Home And Garden

Common Names:  coontie, arrowroot, compties, Seminole bread, comfort root  Family:   Zamiaceae  (coontie Family) Description Coontie is a small palmlike perennial plant that grows to a height of about 3 ft (0.9 m). Coontie forms a colony of suckers that slowly grow into mounds 5-6 ft (1.5-2.1 m) wide. The glossy dark green pinnate leaves are 3 ft (0.9 m) long with narrow pinnae (leaflets) 4-6 in (10.2-1.8 cm) long by 0.25 in ( cm) wide. This species is dioecious, having male or female reproductive parts (called "cones") present on separate plants. In late winter the rusty-brown male and female cones emerge from the ground. Males produce pollen that fertilizes the female cones that mature in late autumn when the shiny orange seeds are released. Its evergreen leaves are fine in texture and resemble those of a fern. They are produced from a thick underground storage root in one or more flushes each year. This cycad has a much softer appearance and is without the sh...

Caring for a Bonsai tree is not as hard as is commonly thought. However, as Bonsai trees are planted in small pots a few basic guidelines have to be followed when watering, fertilizing and repotting your trees. Bonsai tree care basics Though Bonsai trees are a little more delicate compared to the average indoor plant, a few basic rules should enable anyone to take care of its tree properly. Most importantly are watering, fertilization and choosing the right position to place it. Watering Bonsai How often Bonsai need to be watered depends on a wide range of factors, including species of tree, size and climate. Do not just water your tree every day, instead, monitor it carefully and water it once the soil gets slightly (but never completely) dry; it should be damp. When watering, do it thoroughly though. Fertilization As Bonsai trees are generally placed in small pots regular fertilization is required in order to replenish nutrients that are essential to the tree. Using a speci...

Common Names:  yellow elder, trumpetbush, yellowbells, ginger-thomas, tronadora Family:   Bignoniaceae  (bignonia Family) Description Yellow elder grows as a densely branched shrub or small tree and gets its common name from its superficial resemblance of its foliage to that of elderberry ( Sambucus canadensis ). It has bright green opposite leaves, which are pinnately compound with 1-9 (usually 3-7) sharply pointed oval leaflets. The 2-3 in (5-7.6 cm) long leaflets have sharply toothed edges. They are borne on very short petioles and are slightly hairy on the undersides along the midrib and in the vein axils. The smooth squarish twigs are green, turning tan or reddish tan as they age. The bark on the main trunk is light brown and becomes corky with age. The 1-2 in (2.5-5.1 cm) sunshine yellow flowers are trumpet shaped. They hang in showy clusters at the branch tips and forks, bending the twigs into arches with their weight. There are two folds along the bottom of the...

Common Names:  winged euonymus, winged spindletree, burning bush Family:   Celastraceae  (bittersweet Family) Description Handsome in new spring growth and spectacular in its vivid red fall foliage, winged euonymus is positively striking in winter when the corky "wings" that decorate the leafless stems hold lines of fresh fallen snow. Reaching a height of 15-20 ft (4.6-6.1 m) and spreading 6-10 ft (1.8-3 m) across, winged euonymus is a dense and bushy, many branched shrub. The deciduous leaves grow to 3 in (7.6 cm) long and are borne in opposing pairs along the green, winged stems. The late spring yellowish green flowers are small and borne in rather inconspicuous clusters. They give rise to purplish red capsules that split open to reveal little orange-red seeds that are themselves ornamental, especially if still present after the leaves have fallen. The variety  apterus  has stems that lack the corky wings. The cultivar 'Compactus' is smaller, to 6-10 f...