Many species of tropical gingers are grown for their flashy blooms, but the plants of culinary ginger aren’t particularly ornamental. Instead, culinary ginger is grown for the aromatic rhizomes which are the source of the hot, pungent flavor enjoyed in ginger ale, gingerbread and many Asian foods. Learn more about this tropical plant which is surprisingly easy to grow in containers…
Blueberry maggot feeds inside blueberry fruit causing it to become soft as it develops. This factsheet describes symptoms, the insect’s lifecycle, monitoring strategies and management methods.
African fig fly is an invasive vinegar fly related to spotted wing drosophila. It’s being carefully monitored in Wisconsin due to unknown potential impact. Learn more here.
This factsheet describes the symptoms, life cycle, monitoring methods and control of San José scale (Diaspidiotus perniciosus), which is a concern in poorly managed orchards.
Plumeria are small tropical trees with fragrant flowers, commonly used to make wonderfully scented leis in Hawaii. Several types are easily grown in containers in colder climates to enjoy a touch of the tropics in summer. Learn more about this group of plants native to tropical America in this article…
String of pearls is an interesting succulent grown for its unusual, bead-like leaves. Small, fragrant brush-like white flowers are produced in summer. Learn more about this vigorous growing, low maintenance, tender evergreen perennial grown as a novelty houseplant …
The exotic flowers of gloriosa lily, with their amazing color and an unusual shape, make a flamboyant statement in the garden or in a container on a patio. This twining perennial vine with tendrils coming from the tips of the leaves grows from a tuberous rhizome to produce the striking flowers in summer and fall. Learn more about this climber native to Africa and Asia in this article…
For most Midwesterners, if they recognize a heliconia at all, it’s as a brightly colored, long-lasting component of a bouquet of tropical flowers. The genus Heliconia is a large group of plants native to tropical areas of the Americas with banana-like leaves and conspicuous inflorescences. Learn more about these showy, interesting plants in this article…
Not all conifers are evergreen, and larch is one example of a conifer that loses its needles every year. Learn more about Larix decidua in this article…
At this time of year Halloween-themes dominate, with pumpkins, ghosts and bats abounding, so in that spirit here’s a Halloween-themed flower: bat-faced cuphea. The name comes from the resemblance of the unique flowers to a little bat face when viewed from the right angle. Learn more about this Mexican native which is often offered as an annual in cool climates…
With finely cut foliage that remains attractive through the growing season and conspicuous fruit which provide ornamental interest into the fall, red baneberry and white baneberry are two similar woodland plants that can be great additions to shady gardens. These species do have poisonous fruit, so need to be used with caution. Learn more about these native perennials …
Katydids are one of the many creatures buzzing, trilling and chirping away in the summer night insect chorus. These cricket and grasshopper relatives are fairly large insects, but often overlooked because they come in colors and shapes that blend in with their environment to prevent predation. Learn about the main groups of katydids and some interesting facts about these plant-eating insects…
