Search

  • … Short Stop bluestar is a cultivar developed by Intrinsic Perennials in Illinois. It is notable for its purplish black stems and silvery blue flowers. Unlike most bluestars where the foliage continues to grow taller after blooming, this one stops growing up and remains short after blooming -- … clusters at the stem tips in late spring or early summer. The foliage ranges from threadlike to willow-like and looks attractive throughout the growing season with the bonus of good to
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … the willowy stems from spring into mid-summer. Use in containers and directly in flower beds for their eye-catching color and motion in even slight breezes. The flowers are very attractive to pollinator insects searching for nectar. …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … Related to the American  elder, 'Guincho Purple' is grown mainly for its bright leaves. This cultivar has dark green leaves, turning blackish purple and then red … pink-tinged flat umbels of flowers with purple stalks. This plant makes a nice shrub suitable for the wild border. …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … can take a bite out of this pleasurable pastime unless preventive strategies are taken to minimize problems.  West Nile virus is a disease that targets primarily birds, horses, and … ill. Chicago Botanic Garden Recommendations The following preventive steps can be taken to eliminate mosquitoes in gardens. Eliminate Areas of Standing Water  Efforts should be focused … can develop into larvae and then into adult mosquitoes in water that has been left standing for seven to ten days. Beginning in April until the first hard frost, weekly check your property, …
    Type: Plant Info
  • … Whirlwind is a medium to large (20 inches tall by 40 inches wide) hosta featuring white-centered green foliage. The … in the center change as the season progresses. Flowers in purple shades that are attractive to hummingbirds appear in mid to late summer. Hostas are shade tolerant, easy to grow, and … flowers held high above the foliage on long stalks called scapes, they are grown primarily for their foliage and neat habit. Hostas are actively hybridized for leaf color, size, shape, and …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … My work is focused on breeding novel ornamental cultivars that are well-suited for the harsh environmental conditions of the Upper Midwest, with a preference for native taxa. … chosen subjectively and made by hand, these methods are supplemented by chemical mutagenesis to introduce genetic and phenotypic variation into the program.  Promising accessions are studied … University in 2022 while studying hazelnut ( Corylus spp.).  I am excited for the opportunity to transition back to ornamental plants, as they are what originally drew me to plants in general. …
    Type: Staff bio
  • … 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 hops with boiling water was considered to make a good sedative. Today, these dried female flowers are a main ingredient in beer … Native to Europe and western Asia, Humulus lupulus is an attractive perennial vine suitable for Chicago-area gardens. During July, soft green conelike flowers known as strobiles emerge. …
    Type: Plant Info
  • … Q. I am tempted by the gorgeous azaleas available now in florist shops. Is it possible for me to plant them in my garden in spring? A. Although all azaleas are members of the … azaleas are particular hybrids well-suited as indoor plants since they are not hardy enough to withstand Chicago winters. But don't let that deter you! A fully budded indoor azalea plant …
    Type: Plant Info
  • … plant. It is a sport of Hosta sieboldiana 'Elegans.' Hostas are shade tolerant, easy to grow, and long lived. Although they produce flowers held high above the foliage on long stalks called scapes, they are grown primarily for their foliage and neat habit. Hostas are actively hybridized for leaf color, size, shape, and … are common, and new introductions abound. Hosta cultivars range in size from several inches to several feet; it may take 3 to 8 years for hostas to reach their full size. They all prefer …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … of funnel-shaped, purple-striped flowers on 18-inch scapes. Hostas are shade tolerant, easy to grow, and long lived. Although they produce flowers held high above the foliage on long stalks called scapes, they are grown primarily for their foliage and neat habit. Hostas are actively hybridized for leaf color, size, shape, and … are common; and new introductions abound. Hosta cultivars range in size from several inches to several feet; it may take 3 to 8 years for hostas to reach their full size. They all prefer …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant