… are the features most gardeners request. And yet the gradual, long-lasting autumn leaf change is one of the most beautiful displays in the plant world. It lasts longer than any spring flower … time of year is seeing how plants play off each other; how color combinations shift from year to year; how much beauty is to be found in the subtle combinations as well as the more brilliant … Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’) A the hardiest of the Japanese maples and the one that performs best in Chicago gardens. Its distinctive palmate leaves are red-purple in summer but change to …
Type: Plant Info
… Q. I would like to grow herbs indoors this year using some of the plants from my outdoor garden. Any helpful tips would be appreciated. A. Dig the plants you want to save this month and cut back leggy foliage and flower heads. Repot the small plants in a … one cool-white bulb and one warm-white bulb. Special "grow lights" are unnecessary. Herbs do best in relatively cool rooms (60-65 degrees Fahrenheit) with adequate humidity. Because …
Type: Plant Info
… The R. J. Hilton serviceberry cultivar originated in Canada and features pink buds that open to white blooms on a tree-like form. Flowers, foliage and fruit are typical of the species. … 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 from … usually multi-stemmed. Found at woodland's edge in the their native habitats, amelanchiers are best used in a naturalistic setting in the home landscape. Amelanchiers are native to temperate …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… 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 from small trees to large shrubs, usually multi-stemmed. Found at woodland's edge in the their native habitats, amelanchiers are best used in a naturalistic setting in the home landscape. Amelanchiers are native to temperate …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… of any of the poinsettia cultivars available this holiday season. It was rated among the best of the traditional red poinsettias in consumer preference tests conducted at Purdue … meaning that they require darkness (12 hours at a time for at least five days in a row) to change color. At the same time, they require abundant light during the day for the brightest … grouped within small yellow structures found in the center of each leaf bunch. Native to Mexico, the poinsettia derives its common English name from Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… How to Dry Hydrangeas the Right Way If you’ve ever wished those beautiful summer hydrangea blooms … and beyond. Find the Perfect Moment for Picking The most important step in drying hydrangeas is knowing when to cut them. “The best time to cut white flowering hydrangeas is when the top or center flowers begin to show a …
Type: Blog
… I manage the Plants of Concern, a citizen science rare-plant monitoring program designed to gather standardized, long-term regional monitoring data to detect population trends. The program is a collaboration of trained citizen scientists, land managers, and researchers using science to best conserve rare plants and habitats. In addition to our regional monitoring work, Plants of …
Type: Staff bio
… rings and how do we get rid of the mushrooms? A. The lawn grass circles you see are referred to as “fairy rings.” They are diseased areas characterized by lush, fast-growing grass growing in … have been removed and stumps or roots have been left in the ground to decompose. The disease is caused by fungi feeding off of decomposing organic matter below ground; they are not feeding … remedy for controlling fairy rings. Fungicides are not effective; nor are home remedies. The best option is to prevent fairy rings from occurring. Before establishing a new lawn, be sure …
Type: Plant Info
… do I take care of it? A. Bonsai are small specimens of regular trees or shrubs trained in pots to grow into beautiful shapes. This is an ancient horticultural art form and a number of plants are appropriate for use as bonsai. … too much of a shock to put your bonsai outside without a slow period of acclimatization. The best procedure now would be to place it in your sunniest window, water when the soil is dry (this …
Type: Plant Info
… “There is simply the rose; it is perfect in every moment of its existence.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson … start shutting down soon after Labor Day. That’s changed. “Back then, we were getting ready to pack it in,” says Tom Soulsby, senior horticulturist for the Rose Garden, Heritage Garden, and … the rose collection involves editing. “We had a lot of older roses that weren’t hardy or the best for a Midwest garden—hard to manage, fussy, and they got a bad rap,” Tom says. When the …
Type: Plant Info
