Ornamental

Blooming yucca with tall flower stalks and shorter foliage.

Yucca's Exotic Appeal

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....
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Magnolia scale on a magnolia tree.

Managing Magnolia Scale

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...
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‘Forest Pansy’ is a cultivar of our native redbud that offers unique purple foliage.

Adding purple shade trees to your landscape

The ornamental value of landscape trees can be weighed by a variety of attributes, from interesting bark in the wintertime or colorful blooms in spring to the character of leaves that persists during the growing season. However, the foliage that embellishes branches to create a summertime...
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