… One of the most delightful and perhaps underused smaller trees is the native American pawpaw ( Asimina triloba ). Large, dangling leaves give the plant a tropical look. But it’s the fruit—the largest in North America—that is most noteworthy with its almost indescribable flavor—a mix of banana, apple and hints of … trees. Several midwestern states hold Paw Paw Festivals in late summer. The native range is incredible—it’s found across 25 states. In its native habitat, pawpaw is an understory tree …
Type: Plant Info
… the Netherlands, where tulips were introduced in the sixteenth century. The environment there is ideal for growing tulips. It’s mostly surrounded by sea, and has well-drained soil, long days, … how a new variety will perform in the landscape over the long term. It’s often a tradeoff: To get gorgeous flowers, they sacrifice vigor. T. kaufmanniana T. clusiana ‘Lady Jane’ ' T. … temperature. You can’t do anything about those freak 90-degree-Fahrenheit days. And you can’t get a tulip to rebloom by deadheading it. The bulb doesn’t have enough energy to bloom a second …
Type: Blog
… sprout with a few ferny leaves. Now this sprawling monster, barely contained by its cage, is overwhelming you with tomatoes. What are you to do with them all? Or with the rampant zucchini … your front porch. Never fear. There are many options for coping with the harvest. One option is to donate surplus produce to food pantries or homeless shelters, as the Garden's Windy City … if you actually want more vegetables and herbs? With most, the more you pick, the more you'll get, until the plant is slowed down by dropping temperatures and shorter days or has simply run …
Type: Plant Info
… orchid looks like in the Tropical Greenhouse at the Chicago Botanic Garden —but the rotation is so slow that you won’t be able to see the buds move in real time. We’ll have two comet orchids … rotation. Most orchids rotate 180 degrees in a process called resupination or, if you want to get technical, “blooming upside down.” The fancy petal known as the lip usually faces up. When … sunlight, which may also help catch the attention of insects. Here, the “lip” of the orchid is the dark purple-ish part. One good turn deserves another Orchids are best known for this feat, …
Type: Blog
… like ours where fires were natural and many species require fire to survive, burning regularly is critical to the health of our natural areas.” That’s because periodic fires—ignited by … with so much working against them,” said Jim Jabcon, prairie ecologist at the Garden. Fire is an effective tool for keeping natural areas healthy because, over time, the cycle of burning, … and are rapidly declining. Our work shows that it’s worthwhile to burn smaller remnants, you get a big bang for your buck.” The Echinacea Project team—which includes scientists, students, …
Type: Blog
… with Little Bulbs Their basic requirements are just like a daffodil's: plant in fall, so they get a good winter's chill; sun; and fertile, well-drained soil. Some can tolerate more shade than … to bloom earlier, before the trees leaf out. They need moisture to bloom, but they usually get it in a Chicago spring. With their light texture, little bulbs can romp charmingly between … many years. Challenges In the erratic midwestern climate, the biggest danger to all bulbs is a treacherous thaw in mid- or late winter that tricks them into blooming too early. Not every …
Type: Plant Info
… As days get shorter in fall, the diminishing hours of sunlight trigger processes that turn summer-green … 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 …
Type: Plant Info
… seem to be entering areas with piles of dirt along our walkway. What are they and how do we get rid of them? A.The large wasps you’re seeing are called cicada killer wasps ( Sphecius … Females build burrows underground, displacing 6 to 8 inches of soil. Burrow entrances may be 1 to 1 ½ inches in diameter. Each female creates her own hole in loose, well-drained soil or sand … They are short-lived adults, living one to two months after emerging. One new generation is produced per year. Both males and females feed on tree sap and flower nectar. Female wasps …
Type: Plant Info
… studies have shown that eating local honey might help alleviate allergy symptoms—and honey is known to have medicinal benefits ranging from reducing inflammation to antimicrobial … Greece to the Mayan civilization, and beekeeping has a long and fascinating history . Iris is learning her beekeeping skills from Fred Daniels, site coordinator at Windy City Harvest’s Rodeo Farm, who has been beekeeping since 2012. Rodeo …
Type: Blog
… from the bottom up. All roses, young and old, want to be open at ground level—the better to get a good dose of sunshine. An overgrown rose is thick and congested at ground level, which results in lots of fuzzy tip growth instead of … Know your rose Our most frequently asked rose question ("My rose only bloomed once. How do I get it to bloom again?") has its origin in the fact that there are two basic kinds of roses: …
Type: Plant Info
