… A red base to the flower transitions to orange and yellow in the mid- and outer sections of flower as it opens up. This Darwin Hybrid produces large … flowers with thick texture on strong stems and is noted for its ability to become a perennial in the garden. Plant in full sun, moderately fertile but well-drained soils that dry during dormancy. A frequently …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Named after an American physician, Culver’s root is a native American perennial that grows in forests, meadows, and prairies throughout the Midwest. ‘Album’ grows to 4 feet tall and … on strong upright stems. Smaller branching lateral spikes create a candelabra-like effect when in full bloom. Easy to grow but slow to establish, ‘Album’ prefers moist to wet, well-drained soil in full sun. A good background plant in the perennial bed, it is attractive to butterflies. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… leaves that to some resemble a bird's foot. It forms a very small clump of less than 6” in height and about 6” in width. It blooms in early spring with either bicolored (upper petals dark purple and lower ones light blue) or …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… This orchid has spidery-shaped flowers that feature green petals heavily barred in black surrounding the yellow lip with an intricate red pattern. This complex hybrid allows … orchids whose parents require cool moist humid environments year round. Other species in the ancestry allow this cultivar to grow in bright light, relatively high humidity with good air movement, and exceptionally well- drained …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… A smart gardener's secret ingredient at the holidays Vegetables fall in and out of favor over time. Fifty years ago, iceberg was often the only lettuce found at … cocktails to chocolates. It's been awhile since parsnips have enjoyed that kind of popularity. In this month's Smart Gardener , we shine the spotlight on this old-fashioned but tasty vegetable that deserves more space in Chicago-area gardens. History records the common parsnip, Pastinaca sativa , as popular in …
Type: Plant Info
… you can shear your arborvitae, if necessary. Junipers can be tip-pruned instead of sheared in order to maximize their feathery qualities. Most dwarf conifers require very little, if any, pruning and definitely no shearing. Boxwood and yew hedges can be pruned in March unless they have suffered from winter dieback or winter burn. In that case, wait until the new growth comes in and then prune out all browned branches. They …
Type: Plant Info
… to change the soil or repot them first? A. Most plants do not appreciate being repotted in early fall. This chore is best done in spring right before a plant begins its new growth. If your patio plants are insect- and disease-free and have thrived in whatever pot and mix they are in, let them stay this way throughout winter. You can repot them …
Type: Plant Info
… has made a dozen field trips to Brazil to study the country’s sizable inventory of species in the Amaryllis family—his main taxonomic specialty. This talk explores the highlights of these … half of Brazil, with special emphasis on two amaryllid genera found only from Pernambuco state in the northeastern region to northern São Paulo state in the southeast—two of only three genera in the family that express blue flower color. We will …
Type: Event for Calendar
… Beautiful five-to-nine-lobed leaves emerge early. The plant grows 5 feet in 10 years. Use this Japanese maple as a specimen plant or train it as a bonsai. May and June bring small reddish-purple flowers. The samaras, or winged fruits, mature in fall and turn a rich red. Fall color is outstanding, ranging from yellow to red to purple. This lovely small tree, native to the Far East, can be grown only in very protected areas if you live in Zone 5. It is an exceptional small ornamental maple. The …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… or bugbane family is particularly prized for it remarkably dark purple, almost black foliage. In late summer, bugbanes develop tall flower spires with heavily scented flowers that are repellent (or a bane) to bugs. In fact, in earlier times, they were used to repel bed bugs. 'Hillside Black Beauty' is a shade-loving …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
