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Formal garden styles always rely on geometric shapes such as squares and triangles, and straight lines, and usually concentrate on green, leafy plants instead of flowers. You can use formal garden design ideas to fill an entire backyard or simply to add an accent garden for a surprising corner of the lawn. What is a Formal Garden Design? When you picture a formal garden, you may imagine the great manor houses in England and France in past centuries, and you won’t be far off....

What is a Green Bell Pepper Tomato? Green Bell Pepper tomatoes are indeterminate plants which produce medium sized tomato fruits that look and can be used just like green bell peppers. Described as a stuffing tomato, Green Bell Pepper tomatoes produce medium, 4 to 6 ounce (113-170 g.) sized tomato fruit that grows about the same size and shape as green bell peppers. While the fruit looks like any other tomato when young, as it ripens it develops dark green, light green, and yellow streaking or stripes on its skin....

What is a Jilo Eggplant? Jilo is a green fruit related to both the tomato and the eggplant. Once treated as a distinct species, Solanum gilo, it is now known to be of the group Solanum aethiopicum. This deciduous shrub in the family Solanaceae has a highly branching habit and grows up to 6 ½ feet (2 m.) in height. Leaves are alternate with smooth or lobed margins and can get up to a foot (31 cm....

Nannyberry Plant Info Shrub or tree? You decide. Nannyberry plants mature to about 18 feet (5.5 m.) tall and 10 feet wide (3 m.), making them fit the definition of a small tree or a large shrub. It is a type of viburnum commonly grown for its ornamental appeal. Nannyberry shrubs are very ornamental with their shiny green leaves with serrated edges. Then there are the ivory flowers that appear in late spring, flat-topped inflorescences as wide as your palm....

What is a Royal Palm Tree? That depends upon who you ask. Some classify it as the genus Roystonea, but others say it’s just the species Roystonea regia (both the genus and species imply royalty, so it’s hard to commit). Royal palm trees are very large, reaching 50 to 80 feet (15-24 m.) in height and 15 to 25 feet (4.5-7.5 m.) in spread. The leaves are 10 to 15 feet (3-4....

Is Scarlet Ivy Gourd Invasive? In tropical areas, like Hawaii, the scarlet ivy gourd vine has become a problematic invasive species. In a single day these vines can grow up to 4 inches (10 cm.). It’s a vigorous climber which engulfs trees, smothering them with thick, sun blocking foliage. Its deep, tuberous root system is difficult to remove, and it doesn’t respond well to glyphosate herbicides. The vine propagates easily by roots, stem pieces, and cuttings....

In a fish tank, it is an undemanding plant that requires almost no care once established. Read on to learn more about this aquarium plant. Growing Ozelot Sword in a Fish Tank Ozelot Sword is an ideal plant for beginners and grows well even in sub-optimum conditions (although not quite as fast). The plant is amphibious, meaning it can be either fully or partially submersed. Very little care is required, but the following tips may help with Ozelot Sword plant care:...

What to Do with Chicory? Chicory is a hardy perennial plant that comes from Eurasia where it grows in the wild. It was brought to the United States early in the country’s history. Today, it has naturalized and its clear, blue flowers can be seen growing along roadways and in other uncultivated areas, especially in the South. Chicory looks like a dandelion on steroids, but blue. It has the same deep taproot, deeper and thicker than a dandelion, and its stiff stalk can grow to 5 feet tall (2....

What is Lettuce Leaf Basil? As mentioned, Lettuce Leaf basil is a variety with extraordinary big leaves, up to 5 inches (12.5 cm.) long. The leaves are a brilliant green and crinkled and look much like lettuce leaves – hence the common name. Leaves are set closely on plants that reach about 18-24 inches (45.5-61 cm.) in height. It has a milder basil flavor and aroma but the extra-large leaves more than makeup for this....

What is Lime Sulfur? Lime sulfur is a mixture of calcium hydroxide and sulfur. In horticultural dormant sprays, lime sulfur is usually mixed with an oil, like mineral oil, to make it stick to plant surfaces. These horticultural oil sprays contain a high concentration of lime sulfur that is only safe to use on plants that are dormant because the sulfur can burn leaf tissues. Lime sulfur can also be mixed in much weaker concentration with water for use when plants have leafed out....

What is Miner’s Lettuce? Miner’s lettuce is found from British Columbia south down to Guatemala and east into Alberta, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Utah, and Arizona. Claytonia miner’s lettuce is also known as Claspleaf miner’s lettuce, Indian lettuce, and by its botanical name of Claytonia perfoliata. The generic name of Claytonia is in reference to a botanist of the 1600’s by the name of John Clayton, while its specific name, perfoliata is due to the perfoliate leaves which completely encircle the stem and are attached at the base of the plant....

When direct sown, plants with albinism may go unnoticed. However, growers who start their seeds indoors in cell trays may be left questioning why their seedlings are demonstrating this unique trait. Read on for additional albino plant info. What is Plant Albinism? Plants with albinism occur when they do not produce chlorophyll due to genetic mutation. Emergent albino plant seedlings will have a distinct white color. True plants with albinism will demonstrate no hint of green pigment at all....

You’ll find many types of basil available in commerce. One heirloom variety you might want to try is basil Serata (Ocimum basilicum ‘Serata’). Read on for lots of Serata basil information, including tips on how to grow Serata basil in your herb garden. What is Serata Basil? Basil is a popular garden herb and a favorite of gardeners since it is so easy to grow. All annual basil varieties thrive during the warm season and require a sunny location in the garden....

What is Stylar End Rot? Stylar end rot is also called black rot in navel oranges, but is also sometimes referred to as Alternaria rot. The stylar is the end of the fruit that we usually call the naval. When the stylar is cracked or damaged, an infection can get in that causes the damage and rot. Stylar end breakdown causes include a few different pathogens of Alternaria citri. Unhealthy or damaged fruit is susceptible to the infection....

What is Whorled Pennywort? Whorled pennywort plants have thread-like stems and disk-shaped leaves. They are similar in size to a half dollar. They are aquatic plants, perfect for adding in the wet areas near bodies of water. These plants sometimes provide food for birds and pond dwellers such as fish, amphibians, and ducks. Plants may grow into a bush. Stems can reach about 10 inches (25 cm.) in height, but most are shorter....

Woody Herb Information Most herbs are herbaceous, which means they have no woody stems. In cold climates, herbaceous plants die back at the end of the growing season and they don’t return the following year. Herbaceous plants include certain herbs as well as annuals like petunias, begonias, marigolds, or zinnias. Woody herb plants, on the other hand, are just the opposite. What makes an herb woody? Unlike herbaceous plants that have soft stems, woody herbs, as the name suggests, are supported by hard, woody stems....

What’s Wrong with My Dracaena? While a dracaena houseplant is generally easy to grow and difficult to kill, there are some dracaena diseases and issues that you should be aware of and watch for. Characteristic symptoms can tell you what is wrong with your potted houseplant: Tan or brown coloring on the white areas of leaves and dead or yellow leaf tips may indicate fluoride toxicity or alkaline soil. Soft, brown spots on roots that smell rank may indicate soft rot disease....

Parsnip Growing Conditions Where should I plant my parsnips? Parsnips are fairly flexible. A planting spot in full sunlight is ideal, but parsnips usually do just fine in partial shade from nearby tomato or bean plants. Preferably, soil for parsnips will have a pH of 6.6 to 7.2. Preparing soil for parsnips is an important part of their cultivation. Parsnip Soil Treatment Parsnips require well-drained, fertile soil in order to develop optimum size and quality....

What is Pine Blister Rust? Pine blister rust is a fungal disease of white pines caused by Cronartium ribicola. This fungus has a complicated life cycle, requiring nearby plants in the genus Ribes for intermediary hosts. Ribes plants, like gooseberry and currant, often develop leaf symptoms, but rarely see serious damage from pine blister rust, unlike white pine. Pine blister rust symptoms on white pines are much more dramatic and severe, including flagging of entire branches; swellings, cankers, and blisters on branches and trunks; and resin flow or orange pustules erupting from branches and trunks....

What Causes Onion Tip Blight? Wind, sun stress, excess soil salts, and other environmental factors can cause onion tip burn. There may also be soil pathogens or even a lack of an important nutrient. Given all the potential causes of browning, dry tip foliage, it can be hard to decide what is affecting the plant. The first thing to do is decide if the correct cultivation and site conditions are being met....