Tag Archives: Echinacea purpurea

Word of the Week: Pappus

Posted on August 9, 2021 by MGNV Webmaster

The word pappus might bring to mind dandelions and the “puff ball” seed heads you may have played with in your youth. However, if the word conjures up the silky “parachutes” of milkweed, think again. Although both appendages aid in the dispersal of their seeds, a pappus is an appendage to cypsela, the fruit of plants in the Asteraceae (aster family). Dandelion is a member of the aster family; milkweed is not.* Continue reading →

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Word of the Week: Pubescent

Posted on June 14, 2021 by MGNV Webmaster

Generally, the hairy surface (indumentum) of a stem, leaf, calyx, or corolla is described as pubescent. The individual hair (trichome) is an outgrowth of the epidermis. There are a number of different terms to describe hairiness,… Continue reading →

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PERENNIAL: Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower)

Posted on January 1, 2021 by MGNV Webmaster

Tried and True Native Plant Selections for the Mid-Atlantic: Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower)
The few established populations of purple coneflowers in Virginia and Pennsylvania appear to be escapes from cultivation. So many beneficial insects (and goldfinches) flock to it though, one thinks of Echinacea as native. In any case, its attributes make it a “must-have” for a sunny garden. Continue reading →

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Landscape for Wildlife: A New MGNV Facebook Series

Posted on December 30, 2020 by MGNV Webmaster

In 2021, Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia will introduce Landscape for Wildlife, a new series of educational posts on Facebook which will run weekly on Thursday mornings starting Jan. 7. Landscape for Wildlife will focus on the services that native species can provide to endangered pollinators, birds, small mammals, and other wildlife when homeowners include them in residential landscapes. Continue reading →

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