Selaginella, Photo by Brenda Bolton By Brenda Bolton, Mobile County Master Gardener Need a petite-sized, lacy fern that returns reliably each spring? Try the Spike moss perennial Selaginella, v. Braunii, commonly known as Arborvitae Fern. Despite its appearance and common names, it is neither fern nor moss, but rather a subgenus of Lycophytes, hailing from prehistoric times. Needs: Shade, a moist spot, rich soil. Characteristics: A long season—early spring to hard winte

Caladium by Jane Finley By: Nikki Cobb, Urban Regional Extension Agent, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, nzc0088@aces.edu | www.mobilecountymastergardeners.org During the summer heat, the garden may not be calling your name, but as dusk falls and temperatures cool, moon gardens come to life. With luminous whites and reflective accents, they extend the use of your outdoor space into the evening, offering a calm place to unwind, observe nighttime ecology, or stargaze. M

Blue Daze close-up by Melissa Wold By: Melissa Wold, Mobile County Master Gardener | www.mobilecountymastergardeners.org Summer classics: Elvis’ Blue Suede Shoes; Willie’s Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain; Evolvulus glomeratus’ Blue Daze. Blue Daze is perfect for the Gulf Coast. She is heat-loving, sun-soaking groundcover resplendent with non-stop, sky-blue blooms and soft, silvery foliage. She brightens and softens garden bed borders and spills from hanging baskets. A true mus

Photo courtesy of Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org. By Pat Hall Kudzu is a fast-growing, perennial Asian vine with fragrant purple flowers. Kudzu is notorious for aggressive spreading: it can climb trees, swallow abandoned houses, and form giant, sometimes monstrous-looking green shapes — beautiful in their own way, but also literally creepy — “the vine that ate the South.” Kudzu was introduced to the United States at the 1876 Centennial Exposition