… sandy loams or gravelly clays, which provide good drainage. Hardy to 20 degrees Fahrenheit, it is an erect, spreading, multi-stemmed shrub or small tree that reaches 10 to 12 feet in height. Its dark gray bark is smooth and sometimes mottled with brown, with obscurely angled branchlets that soon become … (circular or cylindrical), with spreading, stiff, cream-colored hairs. The feathery foliage is pale green with cream-colored tips. Masses of bright yellow heads of ball-shaped flowers are …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… to slightly dry soils. Butterflies, bees, wasps, and moths all cover this plant when it is in full bloom—it is truly a pollinator magnet. A toxin (tremetol) found in this plant is responsible for "milk fever," a disease that was widespread across much of eastern and central …
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. Archived Copy: This content was captured before …
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. Archived Copy: This content was captured before …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… tall in late spring and early summer. Each spike can carry between 20 and 80 flowers. It is one of the few North American native bulbs that are widely available for gardeners to plant … but not long-lasting, and foliage goes dormant during late summer. The genus name Camassia is derived from a Native American name for this group of plants, "quamash." All five species in … However, unless the bulbs are prepared according to a narrow set of guidelines, their flavor is at best tolerable. Archived Copy: This content was captured before February 2022, and is no …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Cream-edge Tatarian dogwood is so called because of the creamy margins on its grayish green foliage. In other respects, Cornus alba 'Argenteo-marginata' is typical of the species, which is notable for stunning red stems on younger shoots in the winter. Members of the genus Cornus , …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Pale dogwood is also known as swamp dogwood due to its natural affinity for soggy soil. It is a multi-stemmed shrub that bears small white flowers followed by bluish white fruit. It is best suited to damp, naturalized areas. Members of the genus Cornus , commonly known as …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… their price makes augmenting the plantings every three to four years affordable. Crocus vernus is one of the largest of the crocus species and is native to southern and eastern Europe. Long a favorite of Dutch hybridizers, this bloodline is found in many of the modern larger-flowered cultivars. This cultivar was hybridized in the …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… poor soils and varying moisture, but the flower buds may be tender on older cultivars. Pruning is best done immediately after flowering, giving new growth time to form flower buds. Never shear … into “green meatballs”, as their natural shapes are graceful enough. Forsythia ‘Northern Gold’ is a modern hybrid selected for reliable bud hardiness to -30 degrees F. It has a rounded shape with a maximum height of about 8 feet. This Canadian cultivar is a hybrid of Forsythia x intermedia and Forsythia ovata . Archived Copy: This content was …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
