Joe Butler

Along with mistletoe and Christmas trees, poinsettias are beloved holiday plants.Although typically grown indoors, t

Ah, the Acer palmatum. Delicate foliage, a graceful branching habit, stunning fall color… it’s got the full package.Most gardeners can find a spot for a Japanese maple in

In order to succeed in this world, you have to keep your moneymakers in decent condition.Talented singers exercise their vocal cords, pro athletes wor

Beloved at Christmastime, poinsettias deck the halls of our homes with gorgeous color.But a green thumb’s collection of h

Ever wanted the majesty of a tree and the glory of a floral display, all in the same plant? Want all that with a side of drought-tolerance and attractiveness to pollinators? Well, look no further than the peacock flower, aka the red bird of paradise.This evergreen tree or shrub has dark green, bipinnate compou

For fern fans, the Boston fern is probably the pteridophyte that got you hooked. It’s gorgeous, versatile, and fairly easy to care for. Plus, you’d have a hard time finding a plant shop or garden center that doesn’t have N. exaltata in stock.But every Boston fern owner – or pla

There’s nothing quite like the blooms of a Strelitzia. Shaped like vibrantly-colored birds in flight, the flowers on a bird of paradise plant are uniquely gorgeous, transforming your patio or landscape into a tropical utopia.But all good things must come to an end, and there wil

A greenhouse serves as a fantastic option to grow plants in locations or seasons where they wouldn’t fare well by themselves due to the local weather conditions and climate.Plus, they can be a styli

A colorful clump of crocuses is a welcome sight in the garden. The way that they can poke up through the snow is a beautiful visual, hailing the triumph of spring over winter.So majestic is their beauty that some

Autumn is my favorite season… it’s not even close. And fall is an ideal time for a grab bag of reasons: Halloween, longer nights, the cool-without-being-freezing-weather, and so on.We link to vendors to help you find relevant prod

Looking for trees that combine aesthetics and multi-functionality? Look no further than hickory trees.Native to North America, China, and Indochina,

Beans, beans, the musical fruit! The more you eat, the more you… will want to grow your own. Not as catchy, but definitely more relatable for those with green thumbs.Trying to grow more of what you eat? Then look no further

For a drought-tolerant, woody shrub with blooms the color of fire, you can’t go wrong with Hamelia patens.This plant goes by other aliases such as fire

I fondly remember my first encounter with a nasturtium.‘Twas the summer of 2021, and I was working as an

Looking for a plant that combines ornamental beauty with a refreshing, fruity taste? Then have yourself a gander at the plant known as apple mint.As an avid, near-pathological gum chewer,

Whether it’s the blooms of an evening primrose, a pizza delivery place with extended hours, or a 24/7 gas station during a well-hydrated road trip, anything that’s “open late” can be an absolute blessing.We link to vendors to help you find relevant products

Searching for a uniquely awesome planting for your landscape? Look no further than the ginkgo tree: a plant as ancient, majestic, and fascinating as the dinosaurs.A living fossil from the days of prehistory, Gin

Trying to choose a ginkgo tree for your landscape?Along with size, form, and growth rate, don’t forget to c

To be fair, yellowing isn’t always a bad thing.For instance: when the bananas in my pantry turn

Many flowers are bright, upbeat, and in your face with their cheerful color… but an angsty gardener looking for a dark, brooding, and hooded bloom will find plenty of satisfaction in a jack-in-the-pulpit.We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If yo

Yuccas may be prone to frost damage, but at least they can grow back their succulent leaves in time!We link to vendors to help you find relev

Back when I was in high school, there were a fair number of jocks, i.e. sport-playing athletic people. And while the single-sport kids made it pretty far, it was the multi-sport folks who were the greatest athletes.The ones who played a different sport every season had the mos

As a miniature version of Nephrolepis cordifolia, the lemon button fern certainly puts the “fun” in “fun-size.”But I’ll admit that “fun-size” ain’t always the most fun. Exhibit A: fun

Greenhouses offer an amazing venue for overwintering plants, but purchasing and constructing one may be outside a gardener’s budget. Or it may be too large to fit on their property. Or perhaps it’s a bit too labor intensive.A cold frame, however, is like a foot

As the state tree of Missouri, the flowering dogwood means a lot to me.I’m a long-time resident of the “Show-Me” state, and I can s

Anyone who’s strikingly attractive knows that such beauty draws all kinds of attention, both good and bad.We link to vendors to help you find relevant pro

One of the greatest threats to an evergreen’s ever-greenness is winter, and all the harsh, damaging conditions that come with it.An evergreen shrub that doesn’t keep its verd

For those new to growing ferns indoors who want to start off on easy mode, then this is the species for you.Just like an actual kangaroo, the kangaroo fern is one tough cu

Want to keep your bird of paradise plants healthy while gaining a few more, without shelling out any moolah?We link to vendors to help you find

In a world of hyper-specialization, a generalist like arborvitae is a breath of fresh air.Many plants are only fit for one thing, suc

With some species, the blooms are the focal point. And with others, the glossy green leaves take center stage.It’s nice when ornamental plants can offer both floral interest an

Great strength is often paired with significant weakness.The mighty Superman is weakened by Kryptonite,

It’s easy to think of a garden as a delicate place that’s free from danger… wimpy-sounding plant names like “baby’s breath” certainly don’t help.But if you’re trying to add an air of deadly elegance to your

A garden is already a living, breathing thing of beauty… but what if it could enlighten, as well as inspire?If you put an indigo plant in your garden, then you

Growing plants in soil is fun… but how about growing plants up buildings?If you’re looking for a plant that’s tough, visually stunnin

If you could bring one plant with you to a deserted island, what would it be?When I first considered this question some years