Plant competition is an instrumental part of natural ecosystems, with winners and losers in all cases. Still, it is really fascinating to consider why and how certain plants come out on top.  In some examples, you can look at climate or other geographic constraints to understand why a...

Several years ago, we had an extra pawpaw tree (Asimina triloba) after all the plants were distributed at the East Central Illinois Master Naturalist’s Annual Native Tree and Shrub sale. Since this poor tree had no home, we decided to plant it outside one of the staff entrances at the...

The signs of this year’s historic cicada hatch are still around, although all of our periodic cicadas are now quietly underground, feeding away on tree roots for the next 13 years.  After piles of molted shells and dead adult cicadas earlier in the summer, we are now seeing their signature on...

Magnolias are some of the most popular ornamental trees across the US.  Known for spectacular flowering displays, they come in various shapes and sizes, from smaller shrub-sized plants to medium-sized shade trees.For the most part, these trees are usually a pretty safe bet in Illinois gardens...

Early 2024 features some excellent, once-in-a-lifetime natural events.  If you missed the solar eclipse in April, get ready for a rare ecological event about to unfold in the coming weeks.  Whether we want to experience it or not, we’ll be immersed in a mass emergence of periodical...

If you’ve been out and about in central Illinois this past week, you’ve probably noticed quite a few things in bloom. Early blooming plants are easy to spot since most of the rest of the landscape is bare now, and most plant lovers are anxiously awaiting the arrival of spring, with anything...

This year has certainly hosted an interesting spring, with bouts of summer-like weather followed by freezing temperatures and frost warnings.  From the emerging wildflowers in woodlands to daffodils and tulips in the home landscape, there is no shortage of spring blooms to stimulate gardeners...

Roots are always underfoot, whether it’s a forest or prairie, your yard, or a local park; these all-important plan structures fill the upper layers of soil and quietly do their work to support the plant world.  Since they are often “out of sight, out of mind,” there are many common...

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...

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...