Mums for Fall Beauty—Tips on Growing Chrysanthemums
Learn how to plant and care for mums to keep them blooming from late summer through fall.
Flowers
Herbaceous perennials and annuals add interest to our yards and gardens with bright, beautiful flowers and interesting foliage. Whether native, non-native, sun-loving or shade-tolerant, herbaceous plants invite wildlife, provide for pollinators, and bring us enjoyment with color, texture and fragrance.
Featured Flower Articles
Supporting Native Bees: Our Essential Pollinators
This free publication describes the importance of bees in pollinating major food crops, how to attract and support native pollinators, and how to construct, place, and maintain nests.
Prairie Primer
Whether you’re a beginning or an experienced gardener, you’ll appreciate the step-by-step instructions for planting, landscaping, and managing your own prairie plot. The Prairie Primer has more than 50 illustrated descriptions of grasses, wildflowers, and shrubs help you select the best plants for specific sites. Gardeners and prairie enthusiasts alike will find the spiral-bound book convenient to use in the field.
If you’re unable to find the information you need, please submit your gardening question here:
Articles
Gladiolus Disorder: Virus Complex and Aster Yellows
Viruses can destroy the value of a gladiolus crop. Serious infections have been observed throughout Wisconsin in some years. While Aster Yellows is common, it usually infects just a few gladioli scattered in plantings. This fact sheet covers the symptoms, causes, and means of control of viral and Aster Yellows infection.
Blanket flower, Gaillardia spp.
Every year, the National Garden Bureau selects one ornamental flower to feature in their “Year of the” program. 2015 is the Year of the Gaillardia. This native North American plant is both a common wildflower in places and a colorful garden ornamental, with new cultivars being developed all the time. Learn more about blanket flower in this article…
Hosta Virus X
Hosta virus X (HVX) is a viral disease that causes serious problems on many hosta cultivars, causing nursery owners and gardeners in the United States to voluntarily destroy large numbers of hosta to help prevent the spread. This fact sheet describes the symptoms and management of this virus.
Root-Knot Nematode
Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are small, soilborne, worm-like organisms that infect many agricultural and horticultural plants. This publication describes the symptoms, management and control of root-knot nematodes in Wisconsin.
Foliar Nematodes
Foliar nematodes are microscopic worm-like organisms in the genus Aphelenchoides. They live in and on the leaves (and other above-ground plants parts) of over 450 plant species in more than 75 plant families. They are commonly found on hostas, but can affect other herbaceous ornamentals. Learn what to look for and how to manage foliar nematodes in this factsheet.
Iris Borer
Iris borer is the most serious pest of iris in Wisconsin. Iris plants attacked by iris borer will discolor, wilt, and die during late June and July. On close examination of affected plants, a pinkish-white caterpillar can be found feeding on the inside of rhizomes. This factsheet covers identification and control of this serious pest.
Amaryllis, Hippeastrum
Amaryllis bulbs make wonderful holiday gifts and are a welcome sight during a long cold winter with their large, colorful long-lasting flowers. If you can provide the right conditions, it’s not hard to maintain the plants after flowering in order to get them to rebloom the following year. To learn more about these bulbs, read this article…
Cyclamen
Colorful flowers are always welcome indoors in the winter. Cyclamen persicum is a tender plant that is grown as a houseplant for its bright white, pink or red flowers that can bloom for months. It may be difficult to provide the right conditions to get this plant to rebloom, however. To learn more about what cyclamen needs to thrive, read this article…
Pink Rain Lily, Zephyranthes grandiflora
If you want to grow something a little different, with grassy foliage and relatively large flowers, consider pink rain lily. This tender bulb gets its common name from the color of the flowers that burst into bloom after a good rain. Easy to grow in containers, it makes a good summer patio plant or a year-round houseplant. Learn more in this article…
Daylily Leaf Streak
Leaf streak is a common disease of daylilies, affecting daylilies wherever they are grown. Daylily varieties can vary widely in terms of their susceptibility to the disease. Oftentimes leaf streak is a cosmetic problem, causing little damage, but sometimes can cause substantial leaf loss or complete defoliation of daylily plants. Learn how to manage this disease in this factsheet.
Hollyhock Rust
Nicole Uelmen*, UW-Madison Plant Pathology Revised: 3/6/2014 Item number: XHT1231 What is hollyhock rust? Hollyhock rust is the most common fungal leaf disease of hollyhocks (Alcea rosea). Many other ornamentals (e.g., flowering maple, rose mallow) and weeds (e.g., common mallow) in the mallow family are also susceptible. Hollyhock rust can quickly spread, causing stunting of […]
