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Pat Malcolm Profile and Articles
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1). Garden Tips On Buying The Best, Cold Hardy Flower Bulbs For Outdoor Planting
Buying flower bulbs to plant and grow is an exciting experience that begins in the fall and continues through the spring. Dutch flowering bulbs are usually delivered to American ports by the month of September for fall planting. Major Dutch bulbs offerings include Dutch Amaryllis and African Amaryllis; daffodil bulbs and the famous, Tulip bulbs.
Amaryllis flower bulbs grow the showiest blooms and are pre-cooled to force fast flowering in 3 weeks after containerizing.
2). History Of The Pecan
Pecan trees, ‘Carya illinoinensis,’ grow in natural groves in bottom lands near rivers or lakes with nearby periodic overflowing water. Archeological remains and fossil evidence reveals that pecans were collected and stored by Indians, the original settlers and inhabitants of America, and the group now known as the “mound builders.” American Indians followed this same example and were actively gathering pecan nuts when the European colonists arrived.
3). History Of Apple Trees
Apple trees were the most popularly grown fruit tree in colonial America and practically every settlement farm and backyard gardener planted this easily grown fruit tree, or easier, the seed of the apple could be planted to establish a permanent food supply. Growing these apple tree products could be eaten fresh or could be dried and preserved in many different ways to eat at a later time.
4). History Of Plum Trees And Their Hybrids
The documentation of ancient plums growing in antiquity is sparse. The best evidence of that oldest existence is best documented through America’s most famous pomologist, Luther Burbank, who reported in his twelve volume botanical literary classic, Small Fruits, Volume IV page 136, that the European plum, Prunus domestica, and its ancestor fruit originated in the Caucasus Mountains near the Caspian Sea.
5). History Of The Loquat
Loquats, ‘Eriobotrya japonica,’ are documented to have been grown in Japan around 1100 AD. Some botanists have suggested that the first plantings of the loquat trees may have come from China originally and later were introduced into Japan. The loquat tree was widely distributed in Europe after 1712, but early records show that it came to the United States in the mid-1800’s.
6). History Of The Pear
There is convincing archeological evidence from the excavation of the ancient lake dwellers in Switzerland that the European pear, Pyrus communis L., was known by that civilization. It is believed that the pear was known by prehistoric man, but there is no agreement on whether the apple came first or the pear. The ancient pear tree of Europe was fundamentally different from the Asian pear tree, Prunus pyrifolia.
7). History Of Blackberry Plants
Blackberries were perceived by the ancient cultures as being a wild plant, and historical accounts for a backyard culture of blackberry bushes are few. The Greeks used the blackberry as a remedy for Gout, and the Romans made a tea from the leaves of the blackberry plant to treat various illnesses.
John Bartram, the early American explorer, botanist, and writer founded the first United States Botanical Garden, in 1728.
8). Palm Trees For Office Indoor Planting Or Outside In The Deep South
Several types of palm trees can be grown outside or inside, if planted in a container. Palm trees grown in containers are suitable for low light office situations or indoors at homes in Northern States. Gardeners can buy small, reasonably priced palm trees at a nursery to be planted, to grow as bonsai specimens. Gardeners can purchase mature indoor palms from certain Internet nurseries that will be delivered fast by semi-trucks
Pygmy Date Palm, Phoenix roebellenii, originated in Asia and can grow to 10 feet tall, but it is not a fast grower.
9). Rare And Exotic Garden Perennials For Landscape Planting
The term, 'perennial plant', means simply that the plant returns following severe freezes, to grow again the next year. Trees are cold hardy tested perennials by nature, some trees that are evergreens and do not go dormant, but merely slow down during various seasons, and other shade trees enter dormancy and shed the leaves. Tree growth of shade trees may stop altogether in extremely cold climates, but in the spring, will surge with buds that open to flower and leaf out.
10). America’s Ancient, Historical Hickory Trees
In 1792, William Bartram reported in his book, Travels, the discovery of a native shagbark hickory nut that he called ‘Juglans exaltata.’ Today, shagbark hickory is called ‘Carya ovata.’ Bartram reported that this shagbark hickory grove was cultivated in groves by the Indians west of Augusta, Ga.
Bartram documented that he saw 100 bushels of shagbark hickory nuts that were stored at just a single Indian family home.
11). Historical Mechanisms Promoting Chestnut Survival Through Hybridization
Historically, chestnuts have throughout the ages provided food and wood products in both European and Oriental cultures. Chestnuts have saved some civilizations from vanishing during famines, wars, and natural disasters. Native American chestnuts offered many promises and comforts to the early colonists, but during a blight that was introduced by importing nursery stock from Asia, the chestnut trees of American were almost eliminated.
12). History Of The Jujube Tree
Chinese poets spoke about the wonderful jujube in 600 BC. The fruit of the jujube has been used in ancient Chinese medicine for many nutritional remedies for 2500 years. Jujubes were used by Gerard in Europe as a medicinal herb in the 1600’s to treat ailments of the kidneys, lungs, and liver.
The Chinese jujube was brought to America by Oriental immigrants who built railroads in Arizona in the early 1900’s.
13). History Of The Mayhaw
Very little information can be found in the historical docket on the native American fruit, the mayhaw, ‘Crataegus aestivalis.’ This is true because of several factors, one being the size of the mayhaw and the bland taste of the fruit found growing in the wild state. These factors did not excite early American botanists and explorers such as William Bartram, because they did not fulfill their expectation as a classic fruit, since the native Indians ignored them.
14). History Of The Strawberry And The Strawberry Tree
It is difficult to trace the ancient history of the strawberry plant or strawberry tree, because there are so many different, complex, undefined species, and they have evolved in so many different places and countries.
Pliny described the strawberry tree, Arbutus in his early writings of the Roman culture in the first century, AD.
Strawberry trees, Cudrania tricuspidata, have been known since antiquity and have been so named because the berries growing on the trees resemble the familiar fruiting strawberry that grows on the ground.
15). The Ancient History Of Berry Improvement
Many of the berries grown today commercially were recently hybridized from wild berry plants and bushes that grew as native plants on many continents since ancient historical times, such as the strawberry plants, blueberry plants, raspberry plants, and leading to the development of hybrid berries grown today such as the Boysenberry plant, Loganberry plant and Youngberry plants that are crosses between, blackberry, rubus spp.
16). History Of Raspberry Plants
According to Luther Burbank, who studied and hybridized raspberries and blackberries more than any other horticulturalist, and wrote his classical 8 volume treatise on Small Fruits and Fruit Improvement in 1921; the red raspberry plant was cultivated in Europe for centuries, growing wild from Greece to Spain and to the North from Norway to Sweden.
Red Raspberry, Rubus idaeus, is a native berry bush to Turkey and was gathered by the people inhabiting Troy, (Troas, Turkey) from vines growing at the foothills there in the first century B.
17). Rare Flowering Trees That Light Up Your Garden Landscape
Flowering apricot trees offer spectacular flowering blooms earlier than any other flowering tree, sometimes blooming as early as January. This early flowering can result in cold weather damage in some areas of the United States. New outstanding cultivars of flowering apricot trees can be purchased from mail order nursery retailers. Prunus mume flowers, in early spring with flower colors of red, pink, and white, all blooming on the same twigs of the tree.
18). History Of Seedless Grapes And Raisins Used In Wine Making
In centuries past, ancient man noticed that grapes hanging on vines lasted for months, and even though seedy, the fruit was sweet to the taste. These grapes dried out in the sun and were called raisins. The raisins could be stored for months to be eaten at a later time, centuries before advanced civilizations learned how to preserve foods artificially by canning and freezing.
19). Flowering Azaleas, Camellia, Crepe Myrtle (crape Myrtle), And Other Important Landscape Shrubs
Landscape shrubs are divided into two main categories: Evergreen shrubs grown primarily for the green leaves, and shrubs that are grown for flowers. Some of the flowering shrubs that are grown for flowers are also evergreen, such as: Albelia, Azalea, Banana shrub, Bottlebrush, Bridal Wreath, Gardenia, Ligustrum, Oleander, and Tea Olive. Azaleas and Camellias are the most important of the flowering shrubs.
20). Evergreen Shrubs And Hedges Are Important, Cold Hardy Landscape Specimen Plants
Next to the landscape importance of trees is that of shrubs that grow in our gardens, parks, landscape foundation, street borders, and commercial landscapes. Thousands of different varieties of shrubs are grown to ornament lawns, yards, and borders, but only a few varieties are available to buy at your local nursery for planting, and growing. Many shrubs are selected and grown on a basis of intelligent buying of flowering hedges, evergreen cold hardiness, non-flowering hedges, berry shrubs, and deciduous shrubs.
21). The Amazing American Muscadine Is Delicious, With Dramatic Health Benefits.
Historically, muscadine grape vines and the resulting fruit were discovered and recognized as a very important horticultural product, found growing in huge populations and proportions in the United States from Delaware southward along the Atlantic Seaboard. The first record of muscadine grape vine occurrence was posted in the ship logbook in the year 1524 by the navigator Giovanni de Varrazzano, who was hired as a captain from Florence, Italy by the king of France to explore and report on the inhabitants and the habitat of the New World.
22). History Of Mulberry Trees, ‘Morus Alba,’ ‘Morus Rubrum,’ And ‘Morus Nigra’
Mulberry trees were well known in the ancient civilizations of the world. They were famous fruit trees, because of the delicious berry fruits that were abundantly produced by fast growing trees—loaded with huge green leaves that were eaten by livestock, along with the berries, and the leaves were used in the Orient to fatten silkworms for the silk trade.
23). History Of Quince
Quince is a fruit that was highly prized by ancient civilizations, and it probably originated near the antique city of Smyrna, Turkey. The fruit was widely disseminated in artistic drawings, as wall paintings and mosaics at the lost city of Pompeii, Italy, and even though the ancient Greeks had developed and grafted quince with an exceptional quality, it is only in recent years that agricultural scientists have hybridized a fruit with a softer texture and a juicier flesh.
24). History Of The Pawpaw Tree
Pawpaw trees were discovered in 1541 by the Spanish explorer, Hernando Desoto, on an excursion into the Mississippi Valley, and he sent samples of this plant back to Europe.
William Bartram in 1776 stated in his botanical book, Travels, that he found pawpaw trees growing on the Alatamaha River in Georgia and in east Florida, which he described as, ‘Annona incarna,’ the name later was updated by modern taxonomists.
25). Ancient Biblical Grape Juice And Wine Drinkers, Raisin Eaters And Teetotalers (part 2) Scriptures (mostly Old Testament) Forbidding Wine Drinking
There were anointed men of the Bible who took an oath; that they would not drink wine or eat or drink any of the products of a grapevine, including fresh grapes, raisins (dried grapes), grape seed, grape skins, or grape juice. This cult of Jews was called Nazirites, that included Aaron, the brother of Moses, his priest descendants; Samson, the Judge; and John the Baptist.
26). Ancient Biblical Grape Juice And Wine Drinkers, Raisin Eaters And Teetotalers (part 1) Scriptures (mostly New Testament) Permitting Wine Drinking
The purpose of writing this article is an attempt to clarify opinions, about whether it is a sin or social offense to drink wine or strong drinks as explained in the Scriptures of the Hebrew Bible. Personal opinions are multitudinous on the subject and will not be exercised in the discussion subject except to let the reader judge for himself and form an opinion based on an honest selection of statements from the Bible.
27). Cold Hardy Palm Trees For Northern Garden Planting
Palm trees were once thought to be suitable for planting only in tropical landscapes, however, several cold hardy palm trees occur naturally, growing in America, where snows fall during winter. The windmill palm tree, Trachycarpus fortunei; the Dwarf Palmetto palm tree, Sabal minor; the Saw palmetto, Serenoa repens; and the Sabal Palm, sabal palmetto;.
28). The History Of Important Flowering Trees
Most flowering trees are small and can be planted in full sun or partial shade, being easily adapted to small yards. The Japanese Saucer Magnolia, Magnolia x Soulangiana, awakens in late winter or early spring. First growing flower buds that increase in size as the weather warms up, burst into dramatic flower colors of purple, pink, white, red, and yellow; the yellow flowering magnolia is the rarest.
29). Fast Growing Cold Hardy Bamboo In America
Running Bamboo is the most widely grown, fast growing type of bamboo plant in the world, and is comprised of over 700 species. The most widely used and possibly the 'King' of the running bamboo in the Phyllostachys genus, which is comprised of approximately 80 species. The most fast growing, popular bamboo species are Phyllostachys aurea (Golden Bamboo.
30). Clumping Cold Hardy Bamboo Plants In America
Clumping bamboo is composed of over 500 species, and is less adaptable than the running bamboo species. The vast majority of clumping bamboo species grow in the tropical, and sub-tropical regions around the world, however, several species will grow in the southern United States, zones 7 – 10. Clumping bamboo, as the name suggests, grows into large grass-like clumps with the stalks growing tightly together, and expanding 360 degrees outwards, to reach a diameter of 10 – 15 feet.
31). The Ancient Crinum Lily Inhabiting The Island Of St. Simon, And Sea Island, Ga.
William Bartram, a notable, early American botanist, extensively explored the Island of St. Simons in Georgia; describing vividly the landscape, animals and plants in the area, along with his personal encounters with islanders, and in most cases, their generous offers of food, shelter and conversation and hospitality to him in March of the year 1774.
32). The History Of Almond Tree, ‘Prunus Dulcis’
The ancient travelers and traders, who circulated back and forth over the Silk Road route between Greece and Turkey, used almonds in their commercial trading, in exchange for other expensive and desirable goods. Native almond trees, ‘Prunius dulcis,’ are found growing in Western Asia, and biblical references suggest that almond nuts have been grown in Israel since 2000 B.
33). Chinquapin History
There are two types of chinquapin trees, also called ‘chikapin trees,’ that are available commercially in the United States, the Allegheny chinquapin and the Georgiana chinquapin. The Allegheny chinquapin, ‘Castanea pumila’, is considered a shrub by some; however, some researchers claim that its dwarf size does not justify its reclassification. Many old-timers remember sweet memories from their youth when baskets were filled with the spicy, sweet, nutty flavored chinquapins.
34). History Of The Filbert (Hazelnut)
The modern name for filberts has evolved from European folklore. The original name was connected with Saint Philbert’s Day (Saint Filbert), the day that harvesting the nuts began, August 22nd, the day of observing the Saint’s day of celebration. The famous Roman historian, Pliny, recorded that ‘hazels’ (filberts) were frequently gathered by the Romans as food.
35). History Of Citrus
The pleasing appearance of citrus trees and the fruit was mentioned by many ancient travelers, even though the fruit of citrus trees had not evolved to the point as an important food staple, the fragrance of all parts of the citrus trees, including the flowers and fruit, were desirable perfumers of rooms and were thought to repel insects.
The occurrence of citrus in Europe and Mideast were thought to have been natural occurring native trees and shrubs, but historians today believe that the ancestor of the citrus trees, Citrus medica L.
36). History Of The Cherry Tree
There are only a few instances in the ancient historical record concerning cherry trees. This absence in the record perhaps resulted in the fragile nature and perishability of the fruit, unlike the fruit from the apple tree. There are strong suggestions that the cherry tree originated in the territories of Asia Minor near the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea.
37). Tissue Culture Applications To Improve Crops Of Strawberries, Raspberries, And Blackberries
When agricultural crops are reproduced by division after several generations, often a decline occurs in qualities such as vigor, yield, disease resistance, plant and fruit appearance and uniformity of size or shape. This condition of decline is commonly called, “run out.”
Strawberry plants have demonstrated this clonal decline (running out) for many years.
38). Canna Lily Sales Face A Chaotic Future
Many agricultural plants that are reproduced by vegetative division face a mysterious problem that results in a decline in the clone vigor, and most farmers and nurserymen claim that the plant crop has “run out.” A number of factors adversely affect the plant clone to the point that it becomes unproductive and uneconomical to continue growing.
A technique has been discovered that has revitalized the agricultural crops such as strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, sweet potato, banana, and a newcomer: the canna lily.
39). History Of Blueberry Plants
Very few historical records exist on ancient blueberry culture in the Greek and Roman empires. Those cultures did use parts of the blueberry plants and fruit to eat or to treat ailments. The size and flavor of native blueberry plants was extremely variable, and the USDA, modern, extensive research and development of choice selections was judged on a.
40). History Of The Discovery Of The Native American Palm Trees
William Bartram, the famous botanist and explorer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was commissioned by the English aristocrats to collect, identify and record the plant and animal life growing in the English colonies. The English colonies were acquired from Spain, after the Spanish settlements were conquered and abandoned to the English. John Bartram,.
41). Web Review Of Victorian Canna Hybrids
Great progress began in 1870 in the hybridizing of the canna lily by a combination of genetic materials from the wild canna species that had been collected from around the world, leading to the production of the 'Madame Crozy' cultivar. A great interest developed in canna lilies as a colorful garden plant that previously had been grown chiefly for the fast growing, tropical foliage, since the wild canna blooms were mostly small and uninteresting.
42). History Of Walnuts
The first historical accounts of walnut trees growing under civilized cultivation was in ancient Babylon (Iraq) about 2000 B.C.; however, walnuts have evidently been attached to mankind much earlier by excavations from cave fossils as suggested by archeologists. There is a reference point in the Biblical record in the Old Testament, that King Solomon.
43). Ancient Figs Through History
The fig tree, ‘Ficus carica,’ possibly originated in Northern Asia according to archeological fossil records. Spanish missionaries brought it to the United States in 1520. Historical Sumerian tablets record the use and consumption of figs in 2500 BC.
In Greek mythology, the fig figures prominently as a gift of Demeter to Dionysus and as having received the blessing and sanctity of the Greek Gods.
44). History Of Pomegranates, ‘Punica Granatum’
Because of the many seeds found in pomegranate fruits, they were regarded as a symbol of fertility by the ancient cultures of Egypt, Greece, and Rome. The Greek writer, Homer, wrote about pomegranates growing at Syracuse, on the island of Sicily. The Bible of the Hebrews records many references to the pomegranate, and the image of the fruit was used extensively in molding and stone sculptures found in Solomon’s temple at Jerusalem, Israel.
45). History Of Wildlife Food: Nuts, Berries, Fruits, And Acorns
For over 100 years hunting plantations have been planting fruit trees for wildlife food and shelter. Like the old English hunting plantations, today’s hunters are realizing that big deer, strong bucks and graceful does, hardy turkey, fat quail, and dove come from supplementing what would otherwise experience a very mediocre diet by planting and growing berry plants, nut trees, fruit trees and acorns from oak trees, or muscadines from grapevines.
46). History Of Olive Trees
Olive trees, ‘Olea europaea,’ are the oldest fruit trees and certainly are one of the most important fruit trees in history. Olive tree culture has been closely connected to the rise and fall of Mediterranean empires and other advanced civilizations throughout the ages. Because olive trees offered wealth and future food supplies to established civilizations, the agricultural nations became stable societies, resulting from a secure expectation from past experience of an uninterrupted food and olive oil supply.
47). History Of Pine Trees
Since the year eight hundred ten the city of Venice, Italy has been standing strong and mighty with its ever present clock tower, and St. Marks square. What few people know however is that 'The city of Venice rests on the hearts of Larch.' In the ninth century the name 'Pine' had yet to be coined, so today if you translate that saying, you get, 'The city of Venice rests on the hearts of Pine.
48). Moderate Cold Hardy Traits In Date Palms And Fan Palms
The Canary Island Date palm, Phoenix canariensis, is one of the most sought after and spectacular palm trees seen in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Lower Texas, and coastal South Carolina. This large, formal palm tree, looks great when grown next to Mediterranean architectural structures at resorts and hotels, such as the Cloister.
49). Ogeechee Limes – Pleasantly Tasting Like Citrus
The shoreline of the Ogeechee River is densely imbedded with a little known fruit tree called the, "Ogeechee Lime" Nyssa ogeechee, that could easily demand attention from farmers, who are looking for a secondary crop. Local landowners, and those who fish on the banks of the river, are familiar with this tree that can grow 30-40 ft. tall, and in the Fall, the leaves and the oval shaped fruit turn a brilliant scarlet in color.
50). Historical Controversies Of Nectarine Nomenclature, Prunus Persica Nectarina
The question of when history on nectarines began cannot be answered properly and with any certainty. Efforts to do this by some websites that suggest that nectarine Prunus persica nectarina history should begin in China in 2000 BC to correspond with the history of the peach is absurd for several reasons, unless it is assumed that a nectarine is a cultivar (variety) of a peach.
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