Detailed plant profiles with growing tips for weekend gardeners. Browse by category or search for a specific plant to find zone-specific planting advice, care instructions, and troubleshooting help.
Honey locust is a fast-growing deciduous shade tree valued for its airy canopy, fine-textured foliage, and adaptability to tough growing conditions. It is widely planted in landscapes because it tolerates heat, drought, and urban stress better than many other large trees. Thornless selections are especially popular for home gardens, while the species is also known for its long seed pods and rugged character.
Osage orange is a tough, adaptable deciduous tree best known for its large, wrinkled green-to-orange fruits and dense, thorny branching. It has long been valued for living fences, windbreaks, and its exceptionally durable wood. For home gardeners, it is a striking choice where a rugged, low-maintenance tree or barrier planting is needed.
Ethiopian mustard is a fast-growing brassica grown for its nutritious leafy greens and, in some regions, for oilseed production. It has a bold, mustard-like flavor and performs especially well in cool weather, making it a useful crop for spring and fall gardens. Home gardeners appreciate its vigor, productivity, and versatility in the kitchen.
Giant sequoia is one of the most awe-inspiring trees a gardener can grow, prized for its massive size, reddish bark, and stately conical form. While it is best suited to large properties, parks, and arboretum-style landscapes, young trees can make striking specimen plantings in the right climate. This evergreen conifer is long-lived and ornamental, offering year-round structure and a strong sense of permanence in the landscape.
Eastern cottonwood is a towering native shade tree valued for its rapid growth and ability to provide shelter along streams, fields, and large open landscapes. Its triangular leaves shimmer in the breeze, and mature trees quickly create cooling shade for rural properties and restoration plantings. Because it grows large and has vigorous roots, it is best suited to spacious sites away from buildings and pipes.
Black birch is a handsome native deciduous tree valued for its glossy bark, graceful form, and spicy wintergreen scent in its twigs. It makes an excellent long-term shade tree for larger landscapes and naturalized plantings. Gardeners also appreciate its wildlife value and strong adaptation to eastern North American woodland conditions.
Sassafras is a distinctive native North American tree known for its aromatic bark, roots, and uniquely shaped leaves that can appear oval, mitten-shaped, or three-lobed on the same plant. It brings strong seasonal interest with yellow spring flowers, blue summer fruits on red stalks, and glowing fall color. For home gardeners, it is a handsome choice for naturalized landscapes, wildlife plantings, and spacious native gardens.
Common zinnia is a cheerful, fast-growing annual prized for its bold, daisy-like flowers in a wide range of bright colors. It is one of the easiest flowers for beginners, thriving in sunny beds, borders, and cutting gardens through the heat of summer. Zinnias also attract butterflies and make excellent long-lasting cut flowers.
Mustard greens are fast-growing brassicas grown for their peppery leaves, tender stems, and sometimes their flavorful seeds. They bring bold taste and lush texture to cool-season gardens, with many forms ranging from frilly leaf types to broad, smooth-leaved varieties. Easy to grow from seed, they are a great choice for beginner gardeners who want quick harvests and productive beds.
Mexican hat is a cheerful native wildflower known for its distinctive sombrero-shaped blooms in warm shades of yellow and reddish brown. It brings a relaxed prairie look to sunny beds, borders, and meadow plantings while attracting bees and butterflies. Once established, it is a dependable perennial for gardeners who want long-lasting color with relatively little fuss.
Japanese barberry is a dense, thorny deciduous shrub grown for its tidy form, small yellow spring flowers, and bright red berries that often persist into winter. It is easy to grow in a wide range of soils and is valued for hedges, barriers, and seasonal color. Gardeners should note that it is considered invasive in many parts of North America, so planting may be restricted or discouraged in some areas.
Prickly pear is a bold, architectural cactus grown for its paddle-shaped stems, colorful flowers, and edible fruits and pads. It thrives in hot, sunny gardens where many other plants struggle, making it a favorite for water-wise landscapes. For home gardeners, it offers both ornamental appeal and a harvest of tender nopales and sweet tuna fruits.
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