'DTR102' is a hybrid of silver maple and red maple that has combined the best characteristics of both parents. Relatively fast growing, tolerant of a wide range of soils, and not demanding as to irrigation or fertilization, 'Autumn Fantasy' maple's red leaves with a slight purplish cast reveal their silver undersides when the wind blows, creating a really remarkable spectacle. A number of Autumn …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
Members of the genus Amelanchier offer four seasons of interest -- small white flowers (occasionally pinkish) in spring, edible berries in early summer, attractive foliage color in fall and interesting bark/branch structure in winter. Common names for amelanchier include juneberry and serviceberry and refer to the blueberry-like fruit edible by humans and much beloved by birds. The species range …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
Native to the Midwest, 'Indian Warrior' grows 58 inches tall and 38 inches wide, with its green leaves turning purple and bronze in the fall. The dark purple flowers appear on the stems from July through October. It grows best in full sun and moist, well-drained soil and enjoys the heat. It is most effective when grouped into large drifts and makes an excellent ground cover for parks, highway …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
Pale dogwood is also known as swamp dogwood due to its natural affinity for soggy soil. It is a multi-stemmed shrub that bears small white flowers followed by bluish white fruit. It is best suited to damp, naturalized areas. Members of the genus Cornus , commonly known as dogwoods, are welcome in the home garden for their multi-season interest -- be it flowers, fruit, foliage, and/or bark -- and …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
Crocus vernus ‘Jeanne d’Arc’ produces immense, eye-catching, pure white chalices accented with faint purple stripes at the base, orange stigmas, and yellow anthers in early spring. Best grown in full sun or light shade underneath the canopy of deciduous trees, these adaptable early spring flowers have difficulty naturalizing in the Chicago area because of predation by voles, chipmunks, rabbits, …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
Kalmiiflora deutzia features pinkish white blooms in spring. Fall foliage may be a plum purple shade. The genus Deutzia consists of medium sized flowering shrubs native to Asia, generally with slender stems and a fine-textured arching habit. The clusters of small flowers that appear in spring or early summer are white on most species, but may be pinkish in a few species and cultivars. Deutzias …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
We know spring has arrived in northern climes when we see the cheery yellow blooms of the ubiquitous forsythias in April. Named after William Forsyth, one of the founders of the Royal Horticultural Society in the 18th century, forsythias are medium to large shrubs that produce four- petaled clusters of bell-shaped flowers in the axils of the stiff, rough branches. These Asian shrubs are very …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
The Ginkgo is an ancient deciduous conifer. Evidence has been found which shows this tree coexisted with the dinosaurs. Its unusual fan-shaped leaves adorn this large, lovely tree that grows to 50' or so. The spread can be wider than the height in mature plants. It is one of the most pollution-tolerant trees and works well in the city and in large, open areas. Insignificant green flowers appear …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
Pardon Me daylily has bright red flowers with yellow green throats. The flowers are miniature, measuring only 2.75 inches across. The edges of the petals are ruffled while the edges of the sepals are smooth. In zones 6-7 the flowers are fragrant and attract butterflies. This is a nocturnal daylily. The flowers open up in late afternoon and close the next morning. Although each flower lasts only …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
Carnival Rose Granita Alumroot matures to a neat 12 inch by 14 inch mound shape, has silvery gray green foliage with a rose pink glaze, and the undersides are a contrasting scarlet red. The leaf margins are more rounded that most. Although primarily grown for its decorative foliage, a spike of delicate pinkish to creamy white flowers appears in early to mid summer, increasing the height to 18 …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
