As soon as the weather starts to warm, we begin to scour our garden for the first sign of flowers. The daffodils and crocuses are usually the first ones to show up, but if you want a carpet of color in early spring, a low-growing phlox is the way to go. Woodland phlox (Phlox divaricata) forms dense clusters of delicate, fragrant blooms that …
Gardening with Native Plants
Native plants are well-suited to the growing conditions in your area and are often great nesting habitat, a food source, or a host plant for the wildlife around you. By adding native plants to your garden, you can create wildlife habitat that helps pollinators like bees and butterflies, attracts hummingbirds and songbirds, and provides cover for many small mammals. Learn about native plants and how to grow them in your garden.
Ironweed Grow Guide – Late-Season Butterfly Food
Native Ironweed Feeds Butterflies in Late Summer In the mid to late summer, the deep purple flowers of ironweed start showing up. They stand out in the landscape, not just for the bright color but also because they are so tall. What caught my eye were the many butterflies that land on the flowers to feed. American ladies, monarchs, sulfur …
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Copper Iris (Iris fulva) – A Native Plant for Wetlands and Wildlife
Large, copper or brick-red colored flowers adorn the flower spikes of the copper iris (Iris fulva). Native to wetland areas, this unique plant thrives in wetter soils, making it an excellent addition to gardens with moist conditions. We planted this iris in our backyard in a spot with wet, clay soils. It has flourished, spreading and producing …
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How to Tell Boxelder Apart from Poison Ivy
When I was learning to identify plants, the leaves of boxelder used to trip me up. The leaves of this tree looked so much like poison ivy to me. There are a few key features that can help you tell the difference between these two plants. Boxelder Similarities with Poison Ivy The leaves and leaflets of these two plants have a similar …
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The Native Sassafras Tree
I often see sassafras growing along the trails, in the forest breaks, and in old fields. However, it’s the mitten-shaped leaves that stand out to me. If you break off a twig of a sassafras tree and smell it, you get the distinct smell of root beer. My dad used to do this for us every time we took a hike with him. It was a family tradition and …
How to Grow Blue Mistflower – Get Lavender Flowers in the Fall
In late summer, pockets of lavender color begin to appear along the sides of roads, at the edge of streams, in old fields, and in wetlands or other moist-soil areas. These fuzzy lavender-colored flowers belong to the blue mistflower, also known as wild ageratum, a plant native to the central and southeastern U.S. Adding blue mistflower …
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