderosas, the left one is fresh off the tree, just fell as the author was hiking by this fall, [...]

Scientific name: Verbascum thapsus L. Common name: mullein, common mullein, wooly mullein, barbasco Family: Scrophulariaceae (Figwort) Verbascum thapsus flowers. Photo credit: Suzanne CadwellCC BY-NC 4.0. N.C. Cooperative Extension. Native distribution:  Eurasia, North Africa Habitat: Disturbed areas, plains, hillsides, [...]

Scientific name: Vernonia missurica Raf. Common name: Missouri ironweed Plant family: Asteraceae By Linda Churchill Among the many attractive flowering plants of autumn, Missouri ironweed stands out. Intense purple flowers grace the top of this stately plant in late summer [...]