Pepper plants are subject to a variety of plant diseases, including sooty mold, powdery mildew and even an unsightly blue mold caused by the pathogen Peronospora hyoscyami, or Peronospora tabacina Adam. Blue mold has an ashy appearance; despite its name, it can sometimes appear more gray than blue.

Octopus agave, or Agave vilmoriniana, is a large species of succulent native to higher elevations of western Mexico. The gray-green, slightly twisted leaves form an open rosette that grows to 4 feet in height with a 6-foot spread. It tolerates cold temperatures as low as 10 degrees Fahrenheit, makin

Olive trees (Olea europaea), beloved for the tasty brined fruits that many people consider a delicacy, are grown both as a crop plant and a backyard tree. If you don't plan to pick and cure the fruit, however, take care of fruit drop, as it can rot or sprout, causing a mess and possibly attracting p

Tulip poplar trees actually belong to the magnolia family and not the poplar family. They feature green leaves and cup-like yellow or white blooms that resemble tulips. One tree in North Carolina has been measured at over 150 feet tall, with 90 feet of exposed trunk before the branches of the tree b

Citrus trees of all kinds perform well in containers, provided the container is large enough to accommodate the tree as it grows. An advantage of container-grown citrus is that they are portable, enabling you to move them to a sheltered location when Jack Frost comes to call in fall or early winter.

Burs are prickly balls, also known as the fruits or the seedpod, that appear on various types of weeds. The cocklebur, also known as Xanthium strumarium, grows across the United States, including areas within Minnesota. Burs from the cocklebur plant can be an annoyance, as they get tangled in your p

Fungi belonging to the genus Rhytisma often afflict maple tree leaves, causing raised, black spots. Normally referred to as "tar spots," they rarely cause any lasting damage that will affect the tree's long-term health.

Commonly known as summersweet, clethra is a flowering green shrub that performs well in a range of climates. Clethra can grow up to 6 feet tall by 4 feet wide and benefits from annual pruning to remove old wood. Clethra shrubs feature tiny white or pale pink flowers in the late summer to early fall;

Though aloes are native to Africa they are grown all over the world. You can grow aloes indoors or outdoors if you live in a climate that does not freeze. There are more than 250 types of aloe and they range in size from barely an inch to two to three feet in diameter. Older plants may bloom, sendin

Gray tree frogs camouflage themselves against their backgrounds.Win Initiative/Photodisc/Getty ImagesGray tree frogs are tiny, sticky-footed amphibians that have camouflage-like skin color that changes from green to gray, depending on the background in their environment. These are...

Potatoes are low-maintenance vegetables that you can grow in your home garden and that produce an abundant harvest. Grow potatoes from seed potatoes, which are small potatoes or pieces of larger ones. Pre-sprouting them before planting, also called chitting, ensures the seed potatoes are ready and a

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) is a succulent found throughout North America. The plant is relatively hardy and can grow in a variety of soils and climates. Purslane can reach as high as 15 inches. It is considered a weed and can often invade your garden or yard, spreading rapidly through bare patche

Japanese beetles feed off fruit trees at every stage of their development: Larva eat plant roots beneath the ground and adult beetles consume leaves, fruit buds and maturing fruit. Thus, even a small number of Japanese beetles can cause serious damage to the immediate fruit harvest and long-term dam

Weigela is a plant genus of 12 species of deciduous shrubs that bear trumpet-shaped flowers on branches that grew the previous year. Attracting hummingbirds, the blossoms appear most heavily from late spring to early summer.

Linden tree (Tilia) is a popular urban landscape tree and referred to as lime tree and basswood tree. The tree is hardy and is favored for its tolerance of alkalinity and high resistance to common insects. Though aphids are likely to infest the tree, they cause little damage other than...

In the millions of years of their existence, land-based plants evolved two separate growth activities. The first type, reproductive or flowering, helps propagation. The second type, vegetative or leafy, helps a plant's day-to-day healthy growth. Indoor plants do well in the vegetative stage on 14 to

Mosquitoes carry a variety of potentially fatal diseases, including malaria and West Nile virus -- which peaks in the summer across the United States. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, West Nile was first detected in 1999 in New York and causes abdominal pain, nausea, d

Blue mist plant is also known as caryopteris and is a small to medium-sized shrub with flowers of the most crisp and brilliant blue. It is a favorite among butterfly populations and other pollinators. There are few pests and no serious diseases that affect this attractive plant. Blue mist is toleran

A layer of scummy foam can accumulate on the top of your pool over time due to improperly treated water. Scummy pool foam creates not only an unattractive appearance, but also a possible health risk for any potential swimmers. Getting rid of scummy foam requires a thorough cleaning process. A few si

New potatoes, straight from the garden, have an unmistakable creamy texture and buttery taste. Growing your own potatoes need not involve the labor-intensive work of digging and hilling them. Potatoes will grow well in raised beds as long as their basic needs of well-drained, slightly acidic soil a