… Rue is a dainty, attractive perennial native to south Europe with spicy, aromatic foliage. It grows two feet tall, with tiny pinnate blue-green leaves. In mid-summer, clusters of pale yellow flowers top the plants. The lower stems are thick and almost woody, which make it a sub-shrub. In spring,stems can be cut back with old foliage removed, but don't cut them to the base. The …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Solanum betaceum. It's a tree...in the tomato family. The oval fruit is about the size of a Roma tomato, and it has a recognizable tomato taste, though it's somewhat … purple, orange, or red depending on the tree. While the tomato tree seems to have originated in the Andes, it's now grown widely in South America, Africa, Asia, and Australia as a food …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… This hardy lady slipper orchid is known for good flower production, even for begining hardy orchid gardeners. A deep maroon red upright flag is flanked by two petals streaked in maroon and cream. The large inflated pouch is predominantly cream with small lines and dots of maroon. Very striking. Plant in full to half day sun in consistently moist but not waterlogged soils and fertilize as you …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Description: When this bird of shrub prairies is seen on migration, it is likely to be found in the Dixon Prairie. …
Type: Birding
… ( Phaius tankervilliae 'Rabin's Raven') is commonly called nun's orchid because if you look into the throat of the flower, there appears to be a nun with her head bowed in prayer. This lovely terrestrial orchid is a robust plant that blooms with clusters of four to … of about 30 species of Phaius that grow from East Africa to Australia, and it has naturalized in some areas of Florida. This impressive plant likes well-drained soil in bright shade. The …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… This poisonous weed is most commonly found in roadside ditches and prairie areas—not in cultivated yards and gardens. Looking similar to Golden Alexander ( Zizia aurea ) or a yellow …
Type: Plant Info
… Just in Time for Halloween This is the month for ghosts, goblins, and witches, and for tricks and treats. Some plants, like … health care department. “It has long, dangling branches and I like to put purple lights on it in October—it looks pretty cool.” On a fall night, the bare limbs look like big straggly arms …
Type: Plant Info
… flowers, or 'hops', of the common garden hop ( Humulus lupulus ) were the main calming agents in 'sleepy pillows', used to treat insomnia and headaches until the late 19th century. And mixing … considered to make a good sedative. Today, these dried female flowers are a main ingredient in beer production. Their bitter, resinous properties dilute the heavy malted barley taste. Medicinal uses and herbal restoratives aside, the hop vine is, ironically, a member of the hemp family, Cannabaceae, but is sometimes grouped into the …
Type: Plant Info
… Susceptible Plants Deciduous trees, especially young trees with thin bark planted in sunny, exposed sites. Description & Symptoms Vertical cracks appear in the winter in the bark of the sunny side of trees, particularly on the side of the trunk … and cold nighttime temperatures. Timing & Life Cycle Frost cracks are a winter problem that is especially severe if warm afternoon sun is followed by a rapid drop in temperature at sundown. …
Type: Plant Info
… Mark Lee is Music Director at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Skokie, IL and St. Bonaventure Oratory in Chicago. He holds a Master of Music degree in piano performance from American Conservatory, …
Type: Event for Calendar
