(Texas Cactus Apple)

Few cacti show greater variability than Opuntia engelmannii, of which at least four forms are botanically recognized. A large, upright, spreading plant with round, flattened, spiny pads, variety lindheimeri is native from the south-central and southwestern United States into northern Mexico. It is naturalized in South Africa, where it is considered an noxious weed. The pads (which resemble large succulent leaves but in fact are swollen stem segments) are sometimes broader than long,and...

(Cactus Apple)

Few cacti show greater variability than Opuntia engelmannii, of which at least four forms are botanically recognized. A large, upright, spreading plant dubbed cow’s tongue for its narrowly oval pads, variety linguiformis is thought to be native to central Texas, although it is widely planted and naturalized in the south-central and southwestern United States. The pads (which resemble large succulent leaves but in fact are swollen stem segments) sometimes measure more than a meter...

(Barbary Fig, Pricklypear, Tuna Cactus)

The source of the supermarket prickly pear, this cactus bears strikingly beautiful bowl-shaped flowers and vivid red-purple fruit atop tall stems with round paddle-like segments. Plants grow to the size of a small tree or large shrub, usually with a woody "trunk." A long-cultivated plant that probably derives from one or more Mexican Opuntia species, Indian fig has naturalized in many other parts of the world including California, where it was introduced to missions as a living fence and...

(Hybrid Round-leaved Oregano)

This truly magnificent perennial cousin of culinary oregano, ‘Kent Beauty,’ is an exceptional container plant when grown all by itself. It is the result of crossing Oregano rotundifolium of Turkey and Armenia with the little known Oregano scabrum. This bushy, trailing perennial produces wiry stems bearing small, oval, blue-green leaves that are quite attractive in their own right. Though not particularly aromatic, they retain some oregano fragrance.

Prized for its bloom, ‘Kent...

(Common Oregano)

The beauty of this herb is that it is as effortless to grow as it is flavorful and culinarily useful. Common oregano is one of the many beloved European herbs in the mint family. Its flavor is especially prominent in southern Italian, Spanish and Greek cooking. The tough herbaceous perennial is quite hardy and spreads vigorously via rhizomes. In fact, it can become quite weedy if not regularly maintained.

The upright stems of this clump-forming herb are lined with highly fragrant, small, oval...

The beauty of this herb is that it is as effortless to grow as it is flavorful and culinarily useful. Common oregano is one of the many beloved European herbs in the mint family. Its flavor is especially prominent in southern Italian, Spanish and Greek cooking. The tough herbaceous perennial is quite hardy and spreads vigorously via rhizomes. In fact, it can become quite weedy if not regularly maintained.

The upright stems of this clump-forming herb are lined with highly fragrant, small, oval...

(Common Oregano, Variegated Common Oregano)

The variegated leaves of this ornamental oregano are both pretty and flavorful. Each small leaf has an irregular ivory edge and deep green center. To its credit, 'Country Cream’ is less vigorous than standard oregano. It has a low, bushy, spreading habit, and its leaves stay pretty all season long. Plants have been known to revert to green.

Common oregano is one of the many beloved European herbs in the mint family. Its flavor is especially prominent in southern Italian, Spanish and Greek cooking....

(Dwarf Oregano)

This compact, spreading oregano is densely branched and ideal for rock gardens and walls as well as herb gardens. Common oregano is one of the many beloved European herbs in the mint family. Its flavor is especially prominent in southern Italian, Spanish and Greek cooking. The tough herbaceous perennial is quite hardy and spreads vigorously via rhizomes. In fact, it can become quite weedy if not regularly maintained.

The upright stems of this clump-forming herb are lined with highly fragrant,...

(Common Oregano, Thumble's Oregano)

The compact, golden-leaved oregano has an upright, clump-forming habit and offers clusters of small white flowers in summer. Its flavorful leaves are great for cooking, and to its credit, 'Thumble's Variety' is less vigorous than standard oregano. It s golden green leaves stay pretty all season long but may turn to green as the season wains.

Common oregano is one of the many beloved European herbs in the mint family. Its flavor is especially prominent in southern Italian, Spanish and Greek cooking....

(Rice)

Arguably the world's most important crop, cultivated rice has been a staple of Asian diets for more than 7,000 years. This annual grass was probably first domesticated in Southeast Asia and southern China from wild populations of the perennial Oryza rufipogon. Rice is now cultivated and consumed globally, but the bulk of the world's crop still originates in Asia. The lower Mississippi Valley and north-central California are centers of rice production in the United States.

This rhizomatous...