… With a narrow pyramidal habit, bald cypress reaches a mature height of 50' to 70'. Its feathery green leaves are yellow-green in spring, a soft sage green in summer and finally a rich brown in fall. This large specimen deserves a place of prominence in the landscape. Another attractive feature is the reddish-brown bark. This is a characteristic … deciduous conifer has one of the widest ranges of distribution, growing from Illinois all the way to Florida. Lovely pyramidal deciduous conifer that also can be grown as a bonsai. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… region, particularly in Lake and McHenry counties, as well as southeastern Wisconsin. Here at the Chicago Botanic Garden, high water levels in the Skokie River forced us to close on July 13 and 14—the first time in the Garden’s history that we closed to visitors for … portion of the rain that falls in this upstream, 20-square-mile watershed eventually finds its way to the Skokie River. During the early morning of July 12, between 3 and 5 inches of rain fell …
Type: Blog
… The silver maple is native to eastern North America. It can reach a height of 80 feet with a spread of 50 feet. This tree … full sun, but is tolerant of a wide range of soil types and conditions. It gets its name from the silvery undersides of its five lobed leaves. Fall color is not uniform with this species; it …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… This double early tulip features intensely colored orange flowers that age to tangerine. Introduced in 2003, this is a sport of the yellow-flowered 'Monte Carlo'. With short sturdy stems, it will withstand windy days in late … close together in masses, rather than in lines like soldiers. Like all tulips, 'Orca' is at best a short-lived perennial in the flower garden. Its lifespan can be extended if it is planted …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Bride Nippon spirea is so named for its abundant sprays of bridal white flowers produced in the most favored month for weddings. The genus Spiraea consists of small to medium sized flowering shrubs with a fine-textured twiggy mounding habit. The small simple … 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
… or more of direct sunlight per day is considered full sun. Partial sun is defined as three to six hours of direct sunlight. Dappled or filtered sunlight is generally found under deciduous trees and is especially noticeable under trees that are beginning to leaf out in the spring. When selecting plants based on light requirements, it's usually best not to rely exclusively on nursery tags for light requirements. Plant tags are frequently …
Type: Plant Info
… Best grown in peaty, fertile, well-drained but consistently moist soils in light shade. Tolerates full shade. Avoid full sun. Performs best in cool summer climates. Intolerant of drought. Propagate by division or seed. Site in …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… As Curator of Aquatics I work with the Assistant Ecologist, Lakes and the team of Aquatic Seasonals to maintain our lake systems and the 240+ native plant species that help stabilize our … Growing up in Chicago I relished the time being in parks and found it captivating when I’d get the rare opportunity to visit our local forest preserves. These short trips outside city …
Type: Staff bio
… Chartreuse young leaves with a wash of burgundy mature to a deep, rich burgundy color, matching the color of the burgundy seeds held well above the foliage. This ornamental cultivar of the agricultural millet grows best in full sun, well-drained soil, and warm temperatures. The wind-pollinated flowers attract …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Gitty Up Dahlia, introduced in 2012, is a novelty or anemone-type dahlia. The pincushion-like flowers have numerous crimson petals with orange tips, with a ring of … and can be planted when all danger of frost has passed. They can be started indoors in pots to achieve earlier blooming. They require at least eight hours of sun to be at their best. Dahlias are ot hardy in the Chicago area, and tubers must be dug, cleaned, and stored for …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
