Articles
Gardening Articles
Research-based horticulture information to help keep your plants and gardens thriving.
Squash Vine Borer, Melittia cucurbitae
The nemesis of almost everyone who tries to grow squash in the Midwest, squash vine borer is a difficult problem to control. The larvae of this day-flying moth tunnel in the stems of zucchini, winter squash and pumpkin, causing the plants to wilt and frequently die. To learn more about this native insect pest, read this article…
Caladiums
In the middle of summer some plants start to look stressed, but not caladiums – they thrive on heat and humidity. These tropical perennials have been cultivated as ornamentals for centuries, grown for their dramatic, brightly colored foliage. To learn more about these shade-loving “summer bulbs” read this article…
Gaura, Gaura lindheimeri
If you’re looking for an airy flowering plant with a long bloom period, gaura is a great choice as it starts flowering on long, wispy spikes in early summer and continues through a hard frost – making it useful as an annual where not hardy. There are also many compact cultivars. Learn more about this native North American perennial in this article…
Sage, Salvia officinalis
Sage may be best known as a flavoring but there’s much more to this aromatic plant, including attractive foliage and interesting flowers. Learn more about this versatile plant in this article…
Yellow Goatsbeard, Tragopogon spp.
Have you noticed yellow flowers blooming individually on tall, scraggly stems or fluffy seed heads like extra-large dandelions along the roadside? There are two species of Tragopogon, introduced weeds that both have the common name yellow goatsbeard and are both common in disturbed areas. To learn more about these plants read this article…
Ground Beetles (Carabidae)
There are all kinds of beetles found in gardens. One common type are the ground beetles, which as the name suggests, are typically found under leaves or debris, in cracks in the soil, or running along the ground. Most of these are predators, consuming all sorts of other insects including pests. Learn more about these beneficial insects in this article…
Wild Geranium, Geranium maculatum
Geranium maculatum is a pretty flowering plant native to eastern North America. In addition to filling natural woodland openings, this herbaceous perennial works well in informal gardens as well, offering loose clusters of pink flowers in late spring to early summer. Learn more about wild geranium in this article…
Nicotiana langsdorffii
Here’s a quick-growing annual that produces lots of pendant chartreuse flowers on branched flower stems at the top of the plant. This makes it a great filler among other herbaceous plants, and the soft green color makes it a perfect buffer between clashing colors. To learn more about Nicotiana langsdorffii, read this article…
Star Magnolia, Magnolia stellata
If you want a small tree or large shrub with large, showy white or pink flowers in early spring, star magnolia is a great choice. Read more about Magnolia stellata in this article…
Hepatica
Spring is heralded in Wisconsin woodlands by a number of wildflowers. One of the earliest of these is Hepatica, with delicate, starry flowers in a range of colors from white to purple. Learn more about these native plants in the buttercup family, whose tri-lobed leaves were once thought to have medicinal properties, by reading this article…
River Birch, Betula nigra
Betula nigra is a tall native tree that makes a great ornamental for large spaces because of its graceful form and attractive bark. To learn more about river birch, read this article…
Konjac, Amorphophallus konjac
Voodoo lily is a member of the philodendron family that grows from a tuber. Each tuber produces a single tripartite leaf on a tall, mottled stem. This unusual tropical plant is easy to grow as a seasonal conversation piece and store indoors as a dormant “bulb” during the winter. To learn more about Amorphophallus konjac, read this article…
