I just recently picked up several Yucca plants, one that is more than 25 years old, over four foot tall and beautiful. It’s a plant that I have wanted for a while but haven’t seen while I was plant shopping so it hadn’t made it to my gardens or yard. One my one plant foraging runs I was lucky enough to pick up the plants.

The Yucca plant has a wild and exotic look; it is part of the lily family although by looking at it you would not guess this. There are over 40 plant varieties that grow in the United States and are considered more of a wild plant. However, homeowners have adopted them as a landscape addition. In my zone 5 the yucca known as “Adams Needle” is the variety that will grow in this climate.

The plant has a desert like look with sharp spiny leaves.  It is told that many years ago Yuccas were once planted outside a window to discourage any “peeping Toms.” I am not sure if this is true but it makes a nice story.

American Indians used for soap. The green pods are said to be edible. There have been stories about how the Native women washed their white garments by using the root.

According to the history the green gourd and soapwort were more to their liking but there are times you use what you have available. At the earliest of times they spread their clothing on rocks, rubbed them with a piece of yucca cut big enough to fit into their hand like a bar of soap, and then washed the clothing to brilliant cleanliness.

The white yucca blossoms, which are stunning but only last a short time, can be dropped into vinegar and will keep. This mixture can be used as a hair rinse, by mixing one ounce of the mixture to 8 ounces of water.

The Yucca is a very hardy plant as spreads by a thick root. Shoots will form on this root and can be cut off to form another plant. The plant also has fibrous threads on the leaves that can be pulled out. These threads can be used to make rope.

One of the most unusual aspects of the Yucca is that is pollinated by the yucca moth. If the moth is not present in the area where the yucca grows it must be hand pollinated or it will not produce seeds.

The Yucca will be a welcome addition to the gardens. I will enjoy watching it grow and become part of my garden.

Tags: yucca plant, yucca plant uses, plant lore, plant history

My garden always has several unique crops, usually heirloom seeds that were popular many years ago and that have a history. It adds fun to the garden to try these new crops plus sometimes you find a great crop that adds to your kitchen table or crafting projects.
photo credit: Jonathan Shield

Several years ago I heard of the “Vine Peach.” It’s a seed that is more difficult to find. Heirloom seed catalogs and specialty seed catalogs carry it.  What attracted me to this seed was the fact it was a fruit you could grow annually in your back yard and that it had an interesting background. So… I had to find the seed and grow it in my garden. I did manage to track a package of seeds down and since that time I have harvested the seeds at the end of the season for future crops.

Originally this fruit grew wild across most of the United States. As growth and development began the vine peach started to disappear. It was a favorite of the American Indian and with the rich heritage of numerous Indian cultures in our area I wanted to try this crop.

The peach vine looks a lot like a cucumber plant when it is young and has a lot of the same growing characteristics. It need warm nights to grow successfully and should be planted after the last frost warnings in you area has passed. I grow my vine peaches on a trellis. I find the crop grows better vertical and it saves room in the garden. For color I usually add a few scarlet runner beans to the area.

The fruit could be compared to a cantaloupe but it is much smaller and has a very mellow taste. I found that is was perfect for jams and jellies. It’s a crop that I don’t grow every year but when I do it’s a great addition to the garden,

Technorati Tags: creative gardening, garden history, heirloom seed

Peonies have a rich history in China, Japan, Europe and North America. In North America they have been grown mostly as a decorative plant but in China, Japan and Europe they have also been used for medicinal purposes. They are also widely used in art and design work

Plants come in rootstock, as potted plants and as trees. They have many colors but red, pink and white are still the popular colors.

Tips for Peony care

• It can take up to three growing seasons for a peony to reach maturity. Proper planting will help the peony to bloom quicker
• You can keep the flowers from flopping over by placing a special round peony stake over the foliage. A tomato cage will also work. As the plant grows in the spring and summer you do not see the cage
• If you want bigger blooms cut off all of the buds, except for the one on the tip. This will mean you have fewer flowers overall.
• Don’t worry if you see ants crawling on your peonies. Ants are attracted to a sticky, sweet liquid on the buds and will not harm your plants. I do check carefully for ants before I bring the plants into the house.

Add a peony to your garden. It will quickly become one of your favorite plants. Check this article for instructions on how to plant peonies: http://thegardenersrake.com/how-to-plant-and-care-for-a-peony-plant

This link will take you to the history of the peony plant: http://www.paeonia.com/html/peonies/history.htm

Tags: Peony plant history, peony medicinal use, peony plant old fashioned favorite