… Lynnaun Johnson, whose work in our doctoral program in Plant Biology and Conservation took him to Mexico, the native land of edible vanilla. Last April, I ventured to Mexico as part of an … said he knew what his plants needed and thought growing his vanilla on concrete blocks was the best method. At another farm, the farmer brought decaying wood from a neighboring forest and used … and hard. At the farms that were in the forest, the soil appeared rich and softer. There is no way to quantify the terrestrial root growth, but I did note that the roots in the organic farms …
Type: Blog
… with thousands of kids from varied backgrounds, from the preK crowd through teenagers (not to mention my own children). They all seem to love the same thing — creating a place of their … seeds in paper cups, make a label with a popsicle stick, and seeing what comes up may be the best way to begin. Take a walk in your neighborhood and look at different plants. Draw pictures or …
Type: Plant Info
… This double early tulip features intensely colored orange flowers that age to tangerine. Introduced in 2003, this is a sport of the yellow-flowered 'Monte Carlo'. With short sturdy stems, it will withstand windy … close together in masses, rather than in lines like soldiers. Like all tulips, 'Orca' is at best a short-lived perennial in the flower garden. Its lifespan can be extended if it is planted …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Smooth sumac is very much like staghorn sumac, with large attractive compound leaves and an irregular growth … hairs. This large native shrub in the cashew family spreads by rhizomes and forms colonies. It is best for a naturalistic setting. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… on Southern Cross ironweed ( Vernonia 'Southern Cross'), a hybrid native ironweed that is relatively short (3 feet tall). This cultivar grows best in full sun, with moderately fertile soils, and only needs water during its establishment … hummingbirds, while the seeds are coveted by birds. This introduction by Intrinsic Perennials is one of the few ironweed cultivars offered on the market. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Reaching a mature height of 50' to 70', the littleleaf linden has a pyramidal habit in its youth and opens up with age. It has dense branches and a formal appearance in the landscape. This is an outstanding shade tree and one that tolerates pollution. Its fragrant yellow flowers open … bees collecting pollen. In autumn, the shiny dark-green leaves turn bright yellow. One of the best trees for our cities …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… This acacia is a small tree or large shrub from the Chihuahuan and Sonoran deserts of the southwestern United … soils, and reduced water during winter dormancy. It will need a cool period in winter to produce the best flower production. Straight white thorns are most obvious on younger branches. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… This round evergreen shrub grows to about 4 feet in height with full sun to partial shade and moderate moisture conditions. In late spring it produces insignificant yellowish-green blooms. It is commonly used in a hedge or a border. This boxwood is more tolerant of sunlight and alkaline … very small yellow flowers appear. They can go unnoticed, but they are very fragrant. They do best with a thin (1- to 2-inch) layer of mulch due to their shallow root systems. This cultivar …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… The Cristata European beech is also known as the cock's comb beech due to the way its curled leaves are clustered on very …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… White, Chicago Botanic Garden horticulturist of the Rose and Dwarf Conifer Gardens, shows you best methods for feeding your roses to make them healthy, and the envy of all your friends and family. …
Type: Plant Info
