Contact Heath DeYoung at hdeyoung@agribiz.org in the INLA office and we’ll try to highlight it for you. 

Contact Bob at 319.398.5899 x5127 or Bob.Smith@kirkwood.edu

Allium ‘Summer Beauty’

COMMON NAME: Ornamental Allium

BOTANICAL NAME: Allium spp.

USDA ZONE: 3-8

SUNLIGHT: Full Sun, Part Shade

SOIL CONDITIONS: Prefers well-drained soil. Tolerates dry soils.

HABIT: Varies depending on species. Most large headed allium are middle of the garden plants while small headed allium tend to be front of the garden plants. Flowers are held on stems well above the foliage.

FEATURES: Star shaped blooms held in round clusters are the main highlight of ornamental allium. Blooms are commonly pink to purple in color, and size of blooms is highly variable depending on species with large headed blooming in spring and small headed blooming in summer.

Allium cernuum – Native allium that is a good option for naturalized or informal plantings with a unique bent stem just below the flower cluster.

Allium ‘Summer Beauty’ – Sterile cultivar that works well in all styles of planting and holds on to various shades of pink blooms for most of the summer season.

Allium ‘Millenium’ – Similar in features to ‘Summer Beauty’ with deeper pink color and tighter form.

Allium ‘Globemaster’ – Very large (8-10”) flower heads command attention in the spring garden.

Ornamental Allium have become a popular addition to many gardens. They have nice blooms and long bloom duration in the small headed plants. The small headed species also tend to have attractive foliage outside of the bloom period that is deer resistant. There are many cultivars and species available with a plant suitable for most sun garden locations and planting styles. Large headed species are planted in bulb form in the fall to be enjoyed in the spring and can create a whimsical statement in the garden.

African marigold ‘bali orange’

COMMON NAME: African Marigold

BOTANICAL NAME: Tagetes erecta

SUNLIGHT: FULL SUN

HEIGHT: Varying based on variety

SPREAD: Varying based on variety

SOIL CONDITIONS: Well drained soil in the warm sun

FEATURES: Easily grown from direct sowing seeds. Flower and plant size depend on varieties. Oranges and yellows are the most common colors. Heat and drought tolerant and bloom from summer until frost.

WHY WE LOVE IT: African marigolds are a must have in your annual space. They are left alone by animal pests and are even used to keep pests away from other plants in the garden. They can be used as a cut flower. In addition to all their other benefits they are a cheap thing to fill your space with. The variety I use the most is ‘bali mix’ this can be used as a mix of the orange, yellow, and gold or each color can be used separately. The bloom size on this mix will impress you along with its controlled growth habit. 

COMMON NAME: Musclewood, Blue Beech, Ironwood, American Hornbeam

BOTANICAL NAME: Carpinus caroliniana

USDA ZONE: 4-9

SUNLIGHT: Full Sun to Partial Shade

SOIL CONDITIONS: Moist well-drained

HABIT: Tree Form 15-25’ Tall and 15-25’

This small, slow-growing, understory tree has a distinctive smooth gray trunk of distinctive muscle-like fluting that looks like something fantastical as if out of Lord of the Rings or House of Dragons. Indeed, one can easily imagine that a small hobbit or elf might emerge as if living in a home in some of the fluted old trunks. Leaves are a clean and polished 4” length that turn yellow, orange, and red, and hold on through the winter, allowing the tree to be used as an interesting taller screen. The marcescent leaves are used by wildlife as a secure habitat in the winter. It does produce catkins like the birch and winged nutlets that birds like the grouse, turkey, and songbirds, and small mammals use in their diet. This hardwood is often under-utilized despite being able to grow in shade and having no serious insect or disease problems.

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