Are you familiar with the ancient group of plants called cycads? These “living fossils” have been around since the time of the dinosaurs, although they are no longer as numerous as they once were. These cone-bearing plants hail primarily from the tropics, but many are easily grown as container plants. To learn more about cycads, read this article…
Pachystachys lutea is a common landscape ornamental in tropical areas, but you can grow it at home. It’s upright, bright yellow to orange inflorescences contrast nicely with glossy, dark green foliage. To learn more about growing this exotic flowering tropical plant as an outdoor seasonal plant or houseplant, read this article…
Rosemary is an aromatic plant with a long history of use as a culinary and medicinal herb. It is easily grown in containers that can be moved indoors for the winter. To learn more about rosemary, see this article…
Hibiscus is a quintessential tropical flower, with big, brightly-colored blossoms. But there is a species that has very different, pendant flowers with elaborately dissected and recurved petals. Like other tropical hibiscus, Hibiscus schizopetalus is a tender plant that cannot survive our winters but can be grown as a houseplant. To learn more about this species, read this article…
Blue fescue (Festuca glauca) is a low clumping ornamental grass with blue-green foliage. This cool season grass can be used as a specimen or in masses. This article provides more details on growing this attractive grass in the landscape.
Solomon’s seals are woodland plants with arching stems. There are a number of both native and exotic species and cultivars that are used primarily as foliage plants in ornamental shade gardens (as their small hanging flowers are attractive, but relatively inconspicuous). To learn more about the genus Polygonatum read this article…
Lamb’s ears (Stachys byzantina) are a good addition to Midwestern gardens for their silvery foliage. One cultivar that stands out is ‘Big Ears’ for it’s extra large leaves. The leaves of this one aren’t quite as silver as many others, but it offers bold texture in a low mounding plant. To learn more about this big-leafed beauty, read this article…
Looking for a fall-bloomer other than mums or asters? The genus Chelone is a native perennial with the common name of turtlehead from the resemblance of the flowers to the shape of a turtle’s head with its mouth partly open. The various species all bloom in late summer to fall, for a spark of pink, red or white flowers on dark green plants. You can learn more about this genus in this article…
With billowy white or purple flowers, sweet alyssum is a good addition to annual flower beds or containers. This low-growing plant native to the Mediterranean makes a good ground cover and the sweetly fragrant flowers are attractive to many beneficial insects. To learn more about sweet alyssum, read this article…
Brighten the fall landscape with fall-blooming bulbs – yes, there are some fall-bloomers that thrive in Wisconsin. Autumn crocus is probably the best of these, with large, chalice-shaped flowers in pink or white. The foliage appears in spring and dies back in early summer, leaving the flowers to pop up on their own in the fall. To learn more about this bulb (that isn’t really a true crocus), read this article…
Want an easy-to-grow plant to provide a tropical feel for the growing season? Papyrus is a tropical perennial grown as an annual in the Midwest. It is right at home in shallow water gardens, but can also be grown in containers or moist ground. To find out more about this interesting plant, read this article…
With its spires of brilliant red flowers, cardinal flower is an unmistakable perennial for moist spots. This American native is found in moist open woods, streambanks and marshy areas throughout the eastern US from Canada through Central America. Learn more about this great plant with flowers that are irresistible to hummingbirds in this article…
