Flowering plants, or angiosperms (from the Greek, meaning encapsulated seed), make up the largest, most diverse group of terrestrial flora. The Fabaceae (Leguminosae) family, also called the legume family, is the third largest group of flowering plants, after Orchidaceae and Asteraceae, with over 700... more

In the Winter 1999 issue of UGJ (Vol.5; Issue 4), there was an excellent article about "The Invasion of Garlic Mustard" by Vicki Nuzzo. In it the author described the plant and the problems that the plant presents to our native plant communities. I expect that most people... more

While discussing nurseries and gardens with a recent acquaintance, he happened to mention his desire to plant a few black walnut trees, so that his offspring could reap the benefits sometime down the road. This is a tale I have heard several times... more

Last year I was at the Rochester Public Market peddling my plants, a collection of oddball stuff and other more mainstream offerings. I had these small trees/shrubs with large palmate leaves and tall candle-like flowers, rather gangly youngsters. People kept... more

Gardeners and horticulturists are always on the lookout for plants that will provide year-round interest with flowers, foliage, bark and interesting architectural forms. The family of Hamamelidaceae offers some of the best species for these characteristics. It is a fairly... more

The Styracaceae family includes a number of very ornamental flowering trees native to the temperate zones of North America and Asia. Perhaps the most frequently encountered genera in this family are the Styrax, the Halesias and the Pterostyrax. All the species described here are... more

One of the challenges for gardeners in the northeast is finding plants that will tolerate the heavy shade of trees such as maples or conifers, and not get eaten by deer. One of the best perennials for such a situation is the genus Epimedium. Also known as barrenwort or bishop's hat... more

When choosing plants for the garden, one needs to consider several factors, such as ultimate height and width, soil and light requirements, hardiness, flower color and season, foliage characteristics, and pest resistance. Often overlooked in this selection process is... more