Green Thumb Magic: Gold Dust Croton Plant Care Simplified - Codiaeum variegatum Gold Dust Croton Gold Dust s1865834164

Green Thumb Magic: Gold Dust Croton Plant Care Simplified

Croton varieties flaunt their vivid yellows, oranges, and reds in an array of leaf shapes. My Gold Dust Croton (Codiaeum variegatum ‘Gold Dust’) is a speckled variety that brightens up my office windowsill with a pop of color. This fun plant displays random yellow spots on its dark green, ovate leaves as if yellow paint … Read more

7 Reasons to Rethink the Narrative of Invasive Plants - invasive plant sign s1777590785

7 Reasons to Rethink the Narrative of Invasive Plants

 When observing the land and trees absorbed by the invasive kudzu vine in the Southeast or fields covered by Himalayan Blackberry on the West Coast, it’s easy to see why environmentalists dislike aggressive non-native plants. The sheer enormity of them makes stewards of the land feel they must wage a war to defend the native … Read more

Spiderwort / Lilac Tradescantia: Plant Care Guide (Collection Favorite) - Lilac Tradescantia s2260793141

Spiderwort / Lilac Tradescantia: Plant Care Guide (Collection Favorite)

I have many favorites in my houseplant collection, but my pink-striped Lilac Tradescantia tops the list. It’s lovely to look at and one of the easiest plants to care for, making it an excellent choice for beginning and seasoned gardeners alike. Lilac is a small-leaved, trailing Tradescantia that grows 6 to 8 inches high and … Read more

Moon Valley Pilea: 101 Plant Care Guide - Moon Valley Pilea s1759004312 2

Moon Valley Pilea: 101 Plant Care Guide

Moon Valley Pilea is an eye-catching little houseplant, also known as Moon Valley Friendship Plant or Artillery Plant (Pilea mollis ‘Moon Valley’). It’s a member of the Nettle family, but don’t worry, it doesn’t sting like its cousins and is non-toxic and pet-friendly. Pilea mollis ‘Moon Valley’ is often sold as Pilea involucrata ‘Moon Valley,’ … Read more

Purple Passion Vine: 101 Plant Care Guide - purple passion vine plant leaves

Purple Passion Vine: 101 Plant Care Guide

I did a double-take the first time I saw a Purple Passion Vine. On closer inspection, I noticed that the dark green leaves were covered in tiny purple hairs that shimmered in the sun. This fascinating native of the Indonesian island of Java grows upright in its native habitat. The cultivar ‘Purple Passion,’ though, is … Read more

Peperomia obtusifolia plant

Mastering the Art of Baby Rubber Plant Care: 101 Beginner’s Guide

The popular Baby Rubber Plant (Peperomia obtusifolia) and its beautiful variegated cultivars are my favorite houseplants. I received my first Peperomia when I was ten and have loved them ever since. They’re perfect houseplants – attractive, easy to care for, adaptable to most household environments, and pet-friendly. Peperomias are native to Florida, Mexico, and islands … Read more

Wondering How Big Can a Venus Flytrap Get? Here's the World's Largest & Sizes of Others - big venus flytrap plant s1622373

Wondering How Big Can a Venus Flytrap Get? Here’s the World’s Largest & Sizes of Others

When Venus Flytraps were newly discovered in North and South Carolina in the 1700s, people were in awe of their carnivorous habit and snap-trap jaws. There was excited correspondence across the Atlantic, and they were first named Dionaea muscipula (Aphrodite’s Mousetrap) by John Ellis, a British naturalist. Venus Flytraps made quite an impression on the … Read more

From Forest Floor to Fork: How to Identify, Grow & Use Musk Mallow - musk mallow plant 1826569391

From Forest Floor to Fork: How to Identify, Grow & Use Musk Mallow

From the backyard in an urban landscape to the shady understory of the forest floor, wild edible plants abound. In truth, we are surrounded by food and medicine that is readily available to us – the key is becoming familiar with such plants, one by one.  One lovely plant to become acquainted with is the … Read more

feeding a venus flytrap the wrong thing

Mastering Venus Flytrap Feeding: Essential Do’s & Don’ts for a Thriving Plant

Venus Flytraps are famous for their ability to catch insects and spiders with their amazingly sophisticated “snap-trap” jaws. These Carolina natives make fascinating houseplants that are a source of fun and interest for the whole family, and part of Flytrap care is knowing what and how to feed them. Like all green plants, Venus Flytraps … Read more

Malva neglecta plant

The Overlooked Edible – Bringing Mallow from Garden to Table

Mallow is a wild edible highly esteemed for its various food uses, and chances are, it’s already growing in your backyard. This hollyhock relative is widespread across the United States and is a wonderful edible plant to become acquainted with.  While there are several mallow plants, this article specifically covers Malva neglecta, which is commonly … Read more