Good Trees and Shrubs with Great Fall Color

Autumn has finally arrived in the Midwest, and many of our plants are preparing for the long winter months ahead. The green pigment in leaves, Chlorophyll, is destroyed with increase of cooler temperatures at night time and the decrease in the amount of daylight. Plants have remaining pigments in their leaves such as Anthocyanins (purples), Carotenoids (reds/oranges), and Xanthophylls (yellows) that are shown once the Chlorophyll is gone, and on some species, these colors look spectacular in the fall! There are many trees, shrubs, and perennials that show good fall color, but here are a few trees and shrubs that are hardy, adaptable, and work well in the landscape

Maples - For years, Maples have been popular shade and parkway trees, and they still are today. They are also famed for their beautiful autumn color of bright reds and oranges. However, not all maples produce these hues in the fall. For example, Norway Maples (Acer platanoides) have dull yellow color when they turn late in the fall. Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) has bright red and orange hues in the leaves from late September-mid October. They make a great shade tree for the yard, and are on the slow side of fast as far as their growth rate. They thrive in established areas, but avoid newly constructed areas. For a faster growing shade tree, Red Maple (Acer rubrum) and Freeman Maple (Acer x freemanii) are great choice maples with good fall color. These adaptable trees can tolerate many different soil conditions, and make great shade and parkway trees.

Serviceberries - One of my favorite ornamental trees, Serviceberries are famed for their spring flower display and the summer fruits that seem to draw flocks of Robins and Waxwings from all around. However, our native Serviceberries produce extraordinary red and orange fall color that make a standout in the landscape. Apple Serviceberry (Amelanchier x grandiflora) and Allegheny (Amelanchier laevis) make lovely small trees while Shadblow (Amelanchier canadensis) makes a great large shrub. Serviceberries perform well in sun to shade, but will produce vibrant fall color in full sun.

Chokeberries -These native shrubs have a tough and adaptable nature that can be applied to many landscape situations. They are naturally found in swampy areas, but can tolerate drought once established. Their glossy deep green leaves turn bright red and orange in the fall. Black Chockeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) and Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) are the only two representatives of the family. Besides their great fall color, they also provide clusters of white flowers in late spring, and black or red fruits that are an emergancy food source for birds in the winter. True to their name, the fruits are very bitter and make you want to choke (true from experience).

These great plants are just a few of what we have to offer for plants to brighten up your landscape this fall, and for many more to come!

Monarchs and Milkweeds: Gardening to Help the Monarch Butterfly

Monarch on a Swamp Milkweed

Monarch Butterflies are one of the most iconic insects in the United States. School children raise them in classrooms as they learn about the wonder of metamorphosis, and they are a welcomed sight into many gardens and parks. There are even festivals that celebrate them, and states, including Illinois, have adopted them as their state insect. However, they are most famous for making an epic migration that seems impossible for a butterfly to do. Monarchs east of the Rockies fly hundreds of miles on their journey south from Southern Canada to a small, remote area in Central Mexico. This begins in late summer and continues into the fall. This has been going on for millennia, but now these black-and-orange butterflies are facing challenges in the modern age that could end this great spectacle.
Illegal logging in the mountainous forests of Mexico has diminished their wintering grounds. Habitat loss and increased use of herbicides and pesticides in agricultural areas have decreased the number of milkweeds and other wildflowers, as well as their caterpillars. Food plants for these butterflies diminish more as roadsides are mowed and invasive weeds crowd out important native wildflowers. During the winter of 2013-2014, roughly 24% of the Monarch population returned to Mexico, which is one of the lowest numbers since records for this species have started. It all seems grim for the beloved Monarch Butterfly, but the individual homeowner can play a crucial role for the conservation of this species. But first, we must know about the life cycle of the Monarch, and what nectar sources they need to survive.

Butterflyweed Flowers

Many butterflies are specialists, meaning that their caterpillars can only feed on one or several plant families to develop. Monarchs are a classic example of this. Their larvae can only eat milkweeds and nothing else. They absorb the toxins in the sap of milkweed to make them bad-tasting to birds and other animals. There are dozens of species of milkweeds (Asclepias) in North America, and they are found in a variety of habitats from marshes and deserts, to woods and prairies. Many of these plants are viewed to be too aggressive for a garden setting, and are left for the wild. But milkweeds are declining in the wild, and they should be incorporated in the landscape. Luckily, there are a few Illinois native milkweeds that are garden-friendly and won't crowd out other plants. These are Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) and the appropriately named Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa). Swamp Milkweed is a tall, upright plant that reaches 3-4 feet tall and enjoys wet to moist soil, but can grow well in average garden conditions. It's bi-colored flower clusters are deep magenta with light pink centers, and release a pleasant, vanilla-like fragrance. It is a great plant for a wet spot in a sunny area. Butterflyweed is a short, shrubby milkweed that grows 2-3 feet tall and requires average to dry soils with good drainage. It has attractive, bright orange flowers that bloom throughout the summer. It is a great native plant for a dry sunny area. Both of these milkweeds not only fulfill the larval food source, but provide nectar for other butterflies and beneficial insects. Plant a few of these in you yard, and remember that they are the caterpillar food source, so you'll have to tolerate some defoliation. No worries, the plants will bounce back. Once the adults have formed, they need good nectar sources for food, and there are some great plants to use in your yard to provide nectar for monarchs, as well as other butterflies, beneficial insects, and hummingbirds. Here's a brief list of what to plant:

Natives:
- Giant Hyssop (Agastache)
- Milkweeds (Asclepias)
- Asters (Aster)
-Tickseed (Coreopsis)
- Purple Prairie Clover (Dalea purpurea)
- Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea. Avoid double-flowered forms such as 'Raspberry Truffles' because they don't produce nectar.)
- Common Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum)
- Spotted Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium maculatum)
- False Sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides)
- Blazing Star (Liatris)
- Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
- Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)
- Garden Phlox (Phlox)
- Obedient Plant ( Physostegia virginiana)
- Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia)
- Culver's Root (Veronicastrum virginicum)

Monarch Caterpillar

Non-Natives:
- Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica)
- Butterfly Bush (Buddleia)
- Blue Mist Shrub (Caryopteris)
- Cosmos (Cosmos)
- Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum 'Becky')
- Veronica (Veronica 'Sonja')

By providing some of these plants (and most importantly, milkweed), you can create a habitat to benefit Monarchs on their long journey and to reproduce. Also, avoid using pesticides where those plants are present. You don't want to kill butterflies and other beneficial insects. A yard of any size can provide these plants for Monarchs, and help them survive in a changing landscape. 

Northwind Switchgrass Becomes the 2014 Perennial Plant of the Year

In order for a plant to be nominated for the perennial plant of the year, certain criteria is addressed to the candidate that has to be met. These includes low maintenance, adaptability, and disease and insect resistance. For this year, an ornamental Switchgrass by the cultivar name of 'Northwind' blew out all the competition.

Northwind is an upright form of Panicum virgatum, commonly known as Switchgrass. This species of panicgrass has a wide distribution across the North American continent. It is a denizen of prairies, fields, shorelines, and wet meadows from the East Coast to the Rocky Mountains, and from Canada to the Gulf Coast. Northwind is a warm-season grass and does most of it's growth during the hot summer months.

This wide distribution and range of habitats makes it an adaptable plant. A deep fibrous root system allows for excellent drought tolerance once established. It is naturally found growing in a wide variety of soils, including clay and poor soil conditions. It also has good tolerance to salt. Most insect herbivores leave this grass alone, but it does provide a good larval food source for a host of butterfly species. Deer and rabbits tend to leave this plant alone.

Northwind has attractive blue-green foliage that appears in the spring, and holds the color all summer. It is slow to emerge in the spring, but it will rapidly grow once warm weather kicks in. Once late summer hits, Northwind sends out plumes of blue-green panicles. Foliage turns golden-yellow in the fall. To keep interest going through the season, Northwind has attractive tan foliage in the winter, and it holds up even in the snowiest conditions. This grass makes a great border in full sun, and is attractive in groupings with other perennials. It is also a popular grass to hide air condition units in a sunny location.Northwind is a great native alternative for Miscanthus or Karl Foerster grasses. It's origins were from seeds collected in South Elgin, Il so it is well adapted to our climate. Give Northwind a try this year in your yard and see how it performs.

A Brief Lesson on Pruning Trees and Shrubs

This winter in the Chicago area has been a brutal one with extreme cold and plenty of snow. Usually I hear the first ambitious cardinals singing this time of the year, but I think they're even having second thoughts. However, the sun is climbing higher in the sky each day, so there is still hope to get out of this winter. With that said, this is the best time of the year to prune trees and shrubs.
October through April are prime times for pruning most trees and shrubs. The plants are dormant and not actively growing, which reduces stress and spread of disease. With the branches being bare in the winter, it is also easier to find broken and dead branches, or other structural issues. Some people wait until February and March to prune to not expose the cut to bitter cold. However, anytime in the fall and winter would be just fine.

The blade of the saw is just above the swollen area known as the branch collar

When pruning trees and shrubs, consider their blooming time. Lilacs, redbuds, viburnums, magnolias, and other spring-bloomers develop their flower buds in late summer prior to their bloom time. If you prune branches in the winter, you will remove the flower buds! To avoid this, prune these plants immediately after flowering in the summer when they are still actively growing.
Before pruning, make sure you are using clean tools to reduce the spread of disease. It's always important to prune stems back close to a bud, or node. When pruning branches on trees and large shrubs, cut back as close as you can to the area called the branch collar. This swollen area at the base of the branch is full of living tissue that heals the wound relatively fast (in plant terms). Cutting into the branch collar slows down the healing process. If you leave too much of a portion or stem above the node or branch collar, it will increase the chance of infection in the plant.
Consult a professional arborist if branches are too large, too high, or if you are just not sure what to do. This is a very brief look at pruning, so if you are looking for further information, here is a great link to look at:
http://www.mortonarb.org/trees-plants/plant-clinic/horticulture-care/caring-plants/pruning/pruning-trees.
Pruning is important to remove any unnecessary branches, train a young tree, or to shape a tree or shrub. It will also help if you want to increase flower production. Overall, it will help improve the health of your plants, and improve their longevity so you can enjoy them for years to come.

Photo Sources:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/gardeningadvice/6563482/How-to-prune-vines.html

http://dnrtreelink.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/branch-collar-saw.jpg

Notice how the cut is being made just above the bud (node)

 

  

Thinking Spring with Bulbs!

Daffodil Glade at the Morton Arboretum. Daffodils work great in a natural setting mixed with other spring-blooming flowers.

If you start to notice juncos landing at your front doorstep, then it's probably a wise decision to start planting bulbs into the ground (those little birds are usually a sign that winter is right around the corner). Flower bulbs are a great choice for the garden if you are looking for instant colors in the spring, and fall is the time to plug them into the soil. Many of them are low maintenance, and do not need fertilizer to improve their flowering performance. Popular flower species that arise from bulbs include Tulips (Tulipa), Daffodils (Narcissus), Ornamental onions (Allium), Snowdrops (Galanthus), and Hyacinths (Hyacinthus). 

Anatomy of a Tunicate flower bulb

Botanically speaking, a bulb is a very compact underground stem. Most of the bulb is made up of swollen, scaly leaves that act as an energy storehouse for the plant. Full of starches and other nutrients, they give the plant a quick boost of growth just as the weather warms up in the spring. In the center of all those scaly leaves is a fully formed plant, flowers and all. There are some plants that are sold under "bulbs" but are different from the textbook definition. For example, Crocuses are defined as a corm which is a modified root rather than a stem. But don't let the confusion hinder you from planting them.  Many of these plants grow and flower for only a couple months, and quickly retreat back into the ground for a long slumber.Their origins in mountainous areas where the growing season is short, or in woodlands where sunlight is abundant in spring and fades in the summer months has led to this adaptation. When flowering ends, it is very important to not cut back the leaves when they are still green! They absorb all that energy back into the bulb to survive throughout the rest of the year, and to produce flowers for the next spring. Wait until the foliage turns yellow and brown to cut them back (but you can worry about this when that crucial decision-making process comes in June).

Mid October through early November are the best times to plant bulbs in the Chicago area when the ground is still manageable. Personally, I've had a couple occasions where I procrastinated into December to plant them. They came up great, but it's just too much work to dig into soil caked in frost. When planting, make sure that the point faces up and the flat part of the bulb is firm in the ground. Larger bulbs such as Daffodils and Tulips should be planted about 6"-8" deep into the soil, while smaller Crocuses and Grape Hyacinths should have about 2"-4" deep. This ensures good protection from the elements and from rodents.You can also force some of them inside for added color in you home during the winter. Leave them in the fridge for about a month of two to make them think it's winter, and plant them in a container next to a sunny window.

Tulips add color to a flower bed before summer annuals are installed 

You can use bulbs in many areas of your yard. Planting Daffodils, Grape Hyacinth, and Chiondoxia in a shaded area adds a more naturalistic look to the area. Use Hyacinths and Tulips as a front border to add color to a perennial bed. You can even throw some Crocus corms in you lawn, and they will flower and fade away before you even think of mowing it!

So plant some flower bulbs in your yard now. You can forget about them through all those winter months, and have some surprising color in your yard when spring returns!

Dark-eyed Junco, the "Harbinger of Winter." Get those bulbs in before these little sparrows take over your yard!

Fall Colors in Trees and Shrubs

Autumn Flame Red Maple (Acer rubrum 'Autumn Flame')

Autumn has arrive once again in our region. Birds are migrating south to warmer places, days are becoming cool and crisp, and fingers are crossed in anticipation that the Chicago bears will make it all the way this year (I'm sure that prayers for the team are in the equation too). Many plants are preparing for the coming winter months ahead that include many physiological changes within the plant. It's these changes that produce some of the most beautiful colors found in nature.

Plants produce several pigments found in their leaves. The most noticeable one is Chlorophyll, the green pigment that is essential for photosynthesis. Chlorophyll is produced abundantly throughout the growing season in order to convert sunlight into energy for growth and development. Mixed in with all that green in the leaf are Carotinoids (oranges), Anthocyanins (reds), and Xanthophylls (yellows). These pigments serve other functions in the leaf such as UV protection. As daylight decreases in autumn, the plant stops the production of Chlorophyll in the leaves, revealing the other colors in the leaf.

There are many factors that play a role in fall colors that occur throughout the growing season. These include relatively good moisture during the spring and summer, warm days and cool nights during the fall, and a location with bright, sunny conditions. Genetics also play a role, and certain tree species produce exceptional fall color better than others. Some of these trees and shrubs include Serviceberries, Sugar and Freeman Maples, Oaks, Birches, Hornbeams, Dogwoods, Sumacs, Hazelnuts, Fothergillas, Witch-hazels, and Black gums. In order to have good fall color year after year, make sure that the plants are in good health. Give them a good soaking once a week during the growing season, and provide a 2-3" layer of mulch around the tree for good moisture control and nutrients. Combine a few of the trees and shrubs mentioned above, and you will have a beautiful display of fall colors to enjoy on a cool, October day!