Hardiness Zone: 3-11Soil Type: Slightly acidic to neutralSun Exposure: Full sun to partial sunAnnual or Perennial: AnnualType: Vegetable History: This leafy green vegetable is native to the Mediterranean region and southern Europe. We know that the ancient Romans ate arugula. It was even mentioned in the Old Testament of the Bible as well as the … Read more
Hardiness Zone: 5-11Soil Type: Slightly acidic to neutralSun Exposure: Full sunAnnual or Perennial: PerennialType: Vegetable History: The ancestor of the artichoke is the North African thistle, which still grows in the wild today. Artichokes were first harvested by people in the Middle East. The artichoke gained most of its popularity in ancient Rome and Greece … Read more
Hardiness Zone: 3-8Soil Type: NeutralSun Exposure: Full sunAnnual or Perennial: PerennialType: Fruit Tree History: Apples are not native to North America. They originated in Kazakhstan, in central Asia east of the Caspian Sea. The capital of Kazakhstan, Alma Ata, means “full of apples.” By 1500 BC apple seeds had been carried throughout Europe. The Greeks, … Read more
Hardiness Zone: 8-11Soil Type: Slightly acidic, around 6.0 pHSun Exposure: Full to partial sunAnnual or Perennial: PerennialType: Succulent History: Aloe vera appears in Chinese and Sumerian writings around 3000 B.C. In the time of the pharaohs the Egyptians idealized aloe vera and called it “the plant of immortality”. It can be found written on papyrus … Read more
Hardiness Zone: 5-9Soil Type: Slightly acidic to neutralSun Exposure: Full sunAnnual or Perennial: PerennialType: Woody vine History: The wisteria plant historically grew in Japan, China, and Korea for multiple millennia. The plant was brought to the United States in the 19th century as an ornamental plant. The Feng shui roots of the wisteria plant consider … Read more
Hardiness Zone: 8-9Soil Type: Mildly acidic, 6 – 6.8pHSun Exposure: Full sunAnnual or Perennial: PerennialType: Succulent History: There are multiple varieties of the agave plant. The most common is A. americana, which is native to tropical America. The monocot thrives in hot and arid regions of the Americas, with some species being native to the … Read more
Hardiness Zone: 8-10Soil Type: Slightly acidic, 5.5-6.5 pHSun Exposure: Full to partial sunAnnual or Perennial: PerennialType: Flower History: The Peruvian lily comes from South America, and can be found in a variety of colors such as yellow, pink, orange, and white. These tuberous perennials are not true lilies, but the summer blooms extending up from … Read more
Hardiness Zone: 3-8Soil Type: variesSun Exposure: Full to partial sunAnnual or Perennial: PerennialType: Flower History: Historically, the Chinese used the aster as a medicinal herb as an effective treatment for a variety of ailments. It is brewed as a tea is used for coughs, lung issues such as asthma, digestion, as well hangovers and epilepsy. … Read more
Hardiness Zone: 9-11Soil Type: Sandy loam, 5.6-6.0 pHSun Exposure: Full to partial shadeAnnual or Perennial: PerennialType: Succulent History: Aeonium is a group of about 35 species of small to medium-sized subtropical succulents in the family Crassulaceae native to parts of northern Africa and nearby islands including the Canary Islands, Cape Verde Islands and Madeira. Aeonium, … Read more
Hardiness Zone: 3-9Soil Type: AcidicSun Exposure: Partial sun, shadeAnnual or Perennial: PerennialType: Tree/ Shrub/ Vine History: The azalea got its name from a Swedish botonist, Carl Linnaeus, in the 18th century. Azalea originates in Greek meaning “dry”, and these flowers thrive in dry soil.