… by chefs and shoppers alike, and the world's thousands of pepper varieties are making their way into everything from cocktails to chocolates. It's been awhile since parsnips have enjoyed that kind of popularity. In this … Germination can be slow—for some varieties, up to three weeks! Parsnips want warm soil to get started, yet their 120-day growing period (before cold sets in) demands that gardeners in our …
Type: Plant Info
… has an upright habit and approaches the size of a small tree. White flowers in May give way to red to black fruits; fall foliage is burgundy. Viburnums are a versatile genus of … home landscape due to their range of sizes and cultural adaptability. Some viburnums are noted for their fragrant flowers; most bear small fruit that may add visual interest. Many viburnums …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Aloe 'Blue elf' is hardy dwarf succulent in zones 9-11, in the Chicago area it would need to be taken inside during the winter. It is drought tolerant and happy in full sun. This cultivar is noted for its attractive linear gray green leaves that change color with sun exposure. In less than full sun they will be blue green, in sun you will get pink highlights. Its attractive spike like inflorescence of coral flowers is very attractive …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Winterberries are deciduous hollies native to eastern North America. The leaves are small, simple and finely toothed. During the winter … red berries that are attractive to birds. Southern Gentleman is male pollinator, required for females to produce fruit and is the recommended pollinator for the Winter Red and Winter Gold … tall and wide, it bears inconspicuous white flowers in June. Prune in spring for shape. While best suited to moist sites with morning sun and afternoon shade, it grows well in moderate soils …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… The large, glossy leaves are irregularly divided into three or more lobes. It's a great plant for the back of flower beds in full sun. Water it well the first year to get the root system established, and thereafter only during periods of extreme drought. This …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… bush ( Buddleja davidii 'Blue Chip'), a half-hardy shrub. (Its top is frequently killed to the ground in Chicago-area gardens.) Butterflies, hummingbirds, and honey bees are all attracted to the honey-scented flowers. Deer and rabbits, however, don't care for the taste of the leaves or stems. This cultivar is noted for producing very few viable seeds, … sometimes reseed into natural areas. Plant in full sun and water it well the first year to get the root system well established. Thereafter, it rarely needs supplemental watering. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… At the Chicago Botanic Garden, our staff community is working on being intentional in the way we do our work. In September 2022, we introduced a new set of values: growth, understanding, … and trust and transparency. These values guide the work of our community and are our day-to-day actions that tie together everything we do. This new set of values prompted many questions … in conversation across the organization about our strengths, where there are opportunities for improvement, and our vision for the future of the organization. In these conversations, we …
Type: Blog
… Rudbeckia maxima has attractive oval, blue-green basal leaves that can be up to 18 inches long. The flower stalks rise high above the mounded foliage and are covered with … with black centers. Because this plant, which grows 5 to 6 feet tall, is bold-textured, it is best used mid-border because the leaves are low and the plant is see-through. It provides late color in the garden. A massive plant best for naturalistic plantings. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Heuchera richardsonii var. grayana or Prairie Alumroot, is native to the Midwest; found in Illinois, Missouri and the adjacent states. It is a variety of the … It differs in a few small measurable ways from the species, and is currently considered to be the same as the species. The flowers are a bit smaller, more pubescent and petals are, in addition to being glandular, are also minutely papillose. The stamens longer and the capsules more …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… reveals pinkish colored young bark beneath. Some of the Canadian First Peoples used the wood for snowshoes. Adapted to acidic very moist soils. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
