… They belong to the Asteraceae family (previously known as the composite family: Compositae) and are perennials. It’s the annual sunflower— Helianthus annuus— that brightens the vegetable … cut flowers than they are for attracting pollinators. Some sunflowers were bred to be pollen-free so that the sticky yellow pollen won’t drop from a vase onto furniture or clothing. Bees visit pollen-free sunflowers because they offer nectar, but what they really want is pollen. That’s something …
Type: Blog
… Even when snow is falling and temperatures plummet, I’m working on my backyard vegetable garden. I might not be harvesting … okra) Be careful not to start the heat lovers outside until well after the average frost-free date for your area. In the Chicago area, the average frost-free date is about May 15. Tim Pollak says if you plant warm season crops on May 15, you should …
Type: Blog
… The flora of Madagascar is as different from the flora of Illinois as possible, and silver thicket is a real curiosity. The entire shrub is a mass of thorns. There are no leaves, just pale, frosty blue-green branches and twigs that have turned into sharp-pointed thorns. This makes the plants impervious to hot desert sun and grazers. It also makes it very difficult to repot. Flowers are small clusters of green buds, …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… covered in dainty, glossy opposite leaves that are sharply pointed. It has larger flowers and a more compact habit than the older varieties. The new leaves are red and become dark green with age. This glossy abelia produces terminal sprays of small, tubular, … tiny coral-pink calyxes continue to provide color. The foliage becomes burgundy in late fall and persists well into winter—it is evergreen in warmer climates. In the Chicago area, it should …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… covered in dainty, glossy opposite leaves that are sharply pointed. The new leaves are red and become dark green with age. This glossy abelia produces terminal sprays of small, tubular, … coral-pink calyxes continue to provide color. The foliage slowly becomes burgundy in late fall and persists well into winter. It is evergreen in warmer climates. Archived Copy: This content was captured before February 2022, and is no longer being updated. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… simple compared to most cultivated orchids. It has two large orange petals held horizontally and a smaller petal pointing upward. The lip has been modified into a pouch, giving rise to the common name "lady's slipper." Insects get trapped in the pouch, and end up pollinating the flower as they maneuver to escape. The genus Phragmipedium is native …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Douglas is especially taken with the variety of oaks at the Garden. The horticulturist points out the deep purple leaves on the English oak tree ( Quercus robur ‘ Purpurascens’) in the meadow east of the English Walled Garden, and the cutleaf emperor oak ( Quercus dentata var. pinnatifida ) growing near the road south of … ( Quercus × warei ‘Long’)—in the rainwater glen on the southeast corner of the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Plant Conservation Science Center—for smaller landscapes. He describes Regal …
Type: Blog
… enough force to heave the soil above ground. These botanical weightlifters—the bulbs, grasses, and other emergent plants—pushing up soil that was compressed by a blanket of snow never fail to impress me. I am in awe of the strength of plants. Daffodil leaves erupt from the ground and lift the mulch in the beds around the Regenstein Learning Campus. Seeing bulbs coming up all … kindergarten). I recommend doing it in the classroom or at home, just for fun. Here are a few points about the nature of science and how scientists work. Science is a collection of …
Type: Blog
… in green while the green petals are spotted with dark maroon as they transition to mauve (and hairs) near the tips. The pouch or cup is green and pink with dark green veins. The orchid family consists of a large number of genera, each with … of the flower, which consists of three petals surrounded by three sepals -- often in dramatic and contrasting colors and in a variety of shapes and sizes. Although some orchids are native to …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Chicagoland area—sometimes in the same week. In the meantime, the lawns are greening up, and the tulips, daffodils, winter aconites, and dwarf irises are blooming. In the past week, … blossoms—I’m keeping a cautious eye on the weather. Data collected by the National Weather Service ( NOAA.gov ) states that the “normal” April snowfall for the Chicago area is 1.3 inches. … Seeds of very hardy vegetables can be sown outdoors 4 to 6 weeks before the spring frost-free date. Try something new like kale, if you haven’t grown it before. This cold-tolerant …
Type: Plant Info
