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Tropical plants are those that grow naturally in tropical climates: Climates where the average temperature varies little month to month, and is always above 64°F (18°C); where frost never occurs, and humidity is high; where there is a greater difference between average day and night temperatures than there is between average summer and winter temperatures.  Tropical climates tend to have just two recognizable seasons: Wet and not-so-wet. ​ Tropical rain forest climates occur in lower elevations north and south of […]

Most fig trees are hardy only in USDA zones 7 and higher, but you don’t have to move down South to have one. There are ways to grow your own fresh figs, even up North! Start by selecting the  most cold-hardy varieties. Among the best are Celeste Fig, Brown Turkey Fig, Ventura, and the most […]

It happens to all gardeners eventually: A favorite perennial or shrub is in the wrong place, and needs to be moved. Transplanting azaleas is no different. If it’s an azalea, you’re in luck because azaleas have shallow roots, are easy to dig up, and recover quickly from the stress of moving. Even mature azaleas can be […]

The pecan tree (Carya illinoinensis) is a large hardwood tree native to the mixed forests and bottomland hardwood swamps along large rivers from the Mississippi westward into East Texas and Mexico. They can get 70-100 feet tall and spread as much as 70 feet wide across. Pecans are widely grown commercially and in the home […]

Want to get that tropical look in your yard?  Learn how to plant a palm tree.  Best Time to Plant Palm Trees Mature palm trees with well-developed trunks can be dug and transplanted from the field. Young palms cannot. The roots of young palm trees are not sufficiently developed, so they are typically planted from […]

If you’ve seen those crape myrtles with ugly knuckle-like stubs, butchered by overzealous improper pruning, you know what we mean by “crape murder.” Not only does this practice of topping trees make the tree look horrible, it makes it weaker and leads to problems down the road. Learn how to prune a crape myrtle tree in […]

Can you grow a fig tree indoors?  The short answer is no.  Here’s why you wouldn’t want to: The edible fig (Ficus carica) needs full sun in the summer, which is almost impossible to get indoors. In autumn, the deciduous fig tree loses its leaves and goes into dormancy for the winter, when it doesn’t […]

Autumn leaf color is the result of varying levels of chlorophyll residue mixed with other pigments. There are a few reasons why your maple tree leaves aren’t turning red in the fall. What happens to maple tree leaves in fall? A tree’s leaves are green throughout the spring and summer because of chlorophyll, which is […]

The health benefits of indoor plants in the bedroom have been widely studied. Research has shown that bedroom plants that help you sleep can increase your productivity, improve your mood, and reduce pain and stress. Do plants give off oxygen? During daylight, indoor plants increase the level of oxygen in the room, which is a […]

Olive trees have been in cultivation for more than 6000 years. They do best in Mediterranean type climates, where summers are long, hot, and have dry air, and winters are cool and moist. Temperature-wise, olives are adapted to USDA zones 8 and above, and can die when temperatures get much below 15°F. So, can olive […]

Planting trees in the fall offers many advantages over planting trees in the spring. To name a few: “Transpiration is low and root generation potential is high. The temperatures are typically moderate to cool, and are easier on the plants so there is less chance for the trees to be stressed by extreme heat. The […]

Is your plum tree not producing fruit? Or are you wondering why there are no plums on your tree? You can usually tell if your plum tree will yield ripened plums by examining the flowers immediately after the petals fall off. The ovary (which will become the fruit) is located at the base where the […]