7 Plants That Provide Erosion Control

Plants that offer erosion control are incredibly useful in gardens where erosion is a problem. Ground cover plants and shrubs with strong root systems and broad leaves are particularly helpful, as they hold back soil and soften the impact of rain. Is erosion a problem in your garden? Here are the seven best erosion-controlling plants.

Common periwinkle

Common periwinkle (Vinca minor) is a trailing evergreen subshrub that forms large, dense colonies. Because of this quality, Common periwinkle is commonly used in landscaping as a groundcover. It is a mildly toxic plant, but due to its pungent taste, it rarely gets ingested in amounts significant enough to cause toxic effects.

Creeping phlox

Creeping phlox (Phlox subulata) is a flowering plant native to the United States. The Latin name Phlox subulata means needle-shaped, which describes its leaves. Creeping phlox is sometimes confused with marijuana due to its similar smell.

Weeping forsythia

Weeping forsythia (Forsythia suspensa) is commonly known as the golden bell because of its bright yellow leaves. It is native to Asia and has been cultivated by Chinese growers for centuries. Weeping forsythia was named after Scottish botanist William Forsythia.

Creeping thyme

Creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum) is a flowering plant species related to mint that smells like herbal lemon. It is native to Europe and North Africa and popular in ornamental gardens for borders and ground cover.

Creeping juniper

Creeping juniper (Juniperus horizontalis) is a juniper shrub native to North America, particularly Canada. Creeping juniper is mainly grown as an ornamental plant for ground cover in gardens. There are over 100 cultivars of Creeping juniper.

Spotted dead nettle

Spotted Dead Nettle is most often known as a ground cover plant that does well in the shade. It has a habit of growing low to the ground in cold seasons and tall if conditions are warm. Although its name sounds sinister, the Spotted Dead Nettle does not sting or burn like other nettles – hence the term ‘dead’ nettle. One cultivar of the species produces yellow leaves rather than the characteristic green-and-silver ones.

Creeping lilyturf

Creeping lilyturf (Liriope spicata) is an herbaceous flowering plant native to East Asia. It is commonly used in landscaping for ground cover. Blackish berries develop on this plant in the fall season.

12 Evergreen Flowering Plants to Add to Your Garden

For a gardener, evergreen flowering plants really are the best of both worlds. They provide a constant backdrop of lush green to your outside space and they also give you a pop of color! The 12 evergreen flowering plants in this list are a helpful addition to any garden, so be sure to consider them in your future gardening plans.

Japanese camellia

The Japanese camellia is a small tree or shrub with glossy green leaves and showy white, pink or red flowers. Native to Japan, it has since spread around the world and is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant, even becoming the official state flower of the U.S. state of Alabama. In China, it is considered a symbol of good luck and is a staple of many New Year’s celebrations.

Japanese pieris

Japanese pieris (Pieris japonica) is an evergreen shrub that produces chains of small flowers. But be careful, it can cause seizures and temporary blindness if consumed by animals or people. Even so, is sometimes grown in the foundation portion of gardens along with other shrubs.

Cape jasmine

Gardenia jasminoides is an evergreen shrub with unique, glossy evergreen leaves and stunning flowers. The sophisticated, matte white flowers are often used in bouquets. The exceptional beauty of this ornamental plant has made it a popular and highly appreciated plant amongst gardeners and horticulturalists.

Common periwinkle

Evergreen azalea

Rhododendron indicum is a small semi-evergreen flowering shrub native to East Asia, colloquially known as Evergreen azalea. It produces a great number of lovely pink flowers during the blooming time, which is why Evergreen azalea is often used for ornamental purposes. There are many cultivars of this gorgeous plant and some are used for bonsai.

Lenten rose

The Lenten rose has been cultivated since the Germans began to do so in the mid-1800s, with varieties being created in the United Kingdom shortly after. Between the 1920s and 1960s, there was little interest in its cultivation until Helen Ballard bred new varieties. They blooming early in the year hence they get their name of “Lenten rose”.

Creeping phlox

Mountain laurel

The Mountain laurel is most known for its reproductive methods, in which it creates tension on its stamens and flings its pollen onto insects. It is possible for the Mountain laurel to release pollen in a range of up to 15cm.

Fringe flower

This evergreen shrub is used in outdoor landscaping. It flowers in early spring. Some varieties of Fringe flower grow green leaves and white flowers. A more popular maroon-leafed variety hit the US market in the 1980s, which flowers in eye-catching pinks or reds.

Evergreen candytuft

Evergreen candytuft (Iberis sempervirens) is a flowering plant native to southern Europe. The Latin name Iberis sempervirens refers to the plants appearance and means “always green.” Evergreen candytuft is popular in gardens due to the aesthetic value of its blossoms.

Winter heath

Both the foliage and the flowers of Winter heath (Erica carnea) add welcome color to a winter garden. It is suited to borders, containers, rock gardens, and banks and will bloom profusely throughout the winter. Extremely hardy, it will even bloom beneath the snow and become visible only when the snow melts.

Daphnes 'Carol Mackie'

Daphnes ‘Carol Mackie’, a daphne cultivar, is a small, rounded shrub boasting pink, fragrant flowers, which are best kept in a smaller garden. The plant’s hybrid name “burkwoodii” is in honor of the brothers Albert and Arthur Burkwood who were English plant hybridizers.

Bleeding Heart: Beauty, Deep Emotion

Among the many ephemeral springtime flowers, none is more elegant or unique than Lamprocapnos spectabilis, commonly known as “bleeding heart.” This beloved perennial features fern-like leaves and gracefully arching stems strung with dangling pink heart-shaped flowers from which a single drop of white protrudes.

Bleeding heart was first discovered in Asia by a member of the Royal Horticultural Society and brought to England in 1946. However, there is also a wild bleeding heart species native to North America, fringed bleeding heart.

Old-fashioned pink bleeding hearts have been in cultivation the longest, and after attempts to hybridize the Asian and North American species failed, it became clear that the two species were not closely related. A new name was in order, which is why sometimes you see bleeding hearts referred to as Dicentra spectabilis and other times as Lamprocapnos spectabilis. L. spectabilis is the old-fashioned bleeding heart, though in older texts you will find them referred to as D. spectabilis — now used only for fringed bleeding hearts.

Bleeding Hearts in Story & Symbolism

Bleeding hearts carry different meanings, depending on whom you ask. Often associated with beauty and deep emotion, it sometimes symbolizes lost love or sorrow. This may have something to do with a story that gardeners like to tell their children, deconstructing a bleeding heart blossom to illustrate:

Once there was a man who fell in love with a wealthy lady (hold the bloom upside down, and part the red lobes to show the lady surrounded by her pink skirts) and longed to win her love. First, he gave her a pair of exotic rabbits to keep her company (peel off the outer two petals, placing them on their sides, with the “ears” facing up). She happily accepted the gift, but told him that she did not love him.

Still, he persisted, presenting her with the most beautiful earrings he could afford (take the pair of long, white inner petals and hold them against your ear lobes). The lady accepted the earrings but still declared that her feelings were unchanged. Desperate to change her mind, he offered her luxurious silk slippers (take the inner “drops” and lay them in the palm of your hand). She happily placed them on her feet, but announced that she would never love him.

Heartbroken, the man realized his love was in vain. He pulled a dagger from his belt and plunged it into his own heart (remove the dark green stamen from the center of the flower and using the earrings to form a heart shape, “pierce” the heart with the green spear).

As the man fell to the ground, the lady realized, too late, that she loved him. “My heart is broken!” she cried out, “and will bleed forevermore.” Where his blood fell, the first bleeding heart grew, and her heart still bleeds, to this day.

Popular L. Spectabilis Varieties

The native bleeding heart species are pink, but several wonderful cultivars in different colors exist:

L. spectabilis x “Alba” — This cultivar features creamy white blooms that offer bold contrast to its dark foliage.
L. spectabilis x “Gold Heart” — This variety offers the same pink blooms as the common bleeding heart but differs in the golden-yellow foliage instead of the typical deep green.
L. spectabilis x “Pearl Drops” — The heart-shaped blooms are white tinged with a delicate pink, and they hang in clusters from the tips of bloom stems.
L. spectabilis x “Valentine” — Deep scarlet flowers with white interior stamens and petals provide dramatic contrast against silvery gray-green foliage.

Can I Grow Bleeding Hearts Successfully?

The delicate-looking Lamprocapnos spectabilis is actually a hardy woodland species, and given the right conditions is easy to grow and maintain. Bleeding hearts can be successfully cultivated from seed sown outdoors in the fall, but most gardeners prefer to start them indoors or in cold frames for six to eight weeks before transplanting outdoors. A foolproof method for growing is to buy plants in pots and transfer them into moist soil in a partly shaded spot in fall or spring. Every few years, divide the clumps and plant in other areas of your garden.

Bleeding hearts make fantastic border plants, but one word of caution is that they go dormant in summer, and may die back to the point that they are difficult to locate. They are best paired with other perennials that will fill in the space they leave during dormancy, and you may want to mark their locations so that you can find them when it’s time to divide clumps.

Size: 2-3 ft (60-90 cm) tall 1-3 ft (30-90 cm) spread

Hardiness: USDA Hardiness Zones 3-9

Light Duration: Full sun, part shade

Soil: Moist, well-drained but consistently damp soil rich with organic matter

Blooming Time: Late spring to early summer

Forget-Me-Not: True Love, Constancy

From late spring to early summer, clouds of knee-high, misty-blue forget-me-not blooms are a feature of traditional cottage gardens. The charming flowers are tiny but profuse, with evergreen leaves and pale white or yellow eyes. While old-fashioned, the classic beauty of the forget-me-not has ensured that it never goes out of style.

Although not a standalone cut flower, myosotis sylvatica forms a hazy-blue carpet that offers a backdrop to bold-colored spring bulbs like tulips or daffodils. Some varieties come in white or even pink, but the hardy M. sylvatica is the ideal garden species for low-maintenance, perennial masses of blue blooms.

Woodland forget-me-nots are part of the family Boraginaceae, native to Europe. Myosotis is Greek for “mouse ear” and is a reference to the plant’s soft, hairy leaves. The buds emerge pink before opening to five blue petals surrounding a star-like burst of white and yellow.

Forget-me-nots in Ancient Lore

The origin story of the common name of the forget-me-not comes from a German legend. A clump of blue flowers floating on the surface of the Danube River caught the eye of a knight as he strolled by with his lady. So enraptured by their beauty that he forgot the weight of his armor, he reached into the water to gather them and fell into the water. As he was carried away by the current, he called out to his love, “Forget me not!”

The Symbolism and History of Forget-me-nots

Forget-me-nots carry an ancient association with true love and constancy, which will come as no surprise to the gardener who sees them return every spring on their own. On the 29th of February — each leap year — it is traditional to give these plants to friends or to people embarking on a journey. The enduring association carried by myosotis blooms is that of fidelity, remembrance, and respect.

Forget-me-nots have deep roots in their native Europe, beginning in 1398, when Henry IV chose the forget-me-not as his emblem while in exile. He retained them as his royal emblem after his return, cementing their associations with loyalty. In early 1900s Germany, Freemasons shared the flowers with each other as a reminder to remember the poor they served. After the rise of the Nazis, Freemasons substituted the flower for the traditional square and compass imagery in order to identify one another secretly, without being detected by the Nazis. The symbol is still used by German Freemasons today.

In Newfoundland, Canada, the hardy, resilient little bloom came to represent the endurance, strength, and toughness of the Newfoundland troops. Forget-me-nots are still worn by some old-timers on Memorial Day in memory of the Newfoundlanders who died in WWI, especially those lost in 1916 during the Battle of the Somme.

Popular Myosotis sylvatica Cultivars

Though most commonly known for their pale color blue, Myosotis sylvatica varieties come in several shades of pink, white, and varying depths of blue. The most popular are the following:

Myosotis sylvatica x “Blue Basket” — This tall, erect variety can reach up to 12 inches (30cm) tall, with deep blue flowers
Myosotis sylvatica x “Rose” — This heirloom variety is compact, low, and covered in dense, rose-pink flowers
Myosotis sylvatica x “Snowsylva’ — A favorite variety, this forget-me-not is covered in bright white flowers from early spring to late summer
Myosotis sylvatica x “Ultramarine” — This dwarf variety forms a dense, very deep blue carpet of flowers on compact 6” mounds
Myosotis sylvatica x “Victoria Pink” — An early spring bloomer, this variety features dainty, pink flowers atop very compact mounds

Can I Grow Forget-me-nots Successfully?

Luckily, forget-me-nots are among the easiest ornamental flowers to cultivate. They grow freely in almost any type of soil and benefit from light shade. You can sow seeds in spring, but most gardeners find that an autumn sowing results in a more impressive display. Once forget-me-nots are established, further propagation is as simple as pulling up plants after their blooms are spent and laying them down in a shady place. The seeds will drop, germinating hundreds of new plants. Thin them to 6” apart or transplant them to areas you want carpeted in blue each year.

Size: 6”–1’ (15cm–30cm) tall 9”–2’ (22cm–60cm) spread

Hardiness: USDA Hardiness Zones 3-8

Light Duration: Full sun/Part shade

Soil: Moist, well-drained soil of any PH

Blooming Time: Mid to late spring, early to mid summer

Flowering Dogwood: Innocence, Purity, Spirituality

Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) is a type of all-season ornamental plant. You can enjoy its flowers in late winter and in the spring, enjoy its fruits in the summer and fall and its leaves in late fall. This type of bush or small tree is originated in the Eastern US. Now they are one of the most common garden plants across the US. The shape of the flower has become a commonly used icon and has appeared in various clothing embroideries and household decorative items.

Petals in disguise

Flowering dogwood has four oval and vibrant “petals” that aren’t really petals at all, bracts of the inflorescence. Their actual flowers are the green flowers with the umbrella-shaped inflorescence that come together in the middle of the bracts. Only when the flowers have bloomed for two weeks will the four bracts fully expand.

Bracts of wild flowering dogwood will gradually change color from green to white while the flower is maturing. Eventually, it turns slightly pink. With breeding, flowering dogwood has improved varieties with pink and red bracts.

Flowering dogwoods are fragrant and attract a lot of butterflies during the blooming season. After the little green flowers die, they bear berries. When the berries become ripe, they turn bright red and are a favorite treat for birds. However, use caution because these fruits are slightly poisonous for humans and are not edible.

Colorful Dogwoods

Flowering Dogwood is a member of the Cornus family of plants. These plants include many practical landscape gardening plants, including small trees with beautiful flowers, shrubs with beautiful leaves and fruits, and plants that have beautiful branches in the winter or even herbaceous flowers. While planting them in the garden, you should mainly consider the type of plants, functionality, size, and other requirements to make sure they match your space and desired appearance.

Flowering Dogwood (Cornus Florida)

In North America, the flowering dogwood is one of the most common small trees with beautiful flowers and its flowers and fruits are both aesthetically appealing as ornamental trees. Planting flowering dogwood with white bracts and pink bracts together is a very popular gardening combination.

Cornelian Cherry Dogwood (Cornus mus)

Cornelian cherry dogwood is a large shrub that blooms yellow flowers in early spring with its fruit being fully ripe in the second month of the summer. The translucent fruits are not only beautiful but also tasty. They can be eaten fresh or be made into wines. In English, the word Cornell, or red agate, is originated from this type of fruit.

White Dogwood (Cornus alba) and Red-Osier Dogwood (Cornus services)

Different from other ornamental plants, the unique parts of white dogwood and red-osier dogwood are the stems. After winter comes, the color of their stems turns to the color of a deep red like red corals or a bright yellow, creating a vibrant contrast with its darker environment color. Planting them with Helleborus, Corm and other plants that have a blooming season in the winter or early spring can achieve surprisingly beautiful results.

Creeping dogwood (Cornus canadensis)

Creeping dogwood is a type of herbaceous ground cover plant with roots and stems that grow and develop horizontally. Every year during the seasonal change of spring and summer, they bloom with beautiful four-petaled white flowers, then bear edible bright red berries. In the fall, the leaves turn purple and red. Their colorful foliage adds a unique element to your garden.

Can I grow flowering dogwood well?

The water needs for the flowering dogwood is moderate. It requires minimal maintenance (while shrubs require relatively more pruning). Therefore, they are suitable for green hands to plant them.

Flowering dogwood can be planted in all seasons, but preferably in the fall. It likes sunlight. When there is ample sun exposure, its flowers have deep colors. If it lacks sun exposure the lifespan can be shortened or it can be wilted. Every year after the leaves fall from this plant, remember to keep them and mulch back into the soil. This can improve the fertilization of the soil and increase its water draining capability. After leaves fall, you can apply some nitrogen intensive organic fertilizer or normal fertilizer. In the early spring of the next year, you can apply additional compost as fertilizer. This way you will be able to ensure the vigorous livelihood of the blooms of flowering dogwood.

The commercial nursery plants of flowering dogwood are usually grafted; you can also graft it yourself or use seeds to grow them. Please note to inquire about the supplier if the nursery plants have dogwood anthracnose resistance. This type of disease is common in the Eastern US. Pay attention and prune branches that hang too low. This will help improve the resistance to dogwood anthracnose for your flowering dogwood.

One last tip: The costs of purchasing nursery plants in early winter are likely lower.

Size: 10 m (33 ft) high, often wider than its height when mature

Hardiness: USDA Zone 5-9

Sunlight: full sun to partial sun

Soil: Rich, fertile, moist and well-drained soil, slightly acid or neutral

Bloom time: Spring

Azaleas: Wealth, Elegance

Azaleas (Rhododendron spp.) are perennial shrubs, with both evergreen and deciduous varieties, whose flower season lasts from early spring to early summer. The flowers grow at the tips of the branches, singularly or in a bundle, with five petals in each flower and a thin, long stamen slightly rolling upwards. Azaleas bloom in luxuriant, flourishing clusters.

With many fragrant sub-species, azaleas are eye-catching bloomers crowned with the title “King of shrubs”. Loved by people around the world, azaleas have over ten thousand hybrid varieties to choose from after decades of hybridization selection.

The common commercial varieties of azaleas are in colors like white, magenta, pink, salmon, crimson, and orange. There are also two-toned and remontant varieties. Blossoming azaleas attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and other types of birds, and are tolerant of hare disturbance. Fully bloomed azaleas are popular gifts for Valentine’s Day.

Azalea? Rhododendron?

Rhododendrons (or “Rhodies”) are usually larger plants in the genus Rhododendron with big blooming clusters, while azaleas are associated with smaller members in the genus.

There are some hybrid dwarf Rhodies that highly resemble azaleas in plant size and shape, such as Rhododendrons ‘Blue Diamond’ and Rhododendrons ‘Nova Zembla’.

The Rich and Colorful "Rhododendron Festival"

At the famous Rhododendron Festival in North Carolina, people tend to spend more time talking about the beauty contest held there, forgetting about the flowers. However, the endless fun activities taking place during the festival lure thousands of visitors to the region each year to witness a special moment for the plant.

The Rhododendron Festival takes place at both Bakersville, North Carolina, and Roan Mountain, Tennessee, simultaneously in the last two weeks of June each year. The highlight of the Festival is viewing the blossoming of famed Catawba rhododendron (Rhododendron catawbiense) native to Roan Mountain.

Besides relishing rhododendrons and watching the famous beauty contest, you can also take a stroll in the local handicrafts market, listen to live bands at the music festival, or take a look at the Classic Car Show for only 2 dollars. You can even sign up to join a USA T&F certified 10 km race.

Can I grow decent azaleas?

It’s no easy task to grow azaleas well. Azaleas like scattered light and mild temperature. They require some shading when planted in gardens to keep direct sunlight away. They also require humus-rich, acidic soil with good drainage. After planting in early spring, remember to add a few shovels of manure compost to the soil. Keep the plants safe from frost in early spring and from the freeze in winter. One bit of good news is that azaleas don’t need much pruning. Deadheading after the flowers fade is pretty much all that you need to do.

The challenge of growing azaleas lies in their delicate, shallow root system, which makes the plant intolerant to waterlogging, drought, and high-concentration fertilizers. One of the solutions for garden cultivation is to build flower beds and cover them with organic mulch, while another option is to use pot cultivation and water thoroughly once the surface soil turns dry. It’s advised to fertilize the plants frequently in small, diluted dosages.

Another challenge has to do with the chlorosis of the plant’s leaves. Gardening beginners can purchase soil and fertilizers specially tailored for azaleas to reduce the chance of chlorosis.

Please be aware that the entire azalea plant is poisonous. Keep your children and pets away from eating any of its parts by mistake.

Size: 1-8 feet tall; 2-10 feet wide

Hardiness: USDA Zones 3-11. Different azalea varieties vary dramatically in the cold-resistant capability. Please consult your local supplier for details.

Sunlight: Full sun, Partial sun

Soil: acidic (pH 5.0-6.0), moist and well-drained, rich in organic matter

Bloom time: early spring to early summer; mid-summer to early fall

12 Ground Cover Plants That Deer Don’t Eat

For a gardener, there’s nothing more frustrating than when deer make your carefully tended garden plants their next meal. Fortunately for you, there are lots of brilliant ground covers that you can plant in your garden that deer won’t touch, and we’ve created a helpful list of 12 of them!

Common periwinkle

Catnip

Nepeta cataria is a herbaceous perennial plant commonly cultivated as a garden herb called Catnip. It is commonly used to flavor herbal teas, juices, and soups. Catnip is widely known for its peculiar behavioral effect on cats, so people commonly use it as a toy stuffer or treat for their feline pets.

Wintercreeper

Euonymus fortunei, commonly known as Wintercreeper, is an evergreen shrub native to East Asia. Wintercreeper is an ornamental plant, often used as a groundcover and climbing plant, due to its ability to grow like a vine. It is regarded as an invasive species in many parts of North America.

Sweet woodruff

Sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum) is a perennial herb that grows from 6 to 12 inches tall. Popular for its fragrant leaves and lacy, star-shaped flowers that blossom in spring and summer. It prefers shady locations and makes an excellent ground cover under trees and other shaded conditions. Thrives in moist, well-drained soil.

Spotted dead nettle

Garden thyme

While best known for culinary purposes, Garden thyme has historically seen use in embalming rituals and as incense. In the kitchen, it most often ends up as a flavoring herb or brewed in tea. Garden thyme was gifted to warriors in the Middle Ages because it was supposed to spur courage and energy.

Northern sea oats

Northern sea oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) tolerates shade better than most other varieties of ornamental grasses. However, you can also grow it in direct sunlight if you make sure to give it enough water. This species forms enormous colonies that help protect riverbanks from insidious erosion. The seed stalks make a welcome addition to dried flower arrangements.

Creeping lilyturf

Basket of gold

Cheery, bright yellow clusters of blooms on small mounding plants give this plant its name, Basket of gold. This striking plant grows well in average soil as long as it is well-draining and not over-fertilized. Basket of gold, or Aurinia saxatilis, works as a ground cover, in rock gardens, or trailing over the borders of flowerbeds. It is deer resistant and attractive to pollinators.

Wall germander

Wall germander (Teucrium chamaedrys) is a creeping evergreen perennial that thrives in temperate areas where the temperature doesn’t often dip below freezing. Wall germander is commonly grown as an ornamental plant for its attractive, aromatic foliage and its pink or purple flowers. The flowers lure in pollinators and are an excellent pollen source for honey bees.

Large yellow loosestrife 'Alexander'

With its upright growth habit, upbeat garden performance, and golden yellow flowers that bloom throughout the summer, the Large yellow loosestrife ‘Alexander’ is set apart from other loosestrife cultivars. Its byname of Alexander was named after Donald Stuart Alexander, the late husband of discoverer Pauline Alexander. The Large yellow loosestrife ‘Alexander’ is a naturally occurring cultivar, set apart by its leaf color mutation and creamy white foliage.

Bugleweed 'Atropurpurea'

While its parent plant Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans) has deep green foliage, the Bugleweed ‘Atropurpurea’ cultivar was selected to have darker, purple-bronze leaves. The cultivar was named after this feature—”atro” means “dark” and “purpurea” refers to the color purple.

Disease name

Disease Name

Caterpillars

Thrips

Aphids

Leaf mites

Leaf beetles

Scale insects

Leaf weevils

Slug or snails

Lace bugs

Longhorn beetles

Whiteflies

Leaf hoppers

Scalp Health Tests and Types

Dandruff

Dandruff can be an annoying condition where you may be covered in white flakes from your scalp. One of the most common symptoms of dandruff is a very itchy scalp. You may feel the need to scratch constantly, resulting in white flakes falling from your scalp and then into your hair and onto your clothes. The flakes are excess skin cells that build up and then shed over time.

Many confuse dandruff with a dry scalp when the cause is the opposite. Dry scalp and dandruff may have similar results, but dandruff is actually due to a scalp with too much excess oil. Typically the flakes from dandruff are larger and sometimes yellow and even oily. This is due to the oil on the skin of your scalp causing buildup that must eventually shed off into those unattractive flakes.

There are treatments for dandruff, and you don’t have to despair about not wearing black or having flakes show in your dark hair. The most common and easily accessible treatments for dandruff are specific shampoos. Usually, you can rid yourself of dandruff with a gentle shampoo used regularly. If this doesn’t solve the problem, using a medicated dandruff shampoo a few times a week should clear it up.

Hair Loss

Hair loss can be a very worrisome condition for people. First, let’s address the symptoms of hair loss. The main symptom of hair loss is the loss of hair, but this can be seen in a few different ways. The hair may become patchy and even loose not only on the head but anywhere hair grows on the body. The way and location of the hair that is lost depends on the cause of the hair loss.

Hair loss is commonly caused by genetics combined with aging. Hair loss can result from a gene that runs in the family lines, which may cause you to lose hair even when you’re young. Most hair loss occurs later as your get older from the aging process. Other causes of hair loss can include reaction to medications, hormone imbalance, a lack of nutrients in your diet, and stress.

There are quite a few treatments for hair loss now. The hair loss treatment will depend on the cause and type of hair loss. For those who have hair loss due to medication or treatments, the hair may naturally grow back once the medication or treatments are no longer necessary. Male or female pattern baldness is treated with certain medicines or hair transplant procedures.

Tightly Curled Hair

The hair type known as tight curls or tightly curled hair might be the rarest hair type to have; tightly curled hair is typically associated with two types of curl patterns. The first is the corkscrew pattern which commonly appears as small ringlets throughout the hair. The second is known as the “Z” type and appears as zigzagging hair that forms tight coils throughout the hair. Tightly curled hair such as these two curl patterns can show up as fine or coarse hair. In any circumstance, tightly curled hair is challenging to keep from becoming dry compared to other hair types.

Keeping tight curls moisturized is the most important part of care for this hair type. Because of how tight these curls can get, it’s very difficult for the scalp’s natural oils to reach the curls and moisturize the hair naturally. Those with the hair type must go about and beyond to keep their hair from getting too dry by using deep conditioning treatments and avoiding any shampoo that may dry the hair out further, as well as high heat treatments.

Curly Hair

Curly hair is one of the rarest hair types in the world. This type of hair can come in many forms. Curly hair is typically similar to wavy but with a tighter wave pattern. Curly hair can be tight or loose curls, but the tightest curly hair is its hair type, so we’ll be discussing average curly hair today. Curly hair is typically coarse and thick compared to wavy or straight hair and is known to have much more texture. This hair type is also notorious for being naturally much more dry than other hair types.

Just as other types of hair, curly hair needs its own specific hair care routine to keep the curls looking good. Because curly hair can be naturally dry, it’s important not to shampoo every day. This type of hair needs to hold on to any natural oils as much as possible to maintain moisture and avoid frizziness. Curly hair also does best when combed with a wide-tooth comb compared to other brushes and combs. This prevents too much pulling of the hair when styling. Many styling products such as moisturizers, creams, and gels will keep curls healthy and beautiful.

Wavy Hair

Wavy hair is the second most common hair type to have. Wavy hair is between straight and curly hair. The hair will have a natural wave pattern that will form without intervention. Wavy hair is probably the most versatile type because it can easily be worn straight or curly. The waves can be treated with gentle products to become much curlier and can also be straightened much easier than curly or tightly curled hair. All people with wavy hair will naturally look different compared to the next person with wavy hair due to the uniqueness of wave patterns.

This hair type requires a variety of hair care. This is because waviness can come in many forms and even be present in fine or thick hair. It’s important not to overwash wavy hair as it can dry it out and cause the waves to be flat. Those with wavy hair will also want to choose hair care products based on how thick or fine their hair is. The best strategy is to experiment with different products to see what works best for each individual. Wavy hair also benefits from a leave-in conditioner to style the waves to their full potential.

Straight Hair

Straight hair might be the most common hair type in the world. Many people have straight hair and may not even know it. Straight hair is not always perfectly straight, causing many to believe they have wavy hair. Very fine hair is typically from the straight hair type. Because the hair is so fine, it is easily affected by the environment. Straight hair is more easily affected by how it’s treated than other hair types. From pollution to using the wrong hair care products, straight hair can easily look like wavy hair.

Straight hair needs a specific care routine to keep it looking its best. Most believe that straight hair is effortless to maintain; however, it may not even look like straight hair if it is not treated correctly. One of the essential parts of care for straight hair is to keep it appropriately moisturized. Straight hair can easily get frizzy when too dry. It’s also important to avoid breakage, which is common in fine, straight hair. Never brush hair after washing it but rather before. When hair is freshly washed, it is more prone to damage and breakage from brushing.

WeedA Summary RFP

Request for Proposal

WeedA Summary – Content Creation

v.1.0-20220331

Writing Guide: https://article.picturethisai.com/writing-guide/

Error Cases : https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1j7HLQMzgW0s9MILMd6ZVzVx72FAYUm16wTOTH57Lvuk/edit#gid=0

What’s this content for?

As we know, weeds are just plants growing in the wrong place. Some would be confused why a pretty or even widely cultivated plant is a weed. In this writing task, we are going to explain simply to our users: “Why the plant you find is considered a weed in your region.”

You’ll be given a list of plants that are supposed to be invasive or noxious in the destination region (we define them “WeedA” in our cms system). Some are listed as invasive by local conservation councils, some are listed in reports issued by agricultural/forestry departments collaborated with academic societies, some are directly regulated by local laws. [We have attached a suggestive list of links that cover some typical legal and regulatory sources and credible weed list.]

Because whether a plant is considered a weed is regional, you would have a chance to receive a task that contains contents for multiple destination regions. For example, English description for both North America (for USA and Canada users) and the EU (for English users). You should check the information for these areas separately and write the summary respectively.

We desire a simple and accurate description and explanation.

Requirements

1. General Requirements

1.1 Word Count: around 100 words for each key-value. It is ok to run slightly longer if all the information is important.

1.2 Talk about Information on Weed Only: General information, usage (except for briefly mentioning why it could be seen in the market), and other information on this plant will be presented in other sections, please focus on the weed side.

1.3 Focus on local issues. Make sure to describe the weed based on regional circumstances.

2. Cover the following information:

2.1. Regulation Details (Mandatory)

In which countries/states (or the whole region) it is regulated by law?

Is it listed as invasive/noxious in which countries/states?

Current status in the destination region: is it widely invaded already? Still, planting as ornamental plants? Or just list for a precaution?

Note:

Please search for as much information as possible to cover the situation in the destination area, and try to make a conclusion to make users ready to understand.

Describe the geographical distribution in a general way, as short as possible. Try to avoid listing different countries or states simply. E. g., we could use “Northeast Asia” instead of “Japan, Korea, Inner Mongolia, and Russian Far East”.

If a listing is necessary, still list no more than 3 countries/states. Just retain the most important 3 and use “etc.”, “and so on” for others. Try to arrange the order by population and severity of possible hazards. New York should be ahead of Alaska, and states that have been severely damaged should rank ahead of states that have not yet been invaded.

A direct referential link (to the governmental site or law itself) is needed for each law-regulated expression. If it is listed by councils or reports, please attach the original site as well. Please list the links in the comment box. A very brief explanation (in brackets) is needed for each of the links to let us know which point it supports. Most of the time, a region name (e.g.: California) will suffice, but you can also make any annotation if necessary.

2.2. Why is it a concern? (Mandatory)

Growing/Reproducing aggressively

Taking nutrition from other plants

Producing toxins and harming other plants

Poisonous to humans or animals

Threatening the biodiversity

Compete with the crops in the farms and orchards

Has it already caused some damages? How severe it was?

Note: Referential links are also needed for this, and the following sections. Add explanations on why you cite it.

2.3. Habitats where it is prone to spread (Optional)

Are there some habitats it prefers? In which condition it will get out of control easily?

2.4. What to do when I find this in my garden (Mandatory)

You are supposed to give a piece of short advice on how to handle this plant: Just simply remove it, or you can still keep it but take care don’t release them into the environment.

If it is still widely used in gardens in the destination region, do remind gardeners to “take measures to prevent it from spreading into the wild”.

How to control the weed will be discussed in another section, so we shouldn’t go deep into solutions here.

It is highly recommended that to give a piece of advice directly, instead of just telling the way the weeds spread, then let the users guess what to do. Knowing the way of spreading does allow skilled gardeners to work more precisely, but it can be difficult for a beginner (most of our users).

3. Report the Misclassified Plants:

If you could not find the plant on official reports, council lists, or any laws or governmental regulation lists in the destination region (examples see below), please leave the content box blank and leave “not weed A” in the comment box.

Credible Links for reports, council lists, and laws

Official Reports or Databases

Credible Councils Lists

California, US: https://www.cal-ipc.org/plants/profile/hedera-helix-profile/
Japan: https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/toc8_plants.html

Laws and Regulations

An Example of Weed Summary

Note: 【The text inside brackets is just for explanation】

Common lantana (Lantana camara)

English, North America

[109 words]

Although common lantana is still sold as an ornamental plant, it is listed as an invasive species by the state of California, Alabama, and Georgia.【Regulation】 It grows vigorously, often forms into dense thickets, and generates thousands of seeds for each mature plant. So it could dominate the biome quickly, supplanting local plants, and threatening biological diversity where it occupies. It is also regarded as an agricultural pest because it affects the yield of oranges orchards.【Concern】 It prefers moist environments, both open and partly shaded, especially those disturbed by human activities.【Habitat】 If you have this plant in your garden, you should take measures to prevent it from spreading into the wild.【What to do and the Reminder】

Common lantana (Lantana camara)

English, Australia / New Zealand

[101 words]

Common lantana is a major invasive plant established in both Australia and New Zealand. Propagating, giving away, selling, or releasing it into the environment is strictly prohibited by law.【Regulation】 It grows vigorously, often forms into dense thickets, and generates thousands of seeds for each mature plant. So it could dominate the biome quickly, supplanting local plants, and threatening biological diversity where it occupies. 【Concern (Consistent phrases can exist between different regions)】 It prefers moist environments, both open and partly shaded, especially those disturbed by human activities.【Habitat】 In some regions rules require land occupiers to destroy it on their properties. Even if it is not, removal immediately is always recommended.【 What to do】