Native Plants

Spring is nearly upon us and the plant world is beginning to wake up, with hints of the growing season popping up daily.   A variety of early-blooming garden plants are on display right now, from snow crocus (Crocus sieberi) to daffodils (Narcissus spp.). The spectacular spring...

Gardeners considering the wildlife or ecological value of their plant selections have a lot to consider these days.   New information is emerging constantly about the perceived or proven value our landscape plants may provide for wildlife.  While the field of restoration ecology has...

Flowers are getting fewer and further between as the fall season transitions to winter. In my garden, aromatic aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium) is about the last blooming plant that is still hanging on to some flowers after starting to bloom almost a month ago. However, one native...

Some years ago, it was shocking to learn that one of my favorite ornamental shrubs, burning bush (Euonymus alatus), is invasive.   It took a while for this news to sink in, and after seeing it invade woodlands across southern Illinois, I finally came to terms with the bad news....

Migratory species across North America are on the move as the fall season progresses toward winter.  Right now is the ideal time to observe bird migration, with many uncommonly observed species moving through our area on their way to the tropics.  I’ve always marveled at the sheer...

As interest in planting milkweed has grown among gardeners focused on supporting Monarch butterfly populations, many of us have been watching garden centers for milkweed plants.  This interest has sparked demand for easy-to-propagate milkweed species that can offer maximum garden beauty with a...

I am always amazed at the diversity of native species our state hosts from top to bottom.  All in all, Illinois spans three USDA cold hardiness zones which illustrates the difference in climate from our northern counties to the southern confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers.  In...

During the flowering lull of late spring in my home gardens, I often admire the unique, dangling blooms of our native wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis).  This plant occurs in nearly every county of Illinois and its native range spans the Eastern US, from Florida and Texas to...

Among gardeners, there is an ever-growing interest in creating plant arrangements that support pollinators.  This has been driven by recent research identifying declining insect populations around the globe as gardeners respond with garden design to provide valuable habitat.  In addition...

Signs of spring are beginning to pop up if you look close enough.  In the last week or so, I’ve noticed harbinger of spring (Erigenia bulbosa) and spring beauties (Claytonia virginica) in natural areas. The beginnings of Virginia bluebells can also be found as their...