Latin scientific names can be challenging to pronounce but are tremendously important. We can communicate without ambiguity because each plant has only one scientific name. In contrast, a plant may have more than one common name, and common names may vary by region. Although easier to pronounce, using common names can result in a great deal of confusion and even frustration.
Let’s look at an example. If I were to speak about vinca, there are at least three plants to which I may be referring. Two of the plants are non-native invasive vines in the genus Vinca. The third is an annual bedding plant in the genus Catharanthus.
Since Vinca major and Vinca minor are considered non-native invasive species in South Carolina, it is not advisable to plant them. A previous blog authored by retired Extension Agent Laura Lee Rose explains why we should be concerned about invasive plants. One moral of the story is to use scientific names whenever possible. If annual vinca is your go-to plant to stand up to SC summers, you needn’t be concerned about it being invasive. Annual vinca is known to self-seed, so you may end up with “volunteers” next season.
For more information, see HGIC 1158, Annual Vinca.
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In an age where sustainability and environmental consciousness are paramount, integrating solar panels into your garden emerges as a smart and responsible choice. These innovations not only enhance your garden’s aesthetics but also align with your eco-conscious values.
Traditionally, greenhouses can be quite energy and water intensive, running on fossil fuels which are detrimental to the environment. This is why more and more UK homeowners and gardening enthusiasts are designing their greenhouses with sustainability in mind. In this article, we’ll talk you through the different areas where you can consider improving the sustainability of your greenhouse and how these could benefit you – so that you can garden with a green conscience as well as a green thumb.
In an age where sustainability and environmental consciousness are paramount, integrating solar panels into your garden emerges as a smart and responsible choice. These innovations not only enhance your garden’s aesthetics but also align with your eco-conscious values.
Using wallpaper to update your space brings in patterns and textures that plain old paint just can’t match. Especially with numerous peel-and-stick wallpaper options, you have various designs you can choose from without having to fully commit for years.
Just over a year ago, when we were celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first Moon landing, I talked about the lack of diversity in space and mentioned Mary Jackson. In 2016, the movie Hidden Figures shared the stories of Mary Jackson and two other Black female mathematicians – Katherine Johnson and, Dorothy Vaughan. They worked at NASA when a ‘computer’ still meant a person carrying out mathematical calculations. The film is based on a book by Margot Lee Shetterly, which I am reading at the moment. The book offers a more detailed and accurate account of the prejudice these women (and others) had to overcome.
Can we grow food on the Moon or Mars? That was the question that started Dr Wieger Wamelink, ecologist and exobiologist at the University of Wageningen in the Netherlands, on a research quest in 2013.
In 2021, One Giant Leap Australia sent golden wattle seeds into space, as part of a nationwide STEM project to explore “What’ll Happen to the Wattle??!”. In this episode, Emma the Space Gardener talks to Jackie Carpenter about how the seeds got to space, and then back home again, and what’s next for the space-flown wattle seeds.