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Boxelder Tree Information What is a boxelder tree? It’s an easy-to-grow, very adaptable maple. The wood of boxelder maple trees is soft and has no commercial value. Boxelder maple tree facts tell us that this maple usually grows on river banks or near water in the wild. These trees help to shelter wildlife and stabilize stream banks. However, in urban areas, they are considered a type of weed. Some boxelder maple trees are male and some are female....

What Is a California Laurel A California Bay Laurel tree (Umbellularia californica) forms a rounded or pyramidal dense crown and can reach heights of 148 feet (45 m.), but typically reaches 80 feet (24 m.). Its glossy, leathery, yellow-green leaves give off a peppery, menthol odor when crushed. Small, yellow-green flower clusters appear from fall through spring, depending on its location, followed by olive-like purple-brown fruits, which can become a nuisance when dried fruits fall to the ground....

What is a Potpourri Garden? A natural blend of fragrant herbs and flowers combined with spices, fixatives and essential oils are the basic components of potpourri. Prior to today’s atomized air fresheners, potpourri was a natural method of scenting the air. As they say, “everything old is new again” and homemade potpourri concoctions are enjoying a resurgence, popular not only for the ability to customize one’s own fragrance, but with the added benefits of a more natural and environmentally friendly mix at a fraction of the cost....

If you want some whimsy and natural form for your wedding, try using succulents. An interesting and charming option is making a succulent bouquet. A quick internet search shows plenty of succulent bouquet DIY tutorials. Learn how to create a succulent bouquet that adds a special touch to your happy day. What is a Succulent Bouquet? The whole affair starts with choosing the perfect plants. Since succulents usually have short stems, you will also need floral tape and wire to make fake stems to grasp....

Water Chestnut Facts Trapa natans, sometimes called “Jesuit Nut” or “Water Caltrops,” is a water plant with huge floating leaves grown in ponds. Cultivated in China and commonly used in that cuisine, it is also grown to a lesser extent in southern Europe and Asia. This type is considered invasive in most areas. E. dulcis is also grown in ponds primarily in China and the edible tuber is then harvested for food....

What is Blood Meal? Blood meal is pretty much as the name says. It is dried animal blood, typically cow blood, but it can also be the blood of any animal that goes through meat packing plants. The blood is collected after the animals are killed and then dried to make a powder. What is Blood Meal Used For? Blood meal is a nitrogen amendment that you can add to your garden....

What is Buddha’s Hand Fruit? Buddha’s hand fruit (Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis) is a citron fruit that looks like a ghoulish, lemony hand made up of between 5-20 “fingers” (carpels) dangling from a small distorted lemon. Think lemon colored calamari. Unlike other citron, there is little to no juicy pulp inside the leathery rind. But like other citrus, Buddha’s hand fruit is rife with essential oils responsible for its heavenly lavender-citrus scent....

Elodea Waterweed There’s no doubt that elodea pondweed is a useful plant for those with cool water aquariums and water elements in the garden. The plant absorbs nutrients and, by doing so, it limits algae growth. Elodea waterweed’s roots are branching and tangled stems, growing over three feet (1 m.) long in cultivation and three times that long in the wild. The roots are packed with drooping green leaves in swirls of three, and the tiny flowers appear in summer and early fall....

What is Laurel Sumac? Native to North America, laurel sumac (Malosma laurina) is an evergreen shrub found in the coastal sage and chaparral along the coasts of Southern California and the Baja California Peninsula. The plant was named for its resemblance to bay laurel, but the two trees are unrelated. Laurel sumac reaches heights of 15 feet (5 m.). Clusters of tiny white flowers, similar to lilacs, bloom in late spring and summer....

It is important to know how to control locoweed in ranching areas. The first steps start with identifying locoweed and recognizing its poisoning symptoms in animals. What is Locoweed? Locoweed is also known as milk vetch. There are over 300 species but not all are toxic. Cattle that graze on the plant may stumble, have glazed dull eyes, run in circles, stagger, or drool. Over time they lose weight, spontaneously abort calves, and have low fertility rates in both males and females....

What is Manganese? Manganese is one of nine essential nutrients that plants require for growth. Many processes are dependent on this nutrient, including chloroplast formation, photosynthesis, nitrogen metabolism, and synthesis of some enzymes. This role of manganese in plants is extremely crucial. Deficiency, which is common in soils that have neutral to high pH or a substantial deal of organic matter, can cause serious problems with plants. Manganese and Magnesium It’s necessary to note the difference between magnesium and manganese, as some people tend to get them confused....

What is Parodia Cactus? Native to the high regions of South America, Parodia is a is genus consisting of about 50 species ranging from small, ball cacti to tall, narrow varieties reaching heights of about 3 feet (1 m.). Cup-shaped flowers of yellow, pink, orange, or red appear on the upper part of mature plants. According to Parodia cactus information, Parodia is suitable for growing outdoors where winter temperatures never drop below 50 F....

What is the Crown of a Plant? What part of a plant is the crown? The crown of shrubs, perennials, and annuals is the area where the stems join the root. Roots grow down from the plant crown and stems grow up. Sometimes this is referred to as the plant base. On trees, the plant crown is the area where branches grow from the trunk. Grafted shrubs are usually grafted above the plant crown, while grafted trees are usually grafted below the crown....

These are fruit fly larvae (offspring of flies). If you want to learn how to prevent fruit maggots, you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading for fruit maggot info and learn how to prevent that “ugh” when you bite into fresh fruit. Where Do Fruit Maggots Come from? There are several species of fruit flies that lay their eggs in the fruit. The two most commonly found in home gardens are apple maggots and cherry fruit fly maggots....

Many times, the problem that people say they have is that a peony just won’t bloom. But sometimes, the problem isn’t getting the buds. The problem is that the buds won’t open. The buds will develop on a perfectly healthy plant but then suddenly they turn brown and shrivel up. Many a peony owner’s hopes have been dashed this way. The good news is that the same thing that may cause a peony not to produce blooms is also the same culprits to look for when the buds die....

About Swamp Cottonwood Trees According to swamp cottonwood information, these trees are relatively tall, reaching some 100 feet (30 m.) at maturity. They have a single stout trunk that can get to 3 feet (1 m.) across. Young branches and trunks of swamp cottonwood are smooth and pale gray. However, as the trees age, their bark darkens and becomes deeply furrowed. Swamp cottonwood trees bear dark green leaves that are lighter underneath....

Why Doesn’t My Hellebore Flower? There are a few reasons a hellebore won’t bloom, and most of them can be traced to the way they were treated before they were sold. Hellebores are popular winter and spring blooming plants that are often bought in pots and kept as houseplants. The fact that they are grown and kept in containers means that they frequently become root bound, often before they’re even bought....

Native species gardeners will want to learn windmill grass information and try this for erosion control, deer resistant planting, and to attract butterflies. That being said, however, windmill grass control is often necessary, as this is a prolific grower. What is Windmill Grass? Even wild species aficionados may wonder, “What is windmill grass?” This warm-season grass and member of the Poaceae family has a fibrous root system, which can be divided for propagation and makes an excellent erosion control....

What is Herbal Wintercress? Wintercress is a perennial herb native to North America. It was used extensively by indigenous groups, both as a food and as a medication. It is a low growing, 1 to 2 inch (2.5-5 cm.) tall plant that can be found in meadows and roadsides, particularly where soil is moist. The leaves are divided with oval larger upper leaves flanked by smaller bract-like leaflets in green or bronze, depending upon the time of year....

Differences in Tomatoes that are Yellow In general, yellow tomatoes are less acidic and have a sweeter taste than red ones. This flavor balance is due to the absence of lycopene, the pigment that gives tomatoes their red coloration. Tomatoes that are yellow might be a better choice for those following a low-acid diet, but the lycopene found in red tomatoes are a powerful antioxidant linked to many health benefits. Does this mean we should forego growing yellow tomato plants?...