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Find that Flower!Flowers, Bushes and Trees in the JRC Garden as of June, 2015

How Many of Them Can you Find?

Redbud Cercis CanandensisNative to Illinois, Eastern Redbud is a native, perennial, deciduous tree growing 15 to 30 feet tall and 15to 25 feet wide. Older trees generally resemble a vase shape. Blooming before leaf growth in early spring,its pink to reddish purple flowers are grown on old twigs, branches, and trunks. Native Americans boiledthe bark to make tea to treat whooping cough, treated dysentery using an astringent from the bark, andused the roots and inner bark for fevers, congestion, and vomiting. The flowers attract bees andbutterflies, and can be fried and eaten. Eastern redbud develops a deep taproot that grows quickly thefirst few years under good conditions. Pruning the tree helps develop a strong structure. We planted three7-foot-tall multi-stemmed Redbuds.

Serviceberry Amelanchier x grandifloraNative to Illinois. In the forest, Serviceberry trees grow in the understory, under the canopy of larger trees.They have white flowers in spring that develop into tasty purple berries in early summer. Their leaves turnbeautiful colors in fall, and their silvery bark is pretty in winter. The berries make good jam, and attractbirds. Linda Kagan fostered one of the serviceberry trees from the first JRC garden, and we hope to addtwo more to accompany it.

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Potentilla Potentilla fruticosa (bush cinquefoil) and Potentilla goldfinger.Native to Illinois, Potentilla is a small deciduous shrub, growing to 4-5 feet high and 4-5 feet wide. It hasfine textured foliage on a mounding form, and produces large rich yellow buttercup-like flowers. The'Goldfinger' cultivar has deep golden-yellow flowers on plants with dark green foliage, good plant form andheavy flowering. Seven new Potentilla fruticosa plants were planted, in addition to about five PotentillaGoldfinger plants that were fostered and re-planted.

Annabelle Hydrangea Hydrangea aborencens ‘Annabell’Annabelle is a stunning white hydrangea, often producing flower heads over ten inches in diameter.Unlike other hydrangeas, she blooms every year, even after severe pruning or severe winters. About sixplants, all of them fostered from the first JRC Garden.

Alpine Current Ribes alpinum ‘Green mound’Small deciduous bushes with green foliage throughout the season, turning yellow in fall. Tolerates fullshade. Extremely winter hardy. The cultivar 'Green Mound' is 2-3 feet tall, male (no fruit), andresistant to leaf diseases. We planted 32 at JRC.

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New Jersey Tea Ceanothus americanusNative to Illinois, this small, durable, shrub attracts hummingbirds, which eat the tiny insects that pollinatethe flowers. About three feet tall, with luxuriant glossy leaves and bright white flowers. Tolerant ofdrought. The dried leaves make an excellent tea that was very popular during the Revolutionary Warperiod. We planted nine at JRC.

Canadian Explorer Rose ‘Martin Frobisher’‘Martin Frobisher’ is a pink shrub rose, growing to 5-6 feet tall and 4-7 feet wide. The original Explorerrose, introduced in 1968, it flowers freely all summer, June through October, and grows vigorously. It willsurvive to Zone 2a without protection. Five ‘Martin Frobisher” roses were planted by Carol Goldbaum inthe first JRC garden, in memory of her mother, Natalie Seinsheimer. Carol fostered them to be re-plantedin the new JRC garden.

Pinus MugoNative to Wisconsin, but not Illinois, Mugo Pine needs moist, well-drained loam soil and full sun. It growswell in sandy soils, but is also somewhat tolerant of clays, and is generally tolerant of urban conditions.tprefers cool summer climates. Because it can grow to 20 feet, it requires annual pruning (in late winter) toretain a compact size. We planted eleven at JRC.

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HostaHostas are small perennial plants that have a variety of handsome leaf colorations and produce lily-likeflowers. In spite of their almost tropical look, they are rugged. Once established, they tolerate almost anysoil and will grow for years. Hostas flower in early summer. The hostas in our garden were alltransplanted from the first JRC garden.

Astilbe AstilbeAstilbe is a rugged shade lover. The perennial plant produces an attractive mound of glossy, fernlikefoliage topped with delicate plumes of colorful flowers in late Spring. Our astilbe were fostered from thefirst JRC garden and replanted.

Bearded Iris (Iris germanica)JRC’s purplish-blue irises were originally transplanted from a member’s home garden in 1985. During thetransition from to the new building and garden, the irises were fostered. Even though they are not native,the irises are LEED-compliant, because they were “recycled.” When irises are established, they multiplyand reward you with a mass of flowers in late Spring. They love sun, and don’t like their “corms” to becovered up with a lot of mulch or competing plants. We fostered and replanted 161 irises at JRC.

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Prairie Trillium Trillium recurvatum recurvatumTrillium is a low woodland plant, flowering for three to four weeks in early spring. The native PrairieTrillium is common in every county of Illinois, primarily in rich woodlands, open woodlands, and savannas,where deciduous trees are dominant. We planted 24 at JRC.

Virginia bluebells Mertensiz verginicaNative wildflower with bell shaped sky-blue flowers. After blooming, the entire plant disappears until nextSpring (it is “ephemeral”). We planted 95 at JRC.

Dutchman’s Breeches Dicentra cucullariaNative, spring flowering, woodland flower, about a foot tall. Likes shade and rich, moist, humusy soil.Blooms in March to April, then disappears. Related to bleeding heart. We planted 116 at JRC.

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Wild geranium Geranium maculatum.A native woodland plant, also called spotted geranium or wood geranium, Wild Geranium blooms April toMay with pink to lilac flowers along foot-long stems. It attracts butterflies. We planted 167 plants at JRC.

Virginia spiderwort, Spider lily Tradescantia virginianaBlooming from March to June, Spiderwort got its name from the angular leaf arrangement suggesting asquatting spider, and grows to three feet with long, bright-green, narrow leaves in a thick clump ofslender, branched stalks, topped by groups of blue or purplish, three-petaled flowers up to two inchesacross. The blue-violet Spiderwort flowers close by mid-day and last only one day. Spiderwort is nativefrom Connecticut to Wisconsin, and found in meadows, open woods and limestone outcrops. Veryadaptable, it prefers humus-rich soil but will grow in a wide range of soils, and from sun to shade.

Prairie Alumroot or Coral Bells Heuchera richardsonii affinisNative to northern Illinois, Prairie Alumroot favors areas with poor rocky soil where there is reducedcompetition from taller plants. It flowers in June and July. From the center of a rosette of basal leavesemerge several 2-4 foot tall flowering stems, each stem with a group of small flowers. The flowers turninto capsules that contain tiny seeds that are dispersed by the wind. We planted 133 at JRC.

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Wild Blue Phlox, Woodland Phlox, Wild Sweet William Phlox divaricataNative to Illinois and common in midwestern woods and fields, Woodland Phlox sends up erect branchesfrom 8 to 18 inches tall. From April to June, with loose, flat clusters of fragrant, lavender or pink flowerswith notched petals occur at the top of these stems. The flowers are pollinated by long-tongued bees(especially bumblebees), bee flies, butterflies (especially swallowtails), skippers, and moths (includingHummingbird Clearwing & Sphinx moths). It can form large colonies over time as leafy shoots spreadalong the ground rooting at the nodes. Likes rich, moist but well-drained soil in part shade to full shade,and a light summer mulch to help retain moisture and keep roots cool. We planted 86 at JRC.

Prairie coreopsis Coreopsis palmateA native plant with yellow flowers that attract butterflies, Prairie Coreopsis blooms from May to July. It isabout two feet tall, very tough, and needs well-drained soil in full sun. We planted 200 in the JRC garden.

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Wild Columbine Aquilegia CanadensisColumbine is native spring wildflower that occurs in rocky woods, slopes, ledges and open areasthroughout Illinois. About a foot tall, columbine flowers for many weeks in spring, and is a mound ofgraceful leaves when it is not flowering. Columbine grows in full sun to part shade, and tolerates aboutany soil except poorly-drained soil. If the foliage deteriorates, cut the plants to the ground, and fresh newfoliage will emerge and look good all season. Hummingbirds depend on Wild Columbine as an importantsource of early season nectar. We planted 200 in the JRC garden.

Prairie smoke Geum triflorum (also called Old Man's Whiskers or Purple avens)Native to Northeastern Illinois, Prairie Smoke is a soft, hairy plant growing typically to 16" tall with fern-likeleaves, producing reddish pink to purplish, nodding, globular flowers that bloom in late spring, followed byconspicuous fruiting heads. It remains attractive for two or more months, from the bud period through the“smoky” period. Native Americans once boiled the roots to produce a root tea that was used medicinallyfor a variety of purposes such as wound applications and sore throat treatments. Prairie smoke spreadsslowly by rhizome to form a low groundcover, and likes dry, well-drained soil in full sun. We planted 129 inthe JRC Garden.

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Nodding onion or Lady’s leek Allium cernuumNative from Canada to Mexico, Nodding Onion has showy pink flowers from June to August. It is lowmaintenance, likes shade, and attracts butterflies. We planted 78 at JRC.

Evening Primrose Oenothera macrocarpaNative to Illinois, our Evening Primrose plants were fostered and replanted in the new JRC garden.Evening Primrose has large, cup-shaped, canary yellow flowers with a mild fragrance that are producedin great numbers from early to mid summer. They then become four-winged seed pots. It loves sun andtolerates both drought and high humidity. We fostered and replanted 45 at JRC.

Wild bergamot (also called Beebalm) Monarda fistulaBeebalm is a native prairie plant, producing pink to lavender flowers from June to September. It attractshummingbirds and butterflies, likes dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade,and needs good air circulation. We planted 49 at JRC, ten of which were fostered.

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Butterfly weed Asclepias tuberosaWith a showy yellow flower blooming from June to August, Butterfly Weed is a native perennial thatoccurs in dry or rocky open woods, glades, prairies, fields and roadsides. It is low maintenance and doesattract butterflies. Butterfly Weed typically grows in a clump from 1 to 3 feet tall. We planted 33 at JRC.

Coneflower Echinacea purpureaNative to Illinois, Coneflowers bloom from spring to late summer, with the cone-shaped flowers their namesuggests. It attracts bees and butterflies. Unable to grow in the shade, Coneflower thrives in either dry ormoist soil and can tolerate drought once established. We planted 100 at JRC.

Black-eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta ‘Goldsturm’A native prairie biennial, Black-eyed Susan is over three feet tall with leaves up to six inches long andflowers 2-3 inches across. It blooms from June to October. A biennial, it forms a rosette of leaves the firstyear, followed by flowers the second year. Pollinated by bees, butterflies and other insects, its seedsgerminate nearby, and it can push other plants out of an area. We planted 72 at JRC.

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Prairie Blazing Star Liatris pycnostachyaNative to Illinois and growing to four feet tall, blooming in July, August, and September, Blazing Starattracts butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. Like other liatris, it begins to bloom at the top and works itsway down. After blooming, “achenes” form with light brown tufts of hair, which are distributed by the wind.The root system consists of corms, which occasionally form offsets near the mother plant. It likes full sun,rich soil and moisture. We planted six at JRC.

Rattlesnake Master Eryngium yuccansisNative to Illinois tallgrass prairies, the common name derives from its use by some Native Americans asan antidote for rattlesnake venom. Growing two to five feet tall, with a stout stem, from July to Septemberit produces balls of tiny flowers that attract many kinds of insects. It prefers sun and becomes spindly inshade. We planted 34 at JRC.

New England Aster Aster novae-angliae.Look for the end of summer when the Asters bloom, from August to October. Aster is a tall, majesticflower native to Illinois, occurring in moist prairies, meadows, thickets, low valleys and stream banks. It isa nectar source for Monarch butterflies. We planted 59 at JRC.

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Heartleaf Foamflower Tiarella cordifoliaNative to woodlands in Wisconsin and Michigan but not Illinois, Foamflower is one the best native plantsfor use as a shade groundcover. Blooming from March to May, its flowers are white, small and featheryand form a long terminal cluster on a leafless stalk. It prefers moist, rich organic soils in full to part shade,is undemanding, and spreads quickly without being invasive. Foamflower is tolerant of a wide range ofgrowing conditions from dry to moist but well-drained soils. We planted 78 at JRC.

Lady Fern Athyrium filix-feminaAthyrium filix-femina is a large, feathery species of fern native throughout most of the temperate NorthernHemisphere, where it is often abundant in damp, shady woodland environments. Delicate and lacy,strong-growing and dependable, tough and easy to grow. Likes shade and moisture. We planted 40 atJRC.

Christmas Fern Polystichum acrostichoidesNative to Illinois, and one of the most common ferns in eastern North America, its common name refers toits evergreen nature. The fronds are semi-erect until the first hard frost, after which they recline to be flaton the ground, holding in place fallen leaves that then become soil. We planted 30 at JRC.

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Wintercreeper Euonymus fortuneiAn evergreen perennial vine, Wintercreeper is not native, but is LEED-compliant because it is vigorousand tough and will grow over and around the gabion walls with little maintenance. Leaves are opposite,glossy, dark green, oval, slightly toothed, with light-colored veins, from one to two inches. Flowers aresmall and greenish with five petals on long branched stalks. Fruits are small round pink-red capsules thatsplit open to expose seeds with red-orange arils. We planted 135 at JRC.

English Ivy Hedera helixA rampant, clinging evergreen vine, it is not native, but like Wintercreeper, it is LEED-compliant because itis vigorous and tough and will grow over and around the gabion walls with little maintenance. We planted31 plants at JRC.

Virginia Creeper Partheocissus quinquefoliaNative to Illinois, Virginia Creeper, also known as Woodbine, is a prolific and attractive vine. It climbssmooth surfaces using small forked tendrils tipped with small strongly adhesive pads 5 mm in size. Itsleaves turn bright red in the fall, and its berries provide an important winter food source for birds. Weplanted 40 at JRC.

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Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)A vigorous, long-lived native bunch grass, widely distributed over the United States, but most prevalent inthe Central and Southern Great Plains. Because it is short, it mixes well with wildflowers. Little Bluestemis turns a striking bright red in fall, topped by fluffy silvery-white seed stalks. It can grow to two to four feettall. We planted 203 at JRC.

CarexCommonly known as sedges, Carex is a vast genus of almost 2000 species of grassy plants. We planted302 carex plants at JRC. Carex bromoides is native to north-eastern Illinois. Growing about two feet tall, itlikes partial sun to light shade, and wet to consistently moist conditions.

Purple Lovegrass EragrostisNative to Illinois, Purple Love Grass is a perennial, warm season grass that grows actively during thesummer when soil temperatures are warm. It reaches heights of 1-2 feet, and thrives in full sun.The seedheads (or florets) bloom mid-summer in shades of light to bright purple, giving an overall purple haze tothe landscape. We planted thirteen plants at JRC.

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Prairie Dropseed Sporobolus heterolepisNative to Illinois, Prairie Dropseed typically grows from 2 to 3 feet in height and does well in moist to dryconditions. It is a fine-textured grass with long, narrow leaves that arch outward, forming attractive roundtufts. The leaves range in color from a rich green hue in summer to a golden rust complexion in the fall.Foliage is resilient enough to resist flattening by snow, so it provides year-round interest. From late July tomid-September, the grass blooms with rusty-tan flowers that rise 30 to 36 inches in height. We planted185 plants at JRC.

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Invasive Plants that Need Control or Eradication

BeebalmFor a picture and information, see above. Beebalm is extremely aggressive, and needs to be

removed from many parts of the JRC Garden. With control, however, it is a welcome native Illinois flowerfor other parts of the garden. It just should be watched.

Crown Vetch Securigera variaCrown Vetch is a low-growing non-native vine that has become an invasive species in many states of theUS. It grows one to two feet tall and bears small clusters of half-inch pink and white flowers from earlysummer to late fall. It is a tough, aggressive spreading plant with a tenacious and complex root systemthat wraps its tentacles around native plants and is extremely difficult to eradicate. In 2015, the GardenTeam weeded it out of the JRC Garden, but we must vigilantly keep on top of it or it will come right back.

Morning GloryMorning glory vines are pretty along a fence but along the ground, as at JRC in the bed at the corner ofMulford and Dodge, they grow along the ground, and are choking out native plants. Because MorningGlory vines can grow to fifteen feet, it is very difficult to follow a vine to the roots and weed it out. It growsaggressively during warm weather.