… Iris sibirica ssp. elegantissima is pale yellow or cream colored with dark markings on the falls and stands 8 to 12 inches high. It is native to northeastern Turkey, northwestern Iran and Armenia. As a Siberian iris, it lacks the “beard” …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Pitcher's sage ( Salvia azurea var. grandilflora ) is a drought-hardy, humidity-proof native of the lower Midwest known for the pairs of blue flowers that open consecutively from late summer through fall. Native to thin nutrient-poor soils overlaying limestone, this plant can grow too tall and flop over if cultivated in richer soils. Cutting the total height of the plant back to half in midsummer has been used by some gardeners to reduce the incidence of this problem. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Jonesboro Giant ironweed is a form of a perennial plant that is native to the eastern parts of the US where it grows in … are consistently moist. It bears large bracts of smallish bright purple flowers in late summer to mid-fall providing an unusual pop of tall color in the late season. Jonesboro Giant grows to a …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Tea viburnum gets its common name because monks from its native China used the leaves to make a medicinal tea. It has a vase shaped habit and is noted for sparse foliage on the bottom portion of the plant. White flowers in May are followed … is soft red. Viburnums are a versatile genus of multi-stemmed shrubs that are well suited to the home landscape due to their range of sizes and cultural adaptability. Some viburnums are …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Native to Bolivia, red powderpuff ( Calliandra haematocephala ) is an evergreen shrub or small tree included in the legume or pea family, Fabaceae, and the mimosa subfamily (Mimosoideae). It typically grows 10 to 15 feet tall in its native habitat and is a very popular flowering shrub in central and …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Encore Coral Bells is a lovely pink and silver Heuchera villosa hybrid introduced by Thierry Delabroye of France in 2008. It matures to a 12 inches tall by 14 inches wide mound of medium sized pink and silver leaves. New leaves … emerge dark rose pink with a silver overlay and deep purple veins. The leaf color transforms to lighter pink shades, retaining the dark veins, and intensifying the silver cover, as the …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… The blooms are downfacing with reflexed petals which form Turk's caps. The stems stand 2 to 5 feet tall with whorled leaves and a loose inflorescence of 3-inch blooms on top. It is attractive to bees and hummingbirds. Lilium michiganense is a treasured wild flower native to prairie …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… BALMY PURPLE™ beebalm is derived from a north American native plant and grows to about 12 inches high and around 12 inches wide. It bears brilliant purplish red flowers from late spring to early summer. Its small size and neat habit makes it a great plant for the front of a border. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… winds howl and the temperatures plummet. Any day could bring a thick layer of snow. This is the season when our gardens sleep and gardeners dream of spring. Perusing seed catalogs in print or online provides inspiration—it's hard to resist photos of juicy red tomatoes, giant colorful zinnias, or a rainbow of Swiss chard … indoors while others, such as carrots and beans, are sown directly in the garden. Get Started To grow seeds indoors, you'll need a few bags of seed-starting or soilless potting mix, available …
Type: Plant Info
… Is it Spring or Winter? Flowers Wage Their Bets As if on cue, tiny green leaves peek out from the … it’s still winter? “Within the context of ‘reasonable conditions’ plants are generally able to detect real spring from a false start,” said Paul CaraDonna, Ph.D., a Chicago Botanic Garden conservation scientist. “It is important to keep in mind that plants have long dealt with variable and unpredictable environments. How …
Type: Blog