Division of Extension
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 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, is a nice short-stature grass for the home garden. Learn more about this popular ornamental grass in in this article.
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.
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 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.
Until the recent development of yellow and orange cultivars of purple coneflower, Echinacea paradoxa or yellow coneflower was the only plant in its genus with yellow flowers. Learn more about this interesting plant in this article..
Ornamental onions can be nice additions to the landscape. Allium cernuum is a native species called nodding onion and features drooping umbels of pink flowers. Read more about nodding onion in this article.
Most people are familiar with the purple or white-flowered biennial foxglove, but there also is a perennial species with yellow flowers. Learn more about this attractive plant in this article.
Prairie smoke (Geum triflorum) is an attractive little prairie plant that easily makes the transition to a perennial border or rock garden. The main interest of this plant comes from both its nodding pink flowers and wispy seedheads. Learn more about this interesting native plant in this article.
Yellow woodsorrel is a low-growing weed found throughout almost all of Wisconsin. It can be a problem in gardens and lawns. Learn more about this species in this article.
Mot all Hibiscus species have gaudy tropical flowers. The purple-leaved H. acetoscella is easily grown from seed or cuttings as an annual to supply beautiful palmate leaves reminiscent of a Japanese maple. Learn more about this interesting tender perennial in this article.
