… most effective precyclers and decomposers . Without them, we would be buried miles deep in dead leaves and logs. Other fungi are plant pathogens . In large forests that extend miles, older trees die to make way for new trees—it is a natural … for fungus root). Neither plant nor fungus can survive without the other. Trees provide energy in the form of sugars to fungi. In exchange, fungi, with huge underground networks (the …
Type: Plant Info
… warm-colored hues. Amber browns, golden yellows, and blazing reds cover many natural areas in the Midwest, including the Chicago Botanic Garden. It’s all thanks to fall’s shorter days and … to know and love? This season, we’ve seen high temperatures upward of 80 degrees Fahrenheit in early October in the Chicago area and droughts happening across the country. Those kinds of changes have an …
Type: Blog
… In general, gardeners are game folks—always ready to grow a new seed, experiment with an unusual … gardening ventures that can give pause to even experienced midwestern gardeners. This month in Smart Gardener, we dive into one of them: the watery world of waterlilies. Nymphaea is the … rather than submersed plants; the latter live fully underwater, while waterlilies are rooted in underwater rhizomes that send long, flexible stems (called petioles) up toward the light. They …
Type: Plant Info
… Raspberries ( Rubus idaeus ) Raspberry bushes are either summer-bearing or everbearing. Even in Chicago, where the temperature can drop to minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit, these shrubs are still … gardeners choose them because they are guaranteed to attract birds. Raspberries ripen in mid- to late June in northern Illinois. They like a pH of 5.5 to 6.5 and full sun, and are grown in rows with at …
Type: Plant Info
… The storage of pollen allows us to make selected crosses to improve the genetics of plants in collections and help with in situ work down the line. …
Type: Staff bio
… The orange flowers are semi-double, measuring 1 ½ inches wide and facing upward. Plant it in full sun to partial shade. It is hardy in zones 4- 8. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… green to blue green color barrel color and flowers that range from white to light pink. Grow in full sun, well drained soils and reduce watering in winter. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… was developed for greater longevity under the low light and dry atmospheric conditions found in most homes in the winter months. Its creamy white bracts provide a striking alternative to the traditional …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… This semi-woody plant, a "dieback shrub," grows quickly to 3 to 6 feet in full sun and well drained soil. It has bluish-green, trifoliate, clover-like leaves. Its branches arch gracefully and are loaded with rosy-purple, pea-like flowers in August and September. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… conditions. It has orange, yellow, and white blooms that attract birds and butterflies in March and April. It belongs in a border and is also resistant to deer. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
