Native Plants Blogs

Mistletoe is a mysterious holiday plant that many of us may not understand much about other than the fact that you may be at risk of getting kissed if you stand underneath a sprig of it.  However, this plant has a very interesting lifestyle, as well as a fascinating history of human...

Evergreen holly species have long been a symbol of Christmas and other winter holidays and traditions. The dark green, prickly foliage, combined with contrasting bright red berries, can really be a showstopper in the winter landscape, providing both ornamental beauty and food for wildlife as...

Each year in late summer and fall, beautyberry catches my eye and reminds me of its fantastic fruit display.  This spectacular fall shrub is a member of the Genus, Callicarpa, which hosts around 140 species globally and countless numbers of cultivars that are available commercially...

North America’s largest native tree fruit is ripening in forest understories and home landscapes across central Illinois this week. Pawpaws (Asimina triloba) are an often-unknown fruit tree to many folks, but they offer a delicious, exotic taste that seems more like a tropical fruit...

In the last few weeks, a peculiar plant has begun to draw attention as it reaches full bloom across central Illinois. While its towering flower stalks are certainly the main draw, closer inspection reveals unique and foreign-looking growth habit that seems like something right out of the desert....

When most people think about pollinators, they envision the honeybee (Apis mellifera) buzzing from flower to flower collecting nectar and pollen.  These non-native bees have become somewhat of a poster child for pollinators but the story of their interaction in the world of insects is...

Gardening with native plants is an ever-increasing trend nationwide as many folks seek an ecological alternative to our traditional non-native landscape species.  However, many of us are faced with some challenges as we add a whole new pallet of plants to our garden spaces.I’ve been obsessed...

These days, the best way to see the lingering fall colors is by looking at the ground.  Most of our trees have dropped their leaves, but color remains at ground level in the fallen foliage or in smaller landscape plants that still retain their autumnal hues. This year, I have been really...

Throughout the summer, I talked to quite a few people who were concerned about the low numbers of monarch butterflies this year.  Some of this concern was sparked early in the year when we learned that the overwintering monarch population in Mexico was measured at near all-time low numbers....

In recent weeks, I have noticed an unfamiliar yellow flower around central Illinois.  It seems to be everywhere I go from ditches and roadsides to local natural areas or even around public gardens.  With its prevalence along my routine travel paths, such as the I-72 or I-74 corridors, I’d...