… botanist shouts “Eureka!” in a forest, can you hear it? Well, that’s exactly what happened—so to speak—when a team of botanists rediscovered the pink lady’s slipper ( Cypripedium acaule ), a … Fessler, coordinator of the northwest Illinois region for Plants of Concern, said, “This is really like uncovering a Holy Grail for Illinois botany. It’s a charismatic, beautiful plant. … invasive brush and add prescribed fire to improve and expand the orchid’s habitat at the site. Additional protective measures include regular monitoring and health assessments. A week …
Type: Blog
… species that affect the Chicago area today. Although invasive species are almost always new to an area, it’s not a plant or animal’s origin that makes them invasive—it’s their impact. … damage entire landscapes. Introduced as a food source, garlic mustard ( Alliaria petiolata ) is now invasive in woodlands in the Chicago area and beyond. Most of the plants and animals that people deliberately or accidentally move to new locations don’t cause major problems, but the ones that do can threaten water and food …
Type: Blog
… and engineering practices and STEM. Examine systems and system models as you learn what is required to grow plants in water. Build a simple hydroponic planter to take back to the classroom using inexpensive, easy-to-get materials. We’ll provide tips for …
Type: Item Detail
… This petite, blue, cool season grass is a wonderful complement to both Festuca and Helictotrichon, falling between the two in height. It forms an 8” tall, thick clump of spiky textured, narrow, grey-blue to blue-green leaves that are nice and soft to the touch. Like Festuca, its flowers are held in …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Hibiscus laevis has pink to almost white flowers with a maroon or purple eye and 5 overlapping petals. The flowers are produced all along the stem from the bottom to the top and measure up to 6 inches across. The plant stands 4 to 6 feet tall, blooming in mid summer until fall, although each flower lasts only one day. Hibiscus laevis is native to the United States and Canada. It grows in Illinois in wet areas such as marshes and …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… has giant bicolored red and white flowers with pink streaks. The huge flowers are 10 to 12 inches across and are often called dinner plates. 'Snowflame' stands 3-5 ft tall and blooms from mid summer to fall. It is attractive to hummingbirds while resistant to deer. The name Hibiscus came from the Greek word …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Large heads of blue-mauve flowers (the closest to true blue in the species) perfume the surrounding landscape with the sweet scent of garden phlox from July to October. This plant is highly attractive to pollinating insects and hummingbirds but prone to powdery mildew on the …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… New! Have you wanted to grow vegetables, herbs, and fruits, but don’t have the space? Container gardening allows us to plant where there is no earth. A deck, patio, or balcony can become a lovely space for growing food. In this class, …
Type: Item Detail
… Licorice-scented sweet flag is native to Japan and East Asia and loves a wet environment. It has shiny, curved, narrow leaves that are a greenish yellow color and fragrant. The yellow flowers bloom from July to September. This plant grows to 18 inches in height and forms a tuft about 9 inches in …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Native to the southeastern United States, trumpet honeysuckle is a woody perennial vine that will twine up a trellis, wall, or fence and grows up to 18 feet. From May to October it produces funnel-shaped flowers that are bright red on the …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
