… Mexican sunflower is a large annual in the aster family that produces daisy-like flowers from summer until a hard frost. 'Goldfinger' has yellow-orange flowers and is shorter and more compact than the species, at about 3 feet tall. Each flower is about 3 inches across, with a ring of petals surrounding an orange disk. The plants have …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… fading to a lighter yellow on Prairie Harvest Buck shrub rose ( Rosa 'Prairie Harvest'). This is another of the Buck shrub roses bred in Iowa specifically to survive the harsh winter climate of the Midwest. Its disease-resistant foliage is glossy and deep green in color. Root hardy to USDA Zone 4, it is a reliable selection for the Chicago area. 'Prairie Harvest' is not a grafted rose but is …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… or more weeds (like ragweed and nutsedge) than usual, you’re not alone. Although spring is a popular time for lawn renovation, fall is even better. Summer’s heat and drought have ended and the cooler temperatures and warm sun and soil help grass seed germinate quickly. This is a good time to assess your carpet of green. Common Lawn Problems Brown patches and ring …
Type: Plant Info
… Blue ginger ( Dichorisandra thyrsiflora ), a member of the Commelinaceae family, is a tropical plant that resembles ginger in growth and habit but is actually related to the spiderworts (genus Tradescantia ). This striking plant is native to the tropical woodlands of North, Central, and South America, especially in the …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Lanceleaf coreopsis is a compact plant that grows up to 2 feet tall and is useful in the perennial garden. Larger than some other coreopsis flowers, the lanceleaf produces 2-inch-diameter yellow blooms in early summer. This species is a sun-loving native to our Illinois prairies. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… This is a tall buckeye (over 90 feet). It is also known as Aesculus x glaucescens . It blooms in May-June with panicles of yellow flowers. This is another buckeye that will hold onto its foliage into the fall and provide a beautiful display …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Traditionally shaped bracts in creamy white is a classic for the holiday season on this cultivar with thinner stems, which is ideal for smaller containers or in hanging baskets. This poinsettia is noted for having prominent yellow Cyathea (real flowers) in the center of the bracts. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Prince of Wales juniper is a low-growing, creeping evergreen shrub that reaches about 6 inches in height with full sun and dry moisture conditions. It is non-flowering, but it occasionally produces berry-like seed cones. This deer-resistant juniper is grown primarily as a ground cover. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… poor soils and varying moisture, but the flower buds may be tender on older cultivars. Pruning is best done immediately after flowering, giving new growth time to form flower buds. Never shear … as their natural shapes are graceful enough. Forsythia suspensa , weeping forsythia, is a native of China and is grown for its long, cascading branches, which will root at the nodes. The form usually sold is …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… cultivar from a chance seedling in Australia in the 19th century. This distinctive green apple is notable for its crisp texture and tart taste. Its long keeping capacity enables it to be available almost year round. The difference between apples and crabapples is the size of the fruit. If the fruit is 2 inches or greater, it is considered an apple; if less than 2 inches, it is considered a …
Type: Garden Guide Plant