… The second best time is now.” ―Chinese proverb Warm, sunny days and cool nights have ushered in autumn. Before you put away the shovel and gloves, there’s still time to plant trees. Many … the Garden’s senior director of horticulture. “Any tree that is above ground—typically dug in spring, late summer, or early fall—is fine for planting from my perspective.” Planting now allows trees and shrubs time to establish good root systems before the soil freezes in winter. Tree roots continue slow growth even when the soil temperature dips to 45 degrees …
Type: Plant Info
… along the paths, you begin to sense something otherworldly below the surface, a subtle shift in the air that sends a shiver down your spine. The sun-dappled trees seem to whisper secrets to each other, their leaves rustling in an eerie symphony. However the wind carries with it a freezing cold gust that cuts through … tap on your shoulder startles you, and you whirl around, heart racing. Yet, there's no one in sight. The tap is a whisper of Kodama's presence. Then, there are moments when the air seems …
Type: Blog
… Millions of seeds sit frozen in a vault at the Chicago Botanic Garden, waiting to prevent an extinction, support habitat … former seed bank manager at the Chicago Botanic Garden, files a new collection of seeds in the Dixon National Tallgrass Prairie Seed Bank. The Garden’s Dixon National Tallgrass Prairie … million+ seeds stored 1,800+ native plant species preserved -20°C storage temperature Founded in 2003 as a partner in the Millennium Seed Bank Project , the Seed Bank accepts seeds from …
Type: Research
… see growing along our roadside ditches? It’s called common reed ( Phragmites australis ), and in recent years this highly invasive plant has spread through the Chicago region at an alarming … and alters nutrient cycling. Looks can be deceiving—the common reed appears innocuous enough; in fact, to the naked eye, it is almost identical to native Phragmites that have been part of the North American landscape for some 40,000 years. Native Americans in the southwest used the fibrous native plant in woven mats, musical instruments, and weapons. …
Type: Plant Info
… up images of the famous prison, perched on a rocky scrap of land weathering the elements in San Francisco Bay, of Al Capone and the Birdman. But for the past 150 years there have also been gardens on the island. In 2003 the Garden Conservancy, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, and the National Park … volunteers plant and prune, compost and weed. This makes 2013 a significant milestone in the history of Alcatraz. It is the ten-year anniversary of this collaboration to resurrect, …
Type: Event for Calendar
… the outer canopy distinguishes the fall webworm from the eastern tent caterpillar, which nests in webs in the crotches of trees. Timing & Life Cycle Webworms spend the winter as pupae in leaf litter and loose bark. In late May and June, the adult moths lay their eggs, usually on …
Type: Plant Info
… Short Stop bluestar is a cultivar developed by Intrinsic Perennials in Illinois. It is notable for its purplish black stems and silvery blue flowers. Unlike most … of the genus Amsonia are commonly known as bluestars for the abundant small blue flowers borne in clusters at the stem tips in late spring or early summer. The foliage ranges from threadlike to willow-like and looks …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… to the central and eastern regions of North America. It features masses of white flowers in September and October. The 2' to 3' plants are frequently swarmed by a number of species of … boneset, thoroughwort, agueweed, Indian sage, and feverwort, and it has a documented history in Native American and European medicinal practice prior to the creation of antibiotics during World War II. It was used in a range of folk remedies, from treating snakebite and epilepsy to regulating mentrual cycles, …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… As like 'Jade Butterflies', its fan shaped leaves are said to resemble green butterflies, but in this case, green and white. It is a male clone, which will not produce the distinctive smelly … requiring a smaller tree. 'Majestic Butterflies' will slowly mature to a 6 foot tall tree in 10 years. It is a vase shaped, multi-stemmed, dwarf form. The Ginkgo is an ancient deciduous … a maidenhair fern frond. It is one of the most pollution-tolerant trees and works well in the city. Insignificant green flowers appear in the spring. Ginkgo has wonderful yellow fall …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Magic lily ( Lycoris squamigera ) is a "pass-along" plant with a long history of cultivation in the United States. Originally a native of China, this sterile triploid produces no viable … lilies" or "naked ladies"—the latter common name referring to the habit of the plant to flower in fall, well after the leaves have died down, bursting as a leafless flower stalk from the soil, …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
