… and bloom from late May into June. The flowers are followed by noticeable black pods. This is a valued and conspicuous plant of our native prairies. Its refined appearance makes it equally … home in formal gardens. Taxonomists have been revising the nomenclature of this genus, and it is also listed as Baptisia alba var. macrophylla and more recently Baptisia lactea . Members of … as wild or false indigo due to their use by early Americans as a blue dye. Although "indigo" is in the common name, the blooms of native species may be blue, yellow or white and the blooms …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Salix matsudana 'Golden Curls', or Snake Willow, is a lovely small willow tree with a weeping corkscrew growth habit. Although the trunk and … with snow are delightful. This tree, when leafless, looks amazing with garden lighting. This is a fast growing tree and will reach 20 feet high and wide with in a few years. It is a fun bit of living sculpture for a garden, but be sure to give it enough sun and space to …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… This plant is a type of willow tree that has stems that are bright green in the winter time, even when it … osier willow can grow to about sixteen feet tall and about eight feet wide but this tree is usually coppiced (cut back very severely in late winter) so that it stays at about six to … snow. Planting with red osier dogwoods and blue spruces would enhance this effect. This willow is also suitable for using as a living fence, where canes are planted a foot apart but at right …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… a flower, destined to spend eternity at the water’s edge nodding at his reflection. Spring is here when the daffodils bloom Who can possibly doubt that spring is among us when the tiny … 32,000 registered cultivars (named hybrids). Daffodils are divided into 13 divisions in an official classification system. But don’t worry—no need to memorize the divisions to be … may be short-lived because the light intensity and heat are increasing. If you can, select a site sheltered from winds out of the north and west, which can knock the plants over in spring. …
Type: Plant Info
… yourself back from buying every type you see on the shelf, you also know that this feeling is fleeting. Those beautiful colors and unusual varieties are in their prime now, when the hot … couldn’t pick a peck of them. You have to pickle them yourself. Luckily, pickling peppers is perfectly painless. Hot or not: Just how spicy do you want your peppers? Go ahead and take a … to a year! If the lid pops up and down, the jar didn’t seal and should go into the fridge for quick eating. Already perfected pepper pickling? Then make giardiniera! Use half the recipe above …
Type: Blog
… VeggieRx Manager, Windy City Harvest For Ketaurah James, her job is more than just a job: She grew up in North Lawndale, where Windy City Harvest’s Farm on Ogden … to provide them with fresh boxes of fruits and vegetables, and nutrition education, such as on-site demos. We distribute more than 15,000 VeggieRx boxes to more than 2,000 families annually. … plants that call our space home. In honor of The Orchid Show: Magnified , open through March 26, 2023, we chatted with one of the people who see the show through from vision to reality. …
Type: Blog
… and teachers by offering some simple ideas for studying plants. A no-brainer botany project is testing germination of radish seeds in different conditions. Radish seeds are easy to acquire, inexpensive, large enough to see and pick up with your fingers, and quick to germinate under normal conditions. Testing germination does not take weeks, doesn't require a lot of room, and is easy to measure—just count the seeds that sprout! To set up a seed germination experiment, use …
Type: Blog
… The most common tree in the Chicago area is from Europe—and that’s bad news for our native plants and animals. Introduced to the United … an area, almost nothing can grow under it. Photos by Jim Steffen and Matt Evans. Why buckthorn is bad for native plants and animals The plants and animals of our native woodlands, wetlands, … hinders the growth of other plants. The chemical can linger in the soil even after buckthorn is removed and can harm frogs and other amphibians. Seeding success – Buckthorn seeds have a high …
Type: Blog
… In a discussion of ivy, it is important to distinguish between English ivy, the trailing or vining plant form belonging to … ), the vine often found growing on brick houses, as well as Wrigley Field. English ivy is a truly versatile plant. It is used as a ground cover, in topiary displays, in hanging … and cigarette smoke. Ivy is easily propagated by cuttings taken in the fall. Rooting is quick when the cuttings are planted in a peat and sand mixture or a ready-mixed potting compost. …
Type: Plant Info
… Madame Dahlia, like her name, is a very stately dame; Her family is so polite, it is a joy to meet them, quite. —Elizabeth … varieties. Their perfect petal arrangement dazzles. The American Dahlia Society recognizes 14 official classes with names describing the flower form—including cactus, collarette, orchid, … Dahlia Demands Plants that produce such show-stopping flowers do have demands. A full-sun site is best, but some afternoon shade will be tolerated. Dahlias prefer rich soil, amended with …
Type: Plant Info
