… Phlox ‘Minnie Pearl’ grows to 12 - 15 inches high and blooms in late spring to early summer with fragrant white flowers. This was found in Mississippi and is considered to be a naturally occurring hybrid of Phlox maculata. It is mildew resistant and hardy in zones 4 -8. The genus name is from the Greek word phlox meaning flame in reference to the many …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… are marked with burgundy splotches. A fetid smell and increased temperature are also effective in attracting flies that pollinate the flowers as they lay their eggs in what appears to be a dead animal. This native of southern Africa is not hardy outdoors in the Chicago region and grows best in full sun and relatively dry soils. The odor can be …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Purplish-pink three petaled flowers appear from within the boat shaped bracts in the axils of the leaves. The leaves and stems are dark purple in bright light and purplish green in deep shade. This non-hardy perennial is very versatile and can be used as a seasonal …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… of the largest-flowering and has 1-inch-wide, pale blue flowers. A perennial bulb that blooms in early spring, it grows from 3 to 11 inches in height. The bulbs should be planted 3 inches deep in well-drained soil. It is best used in the front of the border or where it can be seen. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… atop friendship sage ( Salvia 'Amistad'). This large, nonhardy perennial comes into flower in midsummer and continues blooming up to frost. It is best used as an annual in Chicago-area gardens. Plant this salvia in sunny locations that will accommodate its 4-foot size. Discovered at a plant sale in Buenos …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Classically egg shaped flowers in lemon yellow are edged in scarlet-red and maroon on this Triump class tulip. Triump tulips are favorites of the cut … the long sturdy stems and ease with which they can be grown. They produce beautiful displays in annual flower beds but due to heavy Chicago area soils rarely naturalize in our gardens. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… is native from Quebec to Minnesota, south to Georgia and Texas. Trunks mature to 2 to 3 feet in diameter. This tree features smooth, medium yellow-green, odd-pinnate, compound leaves, each … pointed leaflets. Leaflets range from 3 to 7 inches long. They turn yellow to golden-brown in fall. Non-showy, monoecious, greenish-yellow flowers appear in April to May; the male flowers … tool handles, ladders, gun stocks, and furniture. Andrew Jackson, 7th president of the U. S., was affectionately known as Old Hickory in recognition of his tough character. This tree …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Description: This migrant woodpecker and breeder feeds on ants and can be found in any tree-covered area or on the lawn. Unlike many woodland birds, the northern flicker … Its loud, laughing, rapid “kick-kick-kick-kick-kick” song echoes through the woods, mostly in spring and early summer. Identify the northern flicker by its barred back, black spots on a … the female sometimes has a gray one. When the flicker flies, you can see a golden yellow color in its under wings, indicating that the bird belongs to the yellow-shafted race. Flickers with …
Type: Birding
… The beautiful clematis is like a flowering star in the summer border. While other perennials offer their charms in attractive mounds or vertical statements, the clematis climbs above the rest, twisting and twirling before opening its blossoms in shapes ranging from nodding bells to frilly double stars. A few types of clematis have tubular …
Type: Plant Info
… Description & Symptoms The annual white grub is the most common grub that causes lawn damage in Illinois. The large C-shaped, creamy white grub with three pairs of legs and a dark head is … beetles are attracted to vigorously growing turf with damp soil, where they lay their eggs in July. The grubs hatch and feed on decaying organic matter and sod roots until October. When temperatures begin to drop, they tunnel downward in the soil to overwinter. In spring, the grubs move up in the soil and resume feeding. They …
Type: Plant Info
