Blue Anise Sage, Salvia guaranitica

Looking for an unusual flower that comes in truly blue shades (as well as purple)? There is a tender perennial sage that can be grown as an annual to add this unusual color in the landscape or in containers. To learn more about Salvia guaranitica read this article…

Assassin Bugs and Ambush Bugs (Reduviidae)

Assassin bugs and ambush bugs are commonly found in gardens and fields. These true bugs in the family Reduviidae are often overlooked, despite being beneficial as generalist predators of other insects. Learn more about these interesting bugs in this article…

Yellow toadflax, Linaria vulgaris

Yellow toadflax is a weedy Eurasian species of Linaria that has naturalized throughout the country. Although it has pretty yellow flowers, this perennial spreads by creeping rhizomes, making it difficult to control. Learn more about this plant in this article…

Fountain Grass, Pennisetum alopecuroides

Ornamental grasses add interest in the landscape, especially at this time of year. Fountain grass, Pennisetum alopecuroides, is a nice short-stature grass for the home garden.  Learn more about this plant in this article…

Tropical Milkweed, Asclepias currasavica

It has showy orange and red flowers that are attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds, and is a favorite food of monarch butterfly caterpillars. Learn more about tropical milkweed, Asclepias curassavica, in this article…

Squash Bug, Anasa tristis

Are your squash plants’ leaves drying out and turning brown or black? Have you seen gray bugs on the plants? If so, you have squash bug, a common pest on squash and pumpkins. Learn more about this pest insect in this article…

Common Mullein, Verbascum thapsus

Common mullein features conspicuous tall spikes with yellow flowers appearing along roadsides, gardens, and other areas with recently disturbed soil. Learn more about the history and biology of this widespread weed in this article.

Yellow Coneflower, Echinacea paradoxa

If you were the only plant with yellow flowers in a genus of all purple-flowered plants, you might get the name “paradox”, too. At least until the recent development of yellow and orange cultivars of purple coneflower, Echinacea paradoxa was the only plant in its genus with yellow flowers. Learn more about this interesting plant in this article…

Nodding Onion, Allium cernuum

Ornamental onions can be nice additions to the landscape. If you’re looking for something a little different than the “ball on a stick” look, check out Allium cernuum. This native species, called nodding onion, has drooping umbels of pink flowers. Read more about nodding onion in this article…

Yellow Foxglove, Digitalis grandiflora

Most people are familiar with the purple or white-flowered biennial foxglove. Did you know there is a perennial species with yellow flowers? Lean more about this attractive plant in this article…

Prairie Smoke, Geum triflorum

Geum triflorum is an attractive little prairie plant that easily makes the transition to a perennial border or rock garden to charm you with both its nodding pink flowers and wispy seedheads. Learn more about this interesting native plant in this article…

Common Yellow Woodsorrel, Oxalis stricta

Common yellow woodsorrel is a low-growing weed found throughout most of the US and almost all of Wisconsin. It can be a problem in gardens and lawns. Learn more about this species in this article…

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