Plant Profiles

Plants are as diverse as people. Some are polite, attractive guests you invite into your domain; others are nosy pests who creep in uninvited and take root. Whether you want plants that attract butterflies in your garden, wish you knew how to grow fruit trees, hope to discover the best winter-interest perennials — or just want those invasive plant pests gone from your life — the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Plant Information Service has the information you need. This alphabetically organized listing profiles plants from small indoor varieties to outdoor bulbs, shrubs and trees. We can help you cultivate lovely orchids or eliminate the tenacious buckthorn.

Plant Latin Name
Alliums

Allium spp.

Amaryllis

Hippeastrum spp.

Anemones, Fall-blooming

Anemone spp.

Anemone vitifolia 'Robustissima'
Apples

Malus spp.

Asparagus

Asparagus officinalis

Aster

Aster spp.

aster
Astilbe

Astilbe spp.

Autumn Crocus

Colchicum ‘Waterlily’

Azalea

Rhododendron spp.

Azalea
Azure Blue Sage

(Salvia azurea var. grandiflora)

Azure Monkshood

(Aconitum carmichaelii ‘Arendsii’)

Basil

Ocimum basilicum

Begonias, Angel-wing

Begonia coccinea

Berries and Brambles
Blue Anise Sage

(Salvia guaranitica)

Bluebeard

Caryopteris spp.

Bulbs, Little
 
Butterfly Weed

Asclepias tuberosa

Cardinal Red-twig Dogwood

Dogwood (Cornus sericea ‘Cardinal’)

Century Plant

Agave americana

Chokeberry, Black

Aronia melanocarpa

Christmas Cactus

Schlumbergera bridgesii

Chrysanthemums

Chrysanthemum

Clematis

Clematis spp.

Clivia

Clivia miniata

Clivia
Coleus

Solenostemon scutellarioides

Coneflowers

Echinacea

Coral Bells

Heuchera spp.

Cyclamen

Cyclamen persicum

Daffodils

Narcissus spp.

Dahlias

Dahlia spp.

Daisies

Leucanthemum x superbum

Dwarf Conifers
European Filbert

(Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’)

Fireworks Goldenrod

(Solidago rugosa ‘Fireworks’)

Flame Willow

(Salix ‘Flame’)

Florist Cyclamen

(Cyclamen persicum)

Forsythia

Forsythia

Foxtail Lily

Eremurus spp.

Fritillaria

Fritillaria spp.

Crown imperial fritillary
Frontier Elm

(Ulmus parvifolia ‘Frontier’)

Gaura

Gaura spp.

Goldenrod

Solidago spp.

Gourds
Grapevines

Vitis spp.

Grasses, Little Bluestem

Schizachyrium scoparium

Grasses, Ornamental
Great White Trillium

Trillium grandiflorum

Green Mountain Sugar Maple

(Acer saccharum ‘Green Mountain’)

Hellebores

Helleborus

Herbal History
Hibiscus

Hibiscus

Himalayan Foxtail Lily

(Eremurus himalaicus)

Holly, Deciduous

Ilex verticillata

Hops

Humulus lupulus

Hosta

Hosta spp.

Hydrangea

Hydrangea spp.

Hydrangeas

Hydrangea spp.

Indian Pink

(Spigelia marilandica)

Invasive Plants, Common
Iris

Iris spp.

Ivy, English

Hedera helix

Jasmine

Jasmine spp.

Junipers

Juniperus spp.

Kale

Brassica

Larch

Larix spp.

Lavender Varieties for the Midwest
Lesser Calamint

(Calamintha nepeta ssp. nepeta)

Lilacs

Syringa spp.

Lilies

Lilium spp.

Limelight Panicle Hydrangea

(Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’)

Little Bluestem

(Schizachyrium scoparium)

Lotus, American Yellow

Nelumbo lutea

Magnolias

Magnolia

Maple, Marmo

Acer x freemanii 'Marmo'

Mesclun Mix
October Sedum

(Sedum sieboldii)

Orchids, Rare Illinois
Ornamental Edibles
Paperbark Maple

(Acer griseum)

Paperwhite Daffodils

Narcissus papyraceus

Pawpaw

Asimina triloba

Peking Lilac

(Syringa pekinensis ‘Morton’, China Snow™)

Perennials for Winter Interest
Perennials, Late-flowering
Persian Parrotia

(Parrotia persica)

Phlox Cultivars

Phlox spp.

Phlox
Pineapple

Ananus comosus

Pondering Prickly Plants
Prairie Dropseed

(Sporobolus heterolepsis)

Pretty Face

(Triteleia ixioides) (syn. Brodiaea lutea)

Pumpkins

Cucurbita pepo

Redbor Kale

Brassica oleraceae ‘Redbor’

 brassica-oleracea-redbor-kale
Rhododendron

Rhododendron (azalea)

River Birch

Betula nigra

Rosemary Topiary

Rosmarinus officinalis

Roses

Rosa spp.

Roses, Knock Out
Roses, Miniature
Roses: A brief history
Rozanne Geranium

(Geranium ‘Rozanne’)

Rudbeckia

Rudbeckia

Russian Sage

(Perovskia atriplicifolia)

Scheherazade Lily

(Lilium ‘Scheherazade’)

Serbian Spruce

Picea omorika

Seven-son-flower

Heptacodium miconioides

Shrubs for Fall Color
Shrubs, Summer-blooming
Snowdrops

Galanthus spp.

Spring Ephemerals in the Woods
Spurge

Euphorbia spp.

Sunflowers

Helianthus spp.

Switch Grass 'Dallas Blues'

Panicum virgatum 'Dallas Blues'

Toad Lilies

Tricyrtis spp.

Toad lily
Tulip Species

Tulipa spp.

Tulips

Tulipa

Vegetables, Late-season
Viburnums

Viburnum spp.

Korean spice viburnum (Viburnum carlesii )
Vines
Waterlilies
Wintergreen Boxwood

(Buxus microphylla var. koreana ‘Wintergreen’)

Witch hazel

Hamamelis spp.

Woodland Aster

(Eurybia divaricata; formerly Aster divaricatus)

Woodland Bluestar

(Amsonia ‘Blue Ice’)

Yellow Wild Indigo

(Baptisia sphaerocarpa)