We tolerate some high-maintenance things without much complaint: The classic English sports car with finicky mechanics Saltwater aquariums with precise water chemistry and temperature demands High-end fabrics like silk, cashmere, and leather with special cleaning and...
Staghorn ferns don’t grow in soil. In the wild, they cling to trees, rocks, or cliff faces, absorbing moisture and nutrients from rain and decaying leaves. Over time, multiple ferns fuse into a giant colony that can blanket entire tree trunks. They don’t...
“Coneflower” refers to the entire Echinacea genus, which includes about nine species. The most popular and studied one is Echinacea purpurea, with its striking purple blooms. Native American tribes used Echinacea for centuries to treat wounds, toothaches,...
“Oregano” comes from the Greek oros (mountain) and ganos (joy), translating to “joy of the mountain.” The ancient Greeks crowned newlyweds with the pungent plant. The herb was uncommon in American cuisine before WWII, but GIs returning from...
The oddly beautiful bottlebrush plant comes from Australia, a land of bizarre creatures like the platypus and leafy sea dragon. Its cylindrical, long-blooming flowers resemble, well, a brush to clean bottles. The flower’s bright red “bristles” are...
