Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Winterberry holly is dioecious, so you need at least one male plant near your female plants for berries to form.

The best spot has moist to wet acidic soil, full sun to part shade, and room for a male plant nearby.

It can be both. Witch hazel usually grows as a large multi-stemmed shrub but can mature into a small open tree.

A spot with full sun to light shade and moist, slightly acidic, well-draining soil produces the heaviest flowering.

Most glossy abelia reach 3 to 6 feet (0.9 to 1.8 m) tall and wide. The range across types runs from about 2.5 to 8 feet (0.75 to 2.4 m), and dwarf varieties stay 2 to 3 feet (0.6 to 0.9 m).

Abelia grows in full sun to partial shade. It blooms most heavily and shows the strongest foliage color in full sun, while too much shade reduces flowering.

Andromeda grows best in partial or dappled shade, though it tolerates full sun where summers stay cool and soil stays moist.

Yes. Andromeda grows well in pots, which is ideal where native soil is alkaline since you control the acidic mix.

It depends on the space:

• Emerald Green for narrow, tidy screens reaching 12 to 15 feet
• Green Giant for fast, tall walls reaching 40 to 60 feet
• Dwarf globe types for small accent spaces

Growth rate is variety-dependent.

Yes. The roots, young stems, leaves, and seeds of Angelica archangelica are all edible and carry a licorice-like flavor.

Angelica archangelica has a low poison severity, but its sap can irritate skin and it closely resembles deadly lookalikes.

Yes. The blue flowers and tender young leaves are edible and taste of cucumber. Use leaves sparingly and pick certified PA-free oil.

No. The flowers are edible. The caution applies to the leaves, which carry pyrrolizidine alkaloids in quantity.

It depends on the type. Roman chamomile is a true perennial, while annual German chamomile returns by self-seeding.

Surface-sow the tiny seeds, press them in without burying, keep them lightly moist, and expect sprouts within about a week.

Yes. Chives are a cold-hardy perennial that regrows from the same underground clump each spring.

Chives are in the onion family. The two main types are onion chives and garlic chives.

Cilantro is easy to germinate and grow but bolts quickly in heat, so timing and succession sowing matter most.

Yes. Cut about one-third of the plant at a time, above the lowest leaves, and it regrows until it bolts.

A sedge is a grass-like perennial in the plant family Cyperaceae, most often in the genus Carex, known for its solid triangular stems.

Sedges have solid, triangular stems and 3-ranked leaves with closed sheaths, while grasses have round, hollow stems and 2-ranked leaves.

Japanese cedar is the national tree of Japan, a long-lived evergreen conifer with reddish exfoliating bark, fragrant timber, and deep cultural meaning.

Extension sources describe the growth rate as slow to medium, though faster-growing cultivars are marketed for privacy screening.