The Cultivation

Plant Lore: Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)

Witch hazel: The name alone evokes everything from a spooky, magical potion to your facial astringent. But what about this tree?

Plant Lore: Water Lilies

Fragrant, beautiful, and utterly unique, water lilies have long been celebrated and implemented in ceremonies, religious symbolism,...

Plant Lore: Carnation, The Flower of the Gods

The botanical term dianthus may not be familiar to many people, but everybody knows the carnation. It's one of the oldest and most...

Plant Lore: Horny Goat Weed

Barrenwort, Fairy Wings, Bishops Hat. There are plenty of benign names for this plant, but nothing grabs your attention quite like Horny...

Plant Lore: Holiday Evergreens

Long before Christmas trees and Santa Claus, civilizations around the world used evergreens to adorn their homes each December.

Plant Lore: The Story Behind Jack-O'-Lanterns

Do you feel the urge to cover every available surface in decorative gourds this time of year? Me, too. Ever wonder why we take things a...

Plant Lore: Deadly Nightshade (Atropa belladonna)

With such a spooky common name and a botanical name (Atropa belladona) fit for a Harry Potter spell, deadly nightshade seems fitting for...

Plant Lore: Maples (Acer sp.)

One of the most common and popular trees in the northern hemisphere, the maple is famous for many things — spectacular fall color, the...

Plant Lore: Serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis)

While autumn and spring color is reason enough to adore this tree, generations past appreciated it for a more macabre reason...

Plant Lore: Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

The name Achilles doesn't conjure up images of delicate wildflowers, but the Trojan hero is the namesake of this flowering perennial.

Plant Lore: Tulip Tree Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera)

Tulip-shaped flowers and uniquely shaped leaves aren't all that make this native tree a standout.

Plant Lore: European Beech (Fagus sylvatica)

In the age of e-books and bookshelves organized by color, it can be hard to remember that early publications were written on tree bark.

BY KAT AUL CERVONI