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July Shrub of the Month-Buttonbush
Can there be a flower more fun than a buttonbush flower? (Cephalanathus occidentalis)These sputnik-looking spheres don’t look real, but they are fragrant, eye-catching, and unique, like little retro Christmas ornaments harking back to…
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July Tree of the Month-Bur oak
The state champion bur oak, Quercus macrocarpa, has lived just south of Columbia, Mo, for approximately 400 years. According to the current marker, it’s named the Williamson Bur Oak since the Williamson Family has owned…
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January Perennial of the Month-Little bluestem
The doldrums of January have arrived. What if you could turn your Winter Blues to red? Or, more precisely, russet or orange? Little bluestem, Schizachyrium scoparium, is quite the chameleon, providing our gardens with a…
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November Shrub of the Month-Staghorn Sumac
We explore another sumac this month-Rhus typhina, or staghorn sumac. Like the other sumacs, staghorn sumac forms colonies frequently found along roadsides or embankments. Unlike its cousin aromatic sumac, staghorn sumac can grow…
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Garden-Lou Visits DIG Annuals and Perennials
Tucked onto a 1/3 acre lot just steps away from the busy corner of Gravois and Arsenal is a quiet powerhouse of productivity, DIG Annuals and Perennials. The vacant lot was full of…
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September Perennial of the Month-Pink turtlehead
I love plants that shine in late summer or autumn! After the trials of a typical St. Louis Summer, most plants show some wear and tear, so it’s refreshing to see a beautiful…
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August Perennial of the Month-Black-eyed Susan
An Old English poem titled ‘Sweet William’s Farewell to Black-Eyed Susan’ is supposedly the origin of the common name for Rudbeckia fulgida. This Missouri native might have English roots, but she knows how…
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July Tree of the Month-American Linden
The American linden, or basswood tree, Tilia americana, is one of our largest native shade trees. Naturally found on slopes, at the base of bluffs, or along streams, when planted in a park-like…
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April Perennial of the Month-Virginia bluebells
I like to think of Virginia bluebells-Mertensia virginica, as misguided college kids who spend their spring break in St. Louis instead of Florida. Most of the year, they are off somewhere else (brushing…
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January Shrub of the Month-Witch Hazel
January is desolate-bare tree branches, barren perennial beds. Not a flower or fragrance to be found … unless you happen across a witch hazel. Hamamelis virginiana, the common witch hazel, and H. vernalis, the…
