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September Perennial of the Month-Rattlesnake master
The common name, rattlesnake master, supposedly comes from the medicinal properties of Eryngium yuccifolium to cure snake bites. One must wonder just exactly what had to happen for the folks back then to…
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September Tree of the Month-Persimmon
After one or two cooler mornings, everyone starts talking about winter. Will it be cold? Will there be snow? Despite climate change that has turned our seasons inside out lately, you can count…
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August Tree of the Month-River birch
We talk a lot about “well-drained” soils regarding plant preferences. But one tree that LOVES wet conditions is our native river birch-Betula nigra. River birch gets its common name from its natural habitat along…
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July Shrub of the Month-Buttonbush
Can there be a flower more fun than a buttonbush flower? (Cephalanathus occidentalis)These sputnik-looking spheres don’t look real, but they are fragrant, eye-catching, and unique, like little retro Christmas ornaments harking back to…
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July Tree of the Month-Bur oak
The state champion bur oak, Quercus macrocarpa, has lived just south of Columbia, Mo, for approximately 400 years. According to the current marker, it’s named the Williamson Bur Oak since the Williamson Family has owned…
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January Perennial of the Month-Little bluestem
The doldrums of January have arrived. What if you could turn your Winter Blues to red? Or, more precisely, russet or orange? Little bluestem, Schizachyrium scoparium, is quite the chameleon, providing our gardens with a…
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November Shrub of the Month-Staghorn Sumac
We explore another sumac this month-Rhus typhina, or staghorn sumac. Like the other sumacs, staghorn sumac forms colonies frequently found along roadsides or embankments. Unlike its cousin aromatic sumac, staghorn sumac can grow…
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Garden-Lou Visits DIG Annuals and Perennials
Tucked onto a 1/3 acre lot just steps away from the busy corner of Gravois and Arsenal is a quiet powerhouse of productivity, DIG Annuals and Perennials. The vacant lot was full of…
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September Perennial of the Month-Pink turtlehead
I love plants that shine in late summer or autumn! After the trials of a typical St. Louis Summer, most plants show some wear and tear, so it’s refreshing to see a beautiful…
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August Perennial of the Month-Black-eyed Susan
An Old English poem titled ‘Sweet William’s Farewell to Black-Eyed Susan’ is supposedly the origin of the common name for Rudbeckia fulgida. This Missouri native might have English roots, but she knows how…
