… monks. They attract a variety of butterflies and moths, and are the primary food source for Old World bees. Another common name, wolfbane, refers to the poison made from this plant's roots, which was used to tip hunting arrows. Medicinal (and poisonous) uses of this plant date back to Roman times. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… of woodlands in eastern and central North America, grows as an understory large shrub. In mid- to late October, clusters of fragrant flowers with four strap-like petals emerge. 'Champlin's … yellow, emerging from yellow-green calyxes. In the home landscape, it can attain heights of 15 to 20 feet and has an oval-rounded shape. The flowers are often hidden by the bright yellow fall … seeds. This underutilized ornamental native performs quite well in shady sites and is great for the naturalistic garden or a large shrub border. Common witch hazel is the last shrub to …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… At a height of 6 – 9 feet, Elizabeth hardy ginger is hard to miss. Her coral pink flowers give off the warm sweet scent of honeysuckle, luring both butterflies and those passing by to stop a moment. Hardy gingers originated in the Himalayas, but have since naturalized in … indoors, or dig up the tubers after our first frost, and store them in lightly dampened peat for next year. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Hellebores or Lenten roses are prized for their flowers which appear in late winter or early spring and are often the first flowers to appear in the Chicago garden. The foliage is leathery and dark green with finger-like … spring but are protected in hotter months. The entire plant contains chemicals that are toxic to humans but makes them unappealing to deer and other wildlife. Choose your site carefully as …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… and several stalks on each plant. The buds open in series, so a single plant will continue to bloom for 2 weeks or more. It is easy to grow and does well in full sun to part shade. Prairie Blue Eyes has been awarded the Award of …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Ginkgo 'Shangri-La' was patented by Willet N. Wandell in 1984. This cultivar was selected for its compact growth, a uniform arrangement of branches forming a full crown, and rapid growth. … smelly female Ginkgo fruit, and has the typical outstanding golden yellow fall color common to all Ginkgoes. The Shangri-La Ginkgo will mature to a 55 foot tall by 40 foot wide tree and will work well as a shade or street tree. It is one of …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… 'Ruby Red') is a slow-growing plant with a rambling growth habit. Individual plants can grow to 3 feet by 3 feet on this Madagascar native that may be extinct in the wild. Its 5- to 6-sided fleshy, thorny stems are adorned with short, oblong leaves. The flowers—yellow cyathia … a perfect addition to the desert garden. The name of this plant is from the Latin euphorbea for Euphorbus, a Greek physician in 1 C.E. who used the sap medicinally. The milky latex sap of …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… or twisting outward in unpredictable patterns. The whole tree arches over, but can be staked to be more upright. In its native habitat Douglas-fir, a native evergreen tree, has a strong … – they hang downward and each cone scale has a three-pointed bract. Douglas fir is native to the Rocky Mountains and along the Pacific Coast. In the Pacific coastal regions, it can attain heights of up to 250'. They are used for timber and are valued as Christmas trees because of their short needles with good retention. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… and a delightful fragrance. The flowers open light yellow and over time the cups gradually age to a light pink blush. This species will thrive in most of the soils found in the Chicago area in full sun or under the canopy of deciduous trees. In addition to Chicago winters, it is also very tolerant of the hot humid summers of the Deep South that … of chemicals within the sap can cause contact dermatitis in sensitive individuals. Great for planting near a sidewalk, door or window where the fragrance can be appreciated. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… green by midsummer when the white bottlebrush flowers are in bloom, and red and copper for the finale in autumn. At 3-feet by 3 feet, it's also smaller than most Rodgersias so it can fit your garden easily. In shady areas, Rodgersias give you a bold counterpoint to the delicate airy foliage common to so many woodland plants. The leaves of certain varieties can be 2 feet long, giving them the …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
