(Ramps, Wild Leek)

This is an enormous and diverse plant genus. The onion family contains about 1250 species of herbaceous bulbous or rhizomatous plants that can be found across north temperate climates worldwide. All are perennials and cultivated forms are either grown for their ornamental flowers and foliage or as crops that yield edible greens and bulbs, such as onion, garlic, chive and leek. Species may be deciduous or evergreen and some are ephemeral.

Ornamental onions run the gamut from tiny groundcovers...

(Chinese Chives)

There are lots of reasons to love and hate garlic chives, also called Chinese chives. On the upside, they’re easy to grow, attractive and delicious to eat. The downside is they're impossibly invasive if one doesn't remove their flower heads before they set and drop seed. Each seedhead produces copious amounts of viable, black, wedge-shaped seeds that germinate fast. You’ll be weeding baby garlic chives out of every garden nook and cranny. The plants originate from Southwest China but have become...

(Wild Garlic)

This is an enormous and diverse plant genus. The onion family contains about 1250 species of herbaceous bulbous or rhizomatous plants that can be found across north temperate climates worldwide. All are perennials and cultivated forms are either grown for their ornamental flowers and foliage or as crops that yield edible greens and bulbs, such as onion, garlic, chive and leek. Species may be deciduous or evergreen and some are ephemeral.

Ornamental onions run the gamut from tiny groundcovers...

(Italian Alder)

Glossy heart-like leaves and the persistent brown seed fruits make Italian alder a great shade tree with multi-season interest and grace. An upright deciduous tree that does not get too wide, it hails from southern Italy and Corsica. Its barks becomes light gray-sandy brown with shallow fissures and small plates, often blotched.

In early spring this tree flowers. The male flowers are in drooping, finger-like clusters called catkins and are yellow-green. The female flower are small and red and...

(Alocasia, Elephant Ear, Green Shield Taro)

Grown for its beautiful, bright green, heart-shaped leaves with dark venation, 'Green Shield' is a vigorous elephant ear ideal for large garden spaces. First introduced in the Philippines, its thick leaves are quite leathery and can stand up to heavy rains better than many Alocasia with thinner leaves. This cultivar is likely the species, Alocasia clypeolata.

When weather is favorable, 'Green Shield' will flower sporadically throughout the year. Its Anthurium-like flowers...

(Alocasia, Elephant Ear, Hilo Beauty Taro)

The mottled leaves of this stunning Alocasia are unlike any other. Each huge, heart-shaped leaf is rich green with beautiful, irregular, greenish yellow blotches and gentle wavy edges. During the growing season, 'Hilo Beauty' produces spathe and spadex flowers, but these are not particularly showy and overshadowed by glowing foliage of this tropical gem. The parentage of this cultivar is unknown.

Ornamental taro is best grown in partial sun to partial shade with protection from scorching...

(Elephant Ear, Portodora Elephant Ear)

The eye-catching, upward facing leaves of 'Portodora' are rich green, spade-shaped and have wavy edges. This hybrid seedling resulting from the cross between Alocasia odora and Alocasia portei makes a superb architectural component to the shade border. During the growing season, spathe flowers appear but are generally overshadowed by this hybrid's majestic and imposing foliage. Stems are thick, fleshy and seemingly muscular as they hold the massive wavy-edged leaves.

The Portodora...

(Alocasia, Elephant Ear)

Named for the shape of its striking leaves, this large evergreen perennial makes a conversation piece for garden or greenhouse. Its slowly creeping underground rhizomes produce erect clumps of long-stalked leaves that have two broad, wing-like lobes and a terminal tail-like appendage, the whole resembling a stingray. The shiny, leather, ruffled leaves are rich green with paler undersides. Inconspicuous greenish blossoms with a central finger-like spadix and a clasping petal-like bract (spathe) may...

(Giant Elephant Ear)

Unusual upright leaves mark this tender evergreen perennial from Indonesia and New Guinea. Its slowly creeping underground rhizomes send forth short fleshy trunk-like stems. Each "trunk" bears several narrow, lance-shaped, long-stalked leaves with distinctively scalloped margins. The stiff, waxy, dark green leaves have burgundy-purple undersides and purple-mottled stems. Inconspicuous greenish blossoms with a central finger-like spadix and a clasping petal-like bract (spathe) are sometimes borne...

(Giant Elephant Ear)

This large herbaceous plant with huge upright leaves says "tropical" in any landscape. The giant taro is native to a vast area of Asia: Sri Lanka and India through Southeast Asia into the islands of Indonesia. It can reach impressive size in both well-draining clay and loams, but also in sand if rich in organic matter. Unlike other taros, this species will form a thickened trunk that can reach 3-6 ft/1-1.5m. Leaves are the crowning jewel of the plant with immense size and being held on long stems....