… The red oak is one of the largest and most important timber trees. It can grow 2 feet per year, and attain a height and width of 60 to 75 feet. It is used in residential landscapes, on city streets, in parks and on golf courses. The acorns … grouse, nuthatch, blue jays, wild turkeys, squirrels, bears, deer, and raccoons. Fall color is inconsistent and varies from red to reddish-brown or sometimes yellow. The leaves of this oak …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… The bur oak is a native tree and broadly distributed throughout the Midwestern U.S. It is known to be tough and drought resistant -- and very large. While its size makes it impractical … for most home landscapes, its resilience makes it a good choice for urban parks. The bur oak is one of the signature trees of the savannas characteristic of Illinois prior to settlement. A …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… chlorophyll gives leaves their green appearance throughout the growing season. Chlorophyll is the only pigment involved in the process of photosynthesis — the absorption of light energy and its conversion to sugars, which are then converted into usable energy by plants. It is relatively unstable and degrades easily in sunlight or cool temperatures. The progressive … and become visible. Shorter Days The only constant factor influencing fall color year-to-year is shortening day length. Reduction in day length signals changes in specialized cells called the …
Type: Plant Info
… there are a few stars that shine more brightly than the rest. Perhaps the fairest of them all is the great white trillium, Trillium grandiflorum , a woodland wildflower beloved by … Also known as white wake-robin, snow trillium, trinity flower, or large-flowered trillium, it is easily recognizable by its waxy white flower with three petals and three sepals, blooming atop … swipe all the greenery from the root stalk, effectively killing the plant, since the rhizome is left with no means to produce food/energy for future growth. Gardeners interested in …
Type: Plant Info
… a stylish twist to indoor gardens. One plant able to make a stunning statement indoors or out is a symbol of holiday hospitality: the pineapple plant, Ananas comosus . Native to South … to the high levels necessary for good growth. Ananas A member of the bromeliad family, Ananas is a diverse group of more than 2,000 plants, most of which are tropical ephiphytes — plants that … Animal and bird droppings, along with fallen leaves, comprise the plant’s food, and rain water is captured by the plant’s vase-shaped leaves and central cup or cone. The arching spray of …
Type: Plant Info
… Hippeastrum 'Red Pearl' is an intense, deep velvety red cultivar of Amaryllis with a darker throat. A "new" variety, … direction of the greatest light so be sure the rotate the pot daily to ensure the flower stalk is more or less upright (staking is often needed). Once flowering is complete, continue to grow the bulb in a warm, bright …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Platanus x acerifolia 'Bloodgood' (London planetree) is a hybrid cross between American sycamore ( P. occidentalis ) and Oriental planetree ( P. … tolerance for urban pollution. City planting spread to America where this hybrid today is common in such distant locations as Brooklyn, New York and San Francisco, California. This … diameter typically ranges from 3-8 feet. The signature ornamental feature of this huge tree is its brown bark which exfoliates in irregular pieces to reveal creamy white inner bark. Mature …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Description: Although once only a summer visitor from the south, the northern cardinal is now a year-round resident of our area and can be found anywhere at the Garden. …
Type: Birding
… Description: This tiny, long-tailed bird is usually found in wooded areas of the Garden, where it occasionally builds its small …
Type: Birding
… Description: One of the earliest nesting species in our region, this grassland species is most often seen flying over in spring, but occasionally lands in the Dixon Prairie. …
Type: Birding
