… food they eat. Regal fritillary butterflies once lived in a world of endless prairies filled with violets ( Viola species) for their caterpillars. Now, they find themselves in small … and farmland. Their future largely depends on our ability to restore the prairies they evolved with—but in countless prairie restorations, the violets are missing. And it’s not just violets. … carefully planned and managed restorations, many native plant species fail, leaving prairies with fewer species and fewer relationships. “A diverse prairie restoration is more resilient to …
Type: Blog
… the Chicago Botanic Garden. Photo by Jeremie Fant. While last seen in the wild a decade ago, with just one plant clinging to a wind-swept sea cliff on a Hawaiian island, alula is still seen … decades of living at botanic gardens, alula needed another rescue. Garden scientists worked with students from the Research Experiences for Undergraduates program and the Graduate Program … in living collections when exchanging materials,” said Fant. “It dawned on me that the issues with Brighamia [alula] really fit into what the zoos are doing.” NTBG staff established two …
Type: Blog
… a built-in genetic code that is responsible for their intense fall color displays. But even with these genes in place, trees and shrubs need ideal weather conditions to show off their best … known as photosynthesis. As daylight decreases, so does the manufacture of chlorophyll. With less green present, the two yellow-to-orange pigments, carotin and xanthophyll, begin to …
Type: Plant Info
… working in the city. It occurs when the sun rises and sets perfectly framed between buildings, with unobstructed views along east-west streets. And it happens only twice a year— at the spring … day, as I learned my way around, I kept an eye out for a spot where the rising sun might align with the landscape—somewhere symmetrical, somewhere the sun could frame itself naturally, the way …
Type: Blog
… of the native false indigo plant. It is a large, upright perennial that produces flower spikes with numerous dark purplish blue pea-like flowers in spring. Pollinators such as birds, bees and … from two to five feet. Baptisia are considered easy-to-grow, sun-loving, long-lived perennials with very good drought tolerance once established. Baptisia are native to North America; there …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… 2–3 p.m. Alsdorf Auditorium, Regenstein Center Free Learn about South American butterflies with Doug Taron , Chief Curator of the Chicago Academy of Sciences, Peggy Notebaert Nature …
Type: Event for Calendar
… A. Many insects and diseases attack plants within the same family. If you have had problems with a particular pest or disease, try planting vegetables from another family in that section of …
Type: Plant Info
… has stopped, can enhance winter color, enhance turf root growth, and supply next spring’s lawn with nitrogen early in the season. As a general rule, never apply more than one pound of …
Type: Plant Info
… If cutting the blue salvia back leaves gaps in your planting bed, consider filling the spaces with annual salvia. Leggy growth may also be an indication that the plants need to be to be …
Type: Plant Info
… 1 to 2 inches of leaf and/or flower buds are visible, we recommend covering the immediate area with a dry, lightweight mulch such as shredded dry leaves, straw, or sawdust. Once the danger of …
Type: Plant Info
