The Node
Woodlander's resource center for plant education, how-to's, garden inspiration, and latest news from Woodlanders.
Whispers of the Apothecary Garden
A History in Every Leaf Before the advent of modern medicine (and crucial to the evolution of pharmacology!!), the world relied on nature’s apothecary. Across cultures and centuries, medicinal plants...
The Poetry Behind Plant Defense Mechanisms
Gardens, often described as serene escapes, are also bustling battlegrounds where plants engage in a silent and intricate dance of survival. Beneath their tranquil appearance, plants wield sophisticated defense mechanisms...
The Sentinel of the Swamp: Pond Cypress
In the quiet embrace of southeastern wetlands, Taxodium ascendens, or the pond cypress, rises like a guardian of ancient waters. Its slender, columnar form and feathery green needles evoke a...
American Persimmon: A Healing Gift
As autumn paints Kyoto in hues of gold and crimson, the streets are adorned with hanging persimmons, their glowing orange skins like tiny lanterns suspended in time. These are Japanese...
Getting Started in Bonsai Art: A Beginner's Guide
Bonsai is a fascinating fusion of art and horticulture, a practice rooted in centuries-old traditions that involves cultivating miniature trees in containers to echo the shape and scale of their...
The Ecological Importance of Clinopodium georgianum: Protecting Georgia’s Unique Native Plant
“In the South, we have plants as charming as our porch swings and just as resilient as our summers.” Enter Clinopodium georgianum, or Georgia calamint, an unassuming native herb with...
The Enigmatic Camellia crapnelliana: Uncovering Its Origins and Botanical Legacy
As the cooling autumn air settles over the landscape, it becomes the perfect backdrop for Camellia crapnelliana (sometimes spelled capnelliana), a camellia known for its distinct history and unique place...
The Shrimp Plant: Small Shrimp, Big History
Gardening connects us to nature and history through the plants we cultivate. One such plant with a rich past is Justicia brandegeana, commonly known as the shrimp plant. With its...