Focus on Flowers

The genus Veronia has over 1000 species and is a member of the aster family. The name honors an English botanist, William Vernon. Many species of veronia are native to North and South America, and others come from Africa and Southeast Asia.  Veronia is the Botanical name for the native ironweed that pops up and self-seeds in my Midwest garden. It is a tall plant and has clusters of dark purple flo...

Most perennials we should cut back in the fall. They don’t look good once it gets cold, so it is best to cut them to the ground and they will come back well next spring.  Bearded iris should be cut to about 6 inches and remember to cut their flower stalks right to the ground as well. Also, bee balm (Monarda), especially if it has powdery mildew and seed heads that will fall and provide a multitude...

Joe Pye Weed is a North American native and hardy in zones 4-9. It can grow up to 7 feet tall and is deer resistant. The genus name is Eupatorium and a common name is bone set. It has rounded clusters of pink fuzzy flowers during late summer and fall. The statuesque plants like full sun or part shade and will grow in average soil. Over time they grow to make clumps that are 3-4 feet wide. Propagat...

As summer transitions into fall, we usually rely on mums and asters to give us color as the growing season wanes. But some other reliable bloomers are our native Culver’s Root , which has the botanical name Veronicastrum Virginicum and a good variety is ‘Fascination’. It is a tall plant, 36-48 inches high and 15 to 24 inches wide, so you need space for it and full sun and well- drained soil. Howev...

The name gladioli comes from the Latin word meaning sword because of the shape of the stiff sword-like leaves of the plant.  Historically, there are early mentions of the plant, also referred to as “cornflag,” being a weed in European cornfields. In England, a native species grew only in the New Forest and the Isle of Wight. Gladiolus was first mentioned in England in 1578 in the garden list of Wi...

Agastaches belong to the mint family, and, as a result, they all have square stems. They also have aromatic leaves and clusters of small flowers.  Commonly called Mexican hyssops, they can be perennial but only a few are hardy as far north as zones 4 and 5. The tender species are grown as annuals in the north and are perennial in the south.  Hyssops are easy going and make few demands. They grow i...

The common sunflower goes by the botanical name of Helianthus annus . Extensive breeding has resulted in a great number of cultivars with yellow, orange, red, cream, white, and bi-color blooms, in many different sizes and flower shapes.  The plants can grow 3-10 feet tall and so some need support. They are not temperamental plants, and most are native to Northern Mexico, Canada, and the United Sta...

Many annuals need to be deadheaded to keep blooming all season. While snipping off the spent blossoms can hardly be described as hard work, it is easier not to have to remember to do this chore. For that reason, many of us try to buy annuals that do not need deadheading in order to re-bloom all season long and right into fall.  One such plant is lantana , which is great in regions with cold winter...

William Shakespeare included so many botanical references in his plays that there are about 175 mentions of flowers, fruits, grains, grasses, seeds, weeds, trees, spices, herbs, and vegetables in his works.  There are also lots of comments about how to care for various items so he must have been knowledgeable in this area. Here are just a few examples you may recognize.  Acorns, Garlic, and Figs A...

I don’t have a watering system, so I get tired of watering when there are long periods of hot, dry summer weather. Here in the Midwest when it is over 90F, potted plants need watering twice a day and beds on slopes do too. It is a chore that makes me wish I had more drought tolerant plantings.  A drought tolerant landscape does not mean zero watering, but it requires plants that can tolerate low a...

There are over 200 species of hibiscus, and they are beloved because of their big showy flowers and green, clean-looking foliage. They fall into three different major categories: tropical, perennial and hardy.  The tropical hibiscus is native to Hawaii and comes in beautiful colors, and we often see them in photos tucked behind the ear of a beautiful model.  The perennial varieties go dormant in w...

Stylophorum diphyllum is our native celandine poppy that grows well in dappled shade in woodland conditions.  It has cheerful yellow flowers and hairy seed pods. There are also two other woodland poppies that are native to China. All three species prefer moist soil and self-sow. They bloom in spring and intermittently into summer.  Wordsworth even wrote a poem about this unassuming charmer: "Long...

If you welcome birds into your garden you probably know that during the summer, water sources are very important to them. Place your birdbaths in the shade and clean them regularly to keep the water fresh. Have a few birdbaths in different parts of your yard, maybe one where you can see it through a window.  Some types of birds prefer ground level water sources also, so even a plant pot saucer can...

Canna comes from the Greek word spelled "kanna," which means "reed," though the canna plant does not have narrow reed-like leaves.  There are about 10 species in the genus, which has showy flowering plants that grow from tender rhizomes that can only be left in the ground over winter in zones 7-10. In other zones they must be dug and stored over the winter.  Canna plants enjoy moist but well-drain...

The common evening primrose is native to Virginia and was sent to England in the early 1600s, feeling quite at home there and has naturalized in several parts of Britain.  The Missouri primrose was identified first in 1811.  The evening primrose has both roots and leaves that are edible. The roots are sometimes eaten in France and some herbalists believed that the plant can be used medicinally for...

Many of us are familiar with ageratum , the low-growing annual with fuzzy flowers that are blue/lavender color. It is a member of the Ageratum genus that includes 43 species of annuals and perennials, most of which are native to warmer regions of the American continents.  They have felted oval or heart-shaped leaves and clustered flower heads. They like full sun and moist well-drained soil, and a...

Blue false indigo , with the botanical name Baptisia australis , is a lovely shrub that blooms in the late spring in zones 3-9 in full sun or part shade. It grows about 4 feet tall and as wide and is drought tolerant and deer resistant and has blue/green foliage and blue flowers that resemble lupins.  It was used by pioneers to dye cloth and is called 'false indigo' because its color is not as dee...

Native to Mexico, dahlias probably grew in Aztec gardens as they were already in cultivation when the Spaniards arrived. Francisco Hernandez, a botanist and physician to King Phillip of Spain, described them in a book published in 1651. But dahlias were not introduced to Europe until 1789 when seeds were sent from Mexico to the Royal Gardens in Madrid. The flower was named in honor of Dr. Dahl a S...

Red Hot Pokers belong to the genus Kniphofia ( Kniphofia uvaria ) and are also known as tritoma or torch lilies.  Some dwarf varieties are 'mango popsicle', 'pineapple popsicle', and 'red hot popsicle'. They are orange, yellow, and red with grassy foliage.  They spread by rhizomes and can become invasive.  Native to South Africa, they like full sun and well-drained soil and do well in zones 6 thro...

Dianthus are well-behaved in our gardens. The flowers are fragrant, and the plants can be perennial, biennial, or annual. The common name "pinks” does not refer to the color but to the fringed edging of the petals that makes them look as if they had been cut with pinking shears.  They like full sun but can manage some shade and a variety of soils. However, they do best in well-drained soil with go...

In the lower Midwest, May is the month when we see lots of white flowers. For example, Spirea ‘Bridal Wreath’ shrubs completely cover themselves with lacy white blossoms so that they do, in fact, resemble brides in traditional wedding gowns.  The low-growing perennial iberis, commonly known as candytuft, also has lacy white flowers, and there are white lilacs and dogwoods in abundance too. Dogwood...

The common European marigold, (like the Mexican variety), is justly popular because it is easy to grow, and pests don't like it. It was first mentioned by the old-time herbalists in 1578, quote, "It has pleasant and bright shining yellow and orange single-petal flowers."  It was used by herbalists during the times of ancient plagues, and the petals of the flowers were dried and sold for use in mak...

Larkspur is a member of the Delphinium family and though native to Europe, it grows well in North America. The plant is poisonous if eaten by cattle but fortunately only mildly toxic to domestic pets and people.  Its colors are shades of blue/purple, white, and pink, and its tall upright habit and ferny, lacy foliage is good in combination with other garden plants. Larkspur likes well drained soil...

The most commonly grown deciduous magnolia in the Lower Midwest is Magnolia x soulangiana , usually referred to as the saucer magnolia. Hardy in zones 4-9, it may be a shrub but usually is a tree about 20-25 feet tall with a rounded crown. It usually develops a number of trunks and may over time even grow 30 feet tall and as wide. It blooms before it leafs out, and the pale pink blossoms look stri...

Horticulturalists at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences are predicting some strong trends based on their feedback from their County Extension Offices. They report that more and more gardeners are seeking information about sustainability.  Specific questions about native plants have increased significantly, as well as wildlife-friendly landscapes, dwarf hybrids,...