How to Grow and Care for Thimbleweed

A close up horizontal image of two thimbleweed (Anemone virginiana) flowers pictured on a soft focus background.

The dainty little thimbleweed (Anemone virginiana) produces delicate, creamy white flowers and thrives in full sun to part shade locations in USDA Zones 2 to 8. Easy to grow and fantastic for wildlife, this tough North American native is a must-have for wildflower gardens. Learn how to grow your own in this guide.

How to Grow and Care for Banana Plants

A close up horizontal image of a big bunch of bananas ripening on the tree, surrounded by foliage on a bright background.

There’s more to the banana than meets the eye. These tropical fruit trees hail from Asia and Africa, and come in lots of colors and different sizes. What’s more, they are remarkably adaptable and can be grown seasonally in the flower bed, or inside in a pot. Learn how to grow your own in this guide. Read more now.

How to Grow Beardtongue (Penstemon)

A horizontal photo of a garden bed filled with penstemon flowers. The blooms are a vibrant magenta with white centers.

Colorful, resilient, and beloved by insects and hummingbirds, beardtongue flowers (Penstemon species) are a wonderful addition to any garden. Tough and adaptable, these cottage garden favorites will grow almost anywhere. Learn more about these native wildflowers and how to grow your own in this guide. Read more now.

When and How to Water Bromeliads

A close up horizontal image of two bromeliads growing outdoors in a rock garden.

Most plants are happiest when the soil surrounding their roots is watered. But what if your plant doesn’t need soil? What if it doesn’t have very extensive roots either? Find out how to water bromeliads, a group of beautiful, unusual plants with hydration needs that are a bit different. Read on to learn more.

How to Grow and Care for Camassia (Wild Hyacinth)

A horizontal shot of blue camassia growing in a field.

Camas, aka wild hyacinths, are cold hardy, tolerant of wet soils, and beloved by pollinators. An excellent choice for garden beds or a wildflower meadow, plant these native perennial bulbs in the fall for an unbeatable display of flowers come spring. Learn how to grow Camassia in this guide. Read more now.

How to Grow and Care for Ironweed (Vernonia)

A close up horizontal image of the bright purple flowers of an ironweed (Vernonia) plant growing in the garden pictured in light sunshine on a soft focus background.

Perfect for a rain garden or the back of a flower border, ironweed is an easy-care native perennial suited to a variety of soils. Its huge clusters of purple flowers attract a myriad of pollinators. Requiring hardly any maintenance to thrive, Vernonia is a go-to choice for low impact, eco-friendly gardening. Read more.

How to Grow and Care for Mexican Fan Palms

A close up horizontal image of a Mexican fan palm (Washingtonia robusta) pictured on a blue sky background.

Belonging to a group of palms known for their beautiful fanlike leaves, Mexican fan palms are an ideal choice for gardens in mild, arid climates. The huge leaves and shaggy, textured skirt of fronds make them attractive in all seasons. Learn how to grow and care for these magnificent palms in this guide. Read more now.

Fan Palms 101: How to Grow and Care for Fan Palms

A close up horizontal image of the foliage of a fan palm growing outdoors in the garden pictured in bright sunshine.

Fan palms are known for their beautiful, pleated leaves that resemble fans. This common name refers to a diverse group of species in different genera that all share the characteristic fan-shaped foliage. Learn more about these striking plants and how to cultivate them indoors or out in this guide. Read more now.

How to Grow and Care for Red Oak Trees

A horizontal image of a large, mature red oak tree (Quercus rubra) growing in a parklike setting.

Wildlife-friendly and easy to care for, red oak (Quercus rubra) is unfussy and will thrive in almost any location. Perfect in a woodland setting, or as a shade or specimen tree for your garden, the red oak is easy going and adaptable. Learn how to grow this standout among native trees in this guide. Read more now.

When and How to Prune Ficus Trees

A horizontal close-up of a pair of gardening clippers snipping off the end of a ficus branch.

Whether you’re looking to create a fuller plant or clean up one that’s looking a little messy, weeping figs can benefit from a little pruning. Effective trimming can promote new growth, help limit disease, and encourage your ficus tree to grow into a neater shape. Find out when and how to do it in this guide.

How to Grow and Care for American Bittersweet Vines

A close up horizontal image of the berries and foliage of American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) growing in the garden, pictured on a soft focus background.

The native alternative to Oriental bittersweet, American bittersweet has the same dazzling, bright, colorful berries without the tendency to overtake everything in its path. Excellent food for wildlife, and superb for wreath making and seasonal decoration, learn to grow this unusual woodland climber in this guide.

28 of the Best Yucca Varieties

A close up horizontal image of the flowers and foliage of a yucca plant pictured in bright sunshine on a blue sky background.

Happy inhabitants of the driest of soils, the resilient yucca tolerates drought, frost, and searing heat. With spiky foliage in shades of green, gray, and blue, yucca sports spikes of creamy flowers come summer. Learn about the most beautiful, floriferous, and toughest types of this native succulent for your garden.

How to Care for Succulents in Winter

A close up horizontal image of succulents covered in a layer of snow.

Marvelously tough and typically unfussy, succulents get a little more needy once hot summer weather subsides and winter returns. From repotting to watering to pest control and more, learn how to steward your succulents through the chillier, darker season of winter. Read more about succulent winter care in our guide.

How to Grow and Care for Organ Pipe Cactus

A horizontal image of a large organ pipe cactus growing in the desert surrounded by scrubby plants pictured on a blue sky background.

Native to Mexico and the southwestern United States, organ pipe cactus can grow to be truly enormous. Strikingly architectural, it’s beautiful in all seasons, producing huge white flowers in spring and sweet fruits in summer. Given lean soil, minimal water, and lots of sunlight, you can grow this long-lived cactus too.

How to Grow and Care for Black Walnut Trees

A close up horizontal image of the fruit developing on a black walnut (Juglans nigra) tree pictured on a soft focus background.

Cold hardy, tolerant of a wide range of conditions, and an excellent timber tree to boot, black walnut is an easy nut tree to grow. What’s more, this striking tree is native to the eastern United States, inhabiting floodplains, roadsides, and forest edges. Tough, versatile, and productive – what’s not to love?

How to Grow and Care for Spotted Joe-Pye Weed

A close up horizontal image of the flowers of spotted joe-pye weed (Eutrochium maculatum) growing in the garden.

Perfect for a rain garden or the back of a border, spotted joe-pye weed is an easy-to-grow native perennial suited to a variety of soils, and its giant clusters of pink flowers attract a myriad of pollinators. Requiring little to no maintenance to thrive, it’s a go-to choice for low impact, eco-friendly gardening.

How to Grow and Care for Rosinweed

A close up horizontal image of yellow rosinweed (Silphium) flowers pictured in bright sunshine on a blue sky background.

Looking for a hardy, drought-tolerant native flower to brighten up the garden? Look no further. Rosinweeds are easy to grow and their bright yellow flowers are attractive to birds, bees, and butterflies. Requiring little to no maintenance to thrive, this is a go-to choice for low impact, eco-friendly gardening.