The plant we know as the poinsettia has a long and interesting history. The fact is that the lovely plant many of us place in our homes during the holidays flourished in an area of Central America and was used as a fever medicine by the ancient Aztecs. From its bracts they extracted a purplish … Continue reading Poinsettias – Holiday Favorites →

A favorite fall-blooming perennial, Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ is attractive at all growing stages, offering year-round interest. Also known as Stonecrop, its stems appear in early spring as a rosette/clump, with its attractive green succulent foliage developing beautiful flowers during late summer and fall. Even the dried flower heads are lovely during the colder months. The … Continue reading Sedums in the Fall →

A blooming Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) is very popular at this time of the year. But its resemblance to the Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii) makes it confusing, not only to shoppers and gift-givers, but also to garden nursery staff members. A Thanksgiving cactus has very pointed, sharp-toothed, claw-shaped projections on its flattened “segmented stem edges” … Continue reading Thanksgiving Cactus Time →

Considered the quintessential autumn flower, the chrysanthemum was first cultivated in China as a flowering herb and is described in writings as early as the 15th Century B.C. It was introduced to the Americas in 1798. The easy-to-grow, herbaceous perennials (Chrysanthemum indicum) can live for years in the New England area so long as they … Continue reading Chrysanthemums For Us! →

The Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) is a species of deciduous shrubs or small trees native to Japan, China, and Korea. Belonging to the Aceraceae family, they are renowned for their elegant beauty. Japanese Maple trees come in a wide variety of colors and leaf shapes. The leaves may start off green in the spring, transition … Continue reading Japanese Maple – A Symbol of Elegance →