… Iris histrioides 'George' is among the first of the very early spring flowers to come into bloom in the Chicago area. George is actually a hybrid between Iris reticulata and Iris histrioides and combines the early … for pollination of the flowers as the bees move from one flower to another. The genus name is derived from the Greek iris , a messenger from the gods who traveled to earth on a rainbow. …
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. Girald forsythia is a species from northwestern China. The plants in our collection came from the Morton Arboretum. The species is a shrub that grows to 9-12’ high. The leaves are quite different from the common border …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Magnolia Betty is notable for its vibrant reddish-purple blossoms and relatively small shrubby stature. It is one of the Little Girls series developed by the U.S. National Arboretum in 1962. Betty blooms … color, the Magnolia palette also includes white, yellow, and purples. Another dominant feature is a prominent fruiting body of small follicles forming a cone-like shape. The species range from …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… that emerge before the foliage on a slow-growing medium-sized tree with a pyramidal habit. It is a cross between Magnolia acuminata and M. denudata . It is hardy in both the heat and the cold of the Chicago region. Members of the genus Magnolia are … color, the Magnolia palette also includes white, yellows and purples. Another dominant feature is a prominent fruiting body of small follicles forming a cone-like shape. The species range from …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Jane magnolia is a hybrid developed as one of the Little Girls series at the National Arboretum. It is considered either a small tree or a large shrub. Jane's fragrant blooms are a striking … color, the Magnolia palette also includes white, yellows and purples. Another dominant feature is a prominent fruiting body of small follicles forming a cone-like shape. The species range from …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Ricki magnolia is one of the Little Girl series of hybrids developed by the U.S. National Arboretum in the 1950s. Its showy flowers are reddish purple. The group as a whole is characterized by good floral display and bloom timing somewhat later than the star magnolia, … color, the Magnolia palette also includes white, yellows and purples. Another dominant feature is a prominent fruiting body of small follicles forming a cone-like shape. The species range from …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… The pin oak is a native oak widely used for landscaping due to its pleasing habit, relatively fast growth … characteristics are uncommon for the oak genus. However, the pin oak prefers acidic soil and is intolerant of alkaline soil to the point of potentially severe chlorosis. In the generally … and branches that are drooping at the bottom of the tree and ascending at the top. Fall color is variable with shades of yellow, orange and red present all at the same time. The genus Quercus …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… 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
