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Are Lilac Bushes Toxic?. Your favorite flower may be the common lilac (Syringa vulgaris), a shrub with a huge purple flower that is both fragrant and showy. Lilacs have experienced popularity for generations and have been used for a variety of purposes. Some people believe that lilac is poisonous, but this is not so -- no part of the lilac is toxic. In fact, the flowers of the lilac bush are actually edible, though their flavor varies widely.
Read MoreOrange & Black Garden Beetles. Many different kinds of beetles visit gardens. Some, such as the ladybug or the soldier beetle, are predatory and beneficial to gardeners. However, most orange-and-black garden beetles eat fruits or plants. Asparagus beetles, cucumber beetles, Mexican bean beetles and Colorado potato beetles are unwelcome and destructive guests.
Read MoreShould You Wait Until a Freeze Before Picking Apples?. Nothing says fall like apples. Apple cider, apple pie and bobbing for apples are all very distinctly fall icons. Questions abound about the right time to pick apples, but the truth of the matter is that it is unnecessary and often unwise to wait to pick apples until a hard freeze. Depending on the variety and your location, apples can ripen as early as June -- if you wanted for a freeze to pick these apple varieties, they wouldn't be worth eating.
Read MoreMagnolia Trees & Cold Temperature. Magnolias are the classic iconography of the southern United States with their glossy green leaves and huge white flowers. What some people may not know is that magnolias can be grown in many parts of the United States outside of the South. Southern magnolias suffer from the cold, but many cultivars can tolerate snowy winters.
Read MoreGarden Pests: Black Caterpillars With White & Red Stripes. Many different kinds of caterpillars are black with white and red markings on their bodies. Most black, white and red caterpillars come from the many families of moths and cause little serious destruction. They are not considered garden pests. However, one caterpillar, the azalea caterpillar (Datana major), is a different creature, indeed. It, too, is a moth larvae, but unlike its saintly cousins, causes considerable damage to plants throughout the southeastern United States.
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