-
September Shrub of the Month-St. John’s wort
The genus Hypericum includes 490 species distributed around the globe. Part of this worldwide range is due to the prolific reproductive traits some species possess. Missouri records show 16 of these species, including…
-
September Perennial of the Month-Garlic chive
One of the oldest continuously grown herb crops, this Southeast Asian native is well known as a culinary herb. Still, many great cooks may not know that garlic chives (Allium tuberosum) are a…
-
August Perennial of the Month-Tickseed
One of the most commonly used native perennials is Coreopsis, commonly called tickseed. Multiple species of coreopsis are native to Missouri and beyond, along with dozens of cultivars that have hit the market…
-
December Vine of the Month-American Bittersweet
For floral designers searching for natural materials to make wreaths, bittersweet is a great find. The cheery red berries look great in both fall and winter holiday décor, and the vines can be…
-
December Perennial of the Month-Texas Sedge
We keep hearing about new lawn alternatives that require less maintenance and are better for the environment. Most native alternatives for the St. Louis area seem to belong to the Cyperaceae family, also…
-
November Shrub of the Month-Virginia Sweetspire
What if you could find a shrub with fragrant spring flowers that attract pollinators, was also super low maintenance, didn’t get over five feet tall or wide, takes sun or part shade, had…
-
November Perennial of the Month-Variegated Solomon’s Seal
It’s not often that I rave about a perennial. But when a perennial performs well in dry shade, has adorable, fragrant flowers, beautiful foliage, AND amazing fall color, I can’t help but spread…
-
October Tree of the Month-Full Moon Maple
If the king of trees is the mighty oak, and the magnolia is queen, surely the Japanese maples are the princes in this royal family. Among the thousands of cultivars between Acer japonica…
-
October Perennial of the Month-Toad Lily
If you think the most exotic perennial you can grow in the shade is a hosta, meet the toad lily, Tricyrtis formosana. Toad lilies resemble tropical orchids with their six tepals (When sepals…
-
September Shrub of the Month-Diervilla
There’s a new kid in town that could beat out burning bush (October ANTI-Shrub of the Month-Burning bush) for spectacular fall color. This kid comes in a compact size and is as low-maintenance…
