… plant. Its flowers, which are tiny and purplish-red, are produced in April. Fullmoon maple is a relative of the Japanese maple and has performed well in the harsh climate of northern Illinois. It prefers dappled light in average, evenly moist, well- drained soil. This is a beautiful small specimen tree. It is noted for having large shallowly lobed leaves (to 6" across) with coarsely toothed margins. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Sweet flag is a wetland species in the arum family resembling cattails or sweet flag iris, with narrow, … up to three feet tall. The leaves have ridges and the bases have a red tinge. The flower is a curious little yellow-green spike (called a “spadix”). It shoots out at an angle from a stem … have been used in folk medicine. Muskrats are fond of eating the rhizomes. While the species is found in wetlands all over the northern hemisphere, there are different genetic strains, and …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Hardy kiwi vine 'Cordifolia' is female, and that's important to know if you want to grow it for the fruit as well as the … September with deliciously sweet, smooth-skinned fruit about the size of a grape. 'Cordifolia' is a New Zealand cultivar whose family is native to Chinese mountains and forests. It's hardy to -35, so you can be confident Chicago …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Mona Lisa™wine shades ( Anemone coronaria 'PAS1863') is commonly called a poppy anemone. Native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean, this showy, … compared with many other cool cut-flower greenhouse crops such as carnations, this anemone is less labor intensive and doesn't require staking, netting, or disbudding. It is also well-suited to greenhouse or field production. This beautiful plant provides texture and …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… 'Jersey Knight' is a high-yielding variety that can grow in heavier soils. Asparagus is a hardy perennial with thick, succulent shoots that are harvested in April to early May, … and many minerals. It needs to be planted in well-drained soil, with careful selection of the site, considering that it will continue to grow for 15 to 20 years. It also makes an attractive …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… 'Mary Washington' is an heirloom variety with rust-resistant, uniform stalks. Asparagus is a hardy perennial with thick, succulent shoots that are harvested in April to early May, … and many minerals. It needs to be planted in well-drained soil, with careful selection of the site, considering that it will continue to grow for 15 to 20 years. It also makes an attractive …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Leslie Japanese crested bird's nest fern is a large epiphytic or terrestrial plant that has wide strappy fronds that roll out from the … but not wet growing medium. If growing in soil allow to dry out between watering. This fern is exceptionally tender and must be overwintered in a location that has bright indirect light and is warm but not drafty. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… to South America, Barbara Karst paper flower ( Bougainvillea × buttiana 'Barbara Karst') is a strong, upright-growing, woody tropical vine that features abundant masses of deep magenta … are the result of the three bracts that surround each cluster of flowers. In their middle is the actual slim, yellow, tubular flower that usually lasts for only a few days—unlike the … window for continual bloom. It can reach a height of 20 feet and a width of 4 to 6 feet and is hardy in USDA Zones 9 to 11. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Callicarpa dichotoma 'Early Amethyst', commonly known as purple beautyberry, is a member of the Verbenaceae (verbena) plant family originally from Japan and China. This species is known for exquisite clumps of purple berries at each node along the stem in fall. The cultivar … growing seasons—like Chicago—to enjoy the bright, shiny, purple berries. The genus Callicarpa is derived from the Greek kallos (beauty) and karpos (berry). There are 140 species of …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… states, it blooms on new growth, so do not prune until after flowering. The Chicago area is a little north of its native range, so some winter damage may occur, but will not affect flowering on new growth. The genus Calycanthus is separated into its own family, with its nearest relatives in the laurel family, which includes cinnamon and sassafras. The fruit is a hard oblong capsule shaped like a fig. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
