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

Contact Heath at 515-868-0311 or hdeyoung@agribiz.org

COMMON NAME: Buttonbush

BOTANICAL NAME: Cephalanthus occidentalis

USDA ZONE: 4-9

SUNLIGHT: Full Sun to Partial Shade

SOIL CONDITIONS: Moist

HABIT: Upright shrub 5-12’ Tall and 4-8’ Wide

·        Native

·        Unique flowers

·        Fragrant

·        Adaptive to a range of soil conditions except dry soils

·        Great for rain gardens and natural areas

·        Attracts hummingbirds, butterflies, and pollinators

Gillenia trifoliata blooms

COMMON NAME: Bowman’s Root

BOTANICAL NAME: Gillenia trifoliata (Porteranthus trifoliatus)

USDA ZONE: 4-8

SUNLIGHT: Full Shade to Part Shade

SOIL CONDITIONS: Prefers moist, well-drained soil. Tolerates dry soils once established.

HABIT: 24-36”x 24-36”

FEATURES: Tall branching red stems with white star-like flowers held in wine-red cups blooming May-June. A delicate, airy display with attractive red calyxes persisting after the petals fall. Interesting trifoliate leaves also can show good orange to red fall color.

This is an underutilized plant native to Eastern North America. It has yearlong interest and is a great option when looking for a spring blooming shade loving species. The form makes it a good middle of the garden plant that works well planted in masses. It behaves well with its neighbors and doesn’t dominate a garden setting. Gillenia trifoliata can be a challenge to find at times as inventory tends to be low, but it is well worth the search. The payoff of year-round interest in a reliable blooming shade species makes this a plant to search out and ask for when ordering or growing perennials.

Zinnia ‘Queen Lime Mix’

COMMON NAME: Zinnia, Common Zinnia

BOTANICAL NAME: Zinnia elegans

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 or transplanted plugs. Flower and plant size depend on varieties. Pinks, reds, oranges, yellows, and whites are the most common colors.

WHY WE LOVE IT: Zinnias make a bold statement especially when planted in masses. They also add a great pop of color in any annual display. Zinnias are excellent cut flowers that can handle lots of harsh weather. Zinnias are also very fast to grow which helps them put on a long flower show through the season. The number of varieties to choose from is a big reason to love them. Pollinators worship them. My favorite varieties are ‘Oklahoma Mix’ and ‘Queen Lime Mix’. Both mixes have a smaller flower size and consistently have perfect blooms in beautiful colors.

Zinnia ‘Oklahoma Mix’

COMMON NAME: Taylor Juniper

BOTANICAL NAME: Juniperus virginiana 'Taylor'

USDA ZONE: 3-9

SUNLIGHT: Full Sun

SOIL CONDITIONS: Average to dry or well-drained soils

HABIT: Tree Form up to 15-20’ tall and 3’-4’ wide

If you are looking for an Italian cypress look with elegant vertical dense columnar pillars, this is as close as you will come in the Midwest. This juniper is cold-hardy and statuesque, providing a lot of height with a narrow footprint. It makes a wonderful screen alternative to the often used (“deer-candy “) thuja occidentalis arborvitaes. Its compact nature allows it to stay single stemmed and shed heavy snowfall without splitting. It is drought tolerant and maintains a beautiful dark blue/green color all year round. Consider this winner for use to frame an entrance, as house bookends for curbside appeal, to line a driveway, to border a pool, or as a privacy screen.

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