How to grow Helianthus Helianthus (hel-ee-an-thus) From the Greek helios, the sun, anthos, a flower. (Compositae). Sunflower. A genus of tall, coarse-growing plants, annuals and perennials, gross feeders which dominate the border in which they are planted. H. annuus, the […]

How to grow Gazania Gazania (gaz-ay-ne-a) Commemorating Theodore of Gaza, fifteenth-century translator of the botanical works of Theophrastus (Compositae). Treasure flower. Half-hardy perennials from South Africa, with showy flowers, which open in the sun and close about 3 p.m. The […]

How to grow Euphorbia Euphorbia (u-for-be-a) Named after Euphorbus, physician to King Juba of Mauritania (Euphorbiaceae). A genus of about a thousand species, widely distributed, mainly in temperate regions, showing immense diversity of form and requirements. They include annual, biennial […]

How to grow Erysimum Erysimum (er-is-im-um) From the Greek erus, to draw up; some species are said to produce blisters (Cruciferae). Alpine wallflower. Hardy annual, biennial and perennial plants, closely related to Cheiranthus. Some are rather weedy, but others make […]

How to grow Eryngium From the ancient Greek name eryngeon, the meaning of which is obscure (Urnbelliferae). A genus of over 200 species of hardy and nearly hardy perennial herbaceous plants, some with thistle-like leaves. Some species are seaside plants […]

How to grow Echinacea Echinacea (ek-in-ay-se-a) From the Greek echinos, hedgehog, referring to the whorl of prickly, pointed bracts close beneath the flower head (Compositae). A genus of two North American species of hardy herbaceousperennial plants. Echinacea plants E. angustifolia […]

How to grow Doronicum Doronicum (dor-on-ik-um) From the Arabic name doronigi (Cornpositae). Leopard’s bane. Hardy herbaceous perennials, natives of Europe and Asia, early-flowering, with long-stemmed, daisy-like yellow flowers. The sap from the root of D. pardalianches is said to be […]

How to grow Coreopsis (kor-e-op-sis) From the Greek koris, a bug or tick, opsis, like, a reference to the appearance of the seeds (Compositae). Tickseed. The annual species are often cataloged under Calliopsis. Hardy perennials and annuals with showy flowers, […]

How to grow Convolvulus (kon-volvu-lus) From the Latin convolvo, to entwine, as some of the species do (Convolvulaceae). A valuable race of plants both annual and perennial, herbaceous or sub-shrubby. Flowers are bell-shaped throughout and highly attractive. Hardy perennial species […]

How to grow Centaurea (sen-taw-re-a) From the classical myths of Greece; the plant is said to have healed a wound in the foot of Chiron, one of the Centaurs (Compositae). A genus of annual and perennial plants with flowers not […]