New York State celebrates Arbor Day, the last Friday in April, by planting trees. The practice recalls a tradition that dates back to the 1870s, when, after settling on a treeless prairie in 1854, J.

In our yard right now, there are three happy plants. These relatives all have a distinctive color of a very dark green hue. And, as the branches lengthen, a purple color sets into the sky. They are ...