… progresses. The Spiraea japonica species includes the greatest range of cultivars available to the home gardener within the Spiraea genus. They all have a compact mounding habit in sizes ranging from 18" to 5' that makes them useful in borders and smaller spaces. The cultivars also offer foliage … are quite small, they occur in clusters of inflorescence that can be very showy. Spireas are best used in groupings in a shrub or mixed border, where they are valued as tough, reliable and …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… it originated. The Spiraea japonica species includes the greatest range of cultivars available to the home gardener within the Spiraea genus. They all have a compact mounding habit in sizes ranging from 18" to 5' that makes them useful in borders and smaller spaces. The cultivars also offer foliage … are quite small, they occur in clusters of inflorescence that can be very showy. Spireas are best used in groupings in a shrub or mixed border, where they are valued as tough, reliable and …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… It’s rare that a plant's cultivar name makes it into everyday conversation—'Peace' comes to mind for roses, or 'Stella d'Oro' for daylilies. But say "'Annabelle'," and everyone knows … can be issues ('Limelight' can top out at 8 feet tall), the news in the panicle category is dwarf stature. Think of Little Lime ™ as a mini 'Limelight'. Topping out at a manageable 3 to … in the sitting area across from the Circle Garden. The oakleaf hydrangeas: H. quercifolia The best of the best in this popular group is Snow Queen ™ . Regal in size at 6 feet tall, with the …
Type: Plant Info
… questions, since they are on the cutting edge of scientific understanding. One such question is: “What are those specs of gold on the monarch butterflies?” The short answer is “Nobody … features such as metallic markings by asking, “What sort of advantage would this feature give to the butterfly?” Every trait found in nature exists because it gave that individual more … of dew on a leaf in the morning or after a rain. Another theory is that the gold specs are a way of the pupae shouting, “I’m poisonous! Leave me alone or you’ll be sorry!” In the world of …
Type: Blog
… were puzzled by the sudden decline and loss of hundreds of ash trees, which they attributed to a nonnative, highly destructive beetle, Agrilus planipennis , commonly called the emerald ash … entered the United States in packing materials such as wooden crates made out of ash. It is now believed that the emerald ash borer has been in the United States since 1990 or 1991. The … lifetime. Eggs hatch in approximately seven to ten days. After hatching, larvae chew their way through the tree's bark and tunnel into the cambium layer where they continue their …
Type: Plant Info
… They’re blue, right? Not so fast. Blueberries have dark red pigments in their skin to match their reddish pulp. Researchers at the University of Bristol decided to unpeel the … tiny external structures in their wax coating that scatter blue and ultraviolet light, which is why we see them as blue. Read on to discover more plant stories that caught our eye. … that sunflowers growing together exhibited a “dancing” behavior, with flowers moving in a way that maximized their place in the sun—but without overshadowing (literally and figuratively …
Type: Blog
… Welcome to winter, one of the best seasons for gardeners. You have time to plan, prune, and enjoy those … easier to prune because you’ll be able to better see a tree’s branching structure and there is less chance of transmitting diseases from one plant to another. Winter is the perfect time to …
Type: Blog
… we can safely plant tomatoes, peppers, beans, and squash—those heat-loving plants that turn to mush when hit by a spring frost. But you can start a crop of cool-season greens such as … start to germinate when the top inch of soil reaches about 40 degrees Fahrenheit. (This is when an inexpensive soil thermometer comes in handy. Look for one at your local garden center … leaves that may have been harvested and shipped weeks earlier. But, that same amount will buy a hefty seed pack that will produce many plants and many meals. Cultivate Unlike tomatoes and …
Type: Plant Info
… College student Jessica Tillery came to the Chicago Botanic Garden for the summer to work in a plant science lab, hoping to jump start … research alongside the Garden’s conservation scientists and graduate students. The science is the core of the REU program, explained conservation scientist Jeremie Fant, Ph.D., but the … , a group of programs that create a clear pathway from middle and high school all the way through to professional science work. Since the REU program began in 2004, more than 50 …
Type: Blog
… Topiaries, whether formal or whimsical, large-scaled or edible, can be a fascinating addition to most garden spaces. A plant familiar to many gardeners because they have either grown it, eaten it, or admired it as a tiny topiary is the versatile herb, rosemary. Rosmarinus officinalis is an evergreen shrub hardy to zone 6. … a wide range of pH and moisture conditions, but it must have excellent drainage. This can be best accomplished when the plant is grown in a clay pot year-round. Clay permits faster …
Type: Plant Info
