Bearberry is an evergreen, prostrate growing shrub which in autumn produces bright red fruits, often persisting into early winter that are indeed eaten by bears, as well as by deer, other smaller mammals, and birds. The etymology of the genus name is both Greek and Latin. In Greek, arctos means bear and staphyle is a bunch of grapes. In Latin, uva and ursi mean grape and bear respectively. Continue reading →

Oregon Grape, Mahonia aquifolium is one of 226 pressed and dried extant original specimens in the Lewis and Clark Herbarium at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. Continue reading →

Herein, we pay tribute to Xanthorhiza simplicissima, Yellowroot, which in addition to its roots, also reliably displays yellow autumn foliage. This monotypic (only one species within the genus) subshrub’ botanical name translates from ‘xantho’ for yellow and ‘rhiza’ for root. Continue reading →

It was late in September when you took me To that amazing garden, hidden in the city, Tranquil and complicated as an open hand, …                               … Continue reading →