… Winter can be as easy or as hard on bugs as on humans, which is why after a fairly mild winter, some gardeners fear the worst. They imagine bugs coming out of their winter dormancy in record numbers: Japanese beetles, aphids, four-lined plant bugs, cucumber beetles, spongy … Both are small orange beetles with black spots—almost indistinguishable from one another. In late fall, many homes are invaded by the Asian ladybird looking for a place to spend the …
Type: Plant Info
… Mid- to end of August is the best time to seed bare areas of lawn, overseed thinning grass, or lay down sod. When seeding lawns, use grass seed appropriate to your site. The best choice for most lawns in northern Illinois is a mix of Kentucky blue grass, perennial rye, and fescue seeds. If seeding …
Type: Plant Info
… bloom up to three times each year with flowers lasting six to eight weeks. They grow best in bright light and should be watered when dry, typically about every five to seven days. The … number of genera, each with its own unique characteristics. A common characteristic, however, is the basic form of the flower, which consists of three petals surrounded by three sepals -- often in dramatic and contrasting colors and in a variety of shapes and sizes. Although some orchids …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… masses of bright orange flowers on a glossy leaved deciduous shrub that rarely gets over 2.5' in height. Best grown in full sun with moderate fertilization. This dwarf cultivar is grown almost exclusively as a landscape plant and can produce an attractive fall color. Fruit …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… The blackjack oak is native to the south-central and southeastern U.S. It has a scrubby and irregular habit and is more likely to be found in the wild in poor sandy soil than in nursery stock. Acorns mature biennially. The genus Quercus includes …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… The chinkapin oak is a native tree widely distributed in the south-central U.S. and often found in dry sites with alkaline soil. Acorns are produced annually. The chinkapin oak is also known …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Here in the North, we tend to think of bromeliads as somewhat rare and exotic. In Brazil, this one grows on trees. The most notable feature of Quesnelia marmorata , or Grecian urn, is its foliage. The tall, narrow leaves have mottled horizontal bands of green and white and …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Nymphaea 'Sulphurea Okechobee' is a hardy waterlily with large lemon yellow flowers that have long narrow petals. The leaves are … about 50 species Waterlilies are rhizomatous aquatic plants with about 50 species occurring in the wild, mostly found in the tropics of the Northern Hemisphere. They are characterized by round notched leaves that …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Whorled milkweed is the tiniest and cutest milkweed native to Illinois, although not as showy, with greenish-tinged white flowers. It grows in dry fields and along embankments and highways. It often pops up along the shore south of the … Garden. It can take drought but can’t compete with taller plants. Growing to about 1.5 feet in height, the leaves are linear and crowded in whorls or clusters along numerous upright stems. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Burbidgea scheizocheila , commonly known as golden brush ginger, is native to the island of Borneo and a member of the Zingiberaceae , or ginger, family. The showy golden flowers are held well above the dwarf foliage and are heavily produced in winter and summer. Despite the name having been published in the "Gardeners' Chronicle" in 1904, this beautiful plant did not make its way into widespread …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
