INLA NEWSLETTER

March 2025

IN THIS ISSUE: 

• Thanks to Sponsors
• INLA Trade Show Recap
• Build It Conference
• Plant Picks of the Month

Thanks to our Sponsors at this year’s

INLA Trade Show!

Gold

Arborjet / Ecologel

Quick Supply Company

Site One Landscape Supply

Silver

Bailey Nurseries, Inc.

Greenleaf Nursery Co.

Rochester Concrete Products, LLC

Unilock Chicago, Inc.

Xylem, Ltd. and Golden Valley Hardscapes, LLC

Bronze

Anderzhon Nursery Sales, Inc.

Bachman's Wholesale Nursery and Hardscapes

Central Landscape Supply

County Materials

Goodmark Nurseries

Johnson's Nursery

Kankakee Nursery Co.

McKay Nursery Company

Mirage Enterprises Nursery Sales

Rainbow Ecoscience

This year’s Shade Tree Short Course and INLA Trade Show went very well. We had over 40 companies with exhibitor booths at the event. 

There were 3 scholarships awarded to some well-deserving students from DMACC, Kirkwood, and Iowa State University at the annual membership meeting. Miranda Capper, Hannah Schilling, and Tony Krebs are pictured below receiving their scholarship awards from Board President Sean Pearl of Sustainable Landscape Solutions.

The annual silent auction and reception at Reiman Gardens was also a great event that was well attended by our exhibitors, members, and attendees of the conference. Thanks to all who came to network and raise money for our scholarship program this year. 

INLA had a booth at the Build IT Conference on March 5th and 6th in Coralville, Iowa. Many awards were handed out during the event.

Our board members Christina Harrold and David Selmer presented at one of the educational classes as well.   

If you’re looking to get ICNP certification, please contact Bob Smith at Kirkwood Community College, and we will try to organize a time to sign your business or individuals up to test and become an Iowa Certified Nursery Professional.

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

Epimedium x rubrum

FEATURES: Barrenwort is a short stature groundcover. It has good heart-shaped foliage with spiny-toothed medium green leaflets. The leaflets often have tinges of red on their margins. There are multiple cultivars with different colored blooms like rubrum (red) and ‘Sulphureum’ (yellow).

WHY WE LOVE IT: Barrenwort is one of a short list of plants that will excel in deep and dry shade. It makes a great groundcover with interesting and attractive foliage. The blooms are also attractive when taking the time to view up close and cultivars have blooms ranging from yellow to red. Blooms arrive early in the season, often before surrounding leaves have completely emerged. This plant is low maintenance and a great filler between other shade plants as it behaves well with its garden neighbors. If you are looking for alternatives to shade gardens full of hosta, barrenwort should be on your list of plants to consider.

Epimedium x versicolor ‘Sulphureum’

 Epimedium foliage

Petunia Supertunia Mini Vista Yellow

COMMON NAME: Petunia Supertunia Mini Vista Yellow

BOTANICAL NAME: Petunia hybrid

SUNLIGHT: Part Sun to Sun

HEIGHT: 6”-12”

SPREAD: 18”-24”

SOIL CONDITIONS: Average Soil

FEATURES: Petite pale-yellow flowers on vigorous plants

WHY WE LOVE IT: Supertunia Mini Vista Yellow is part of a large group of Mini Vista plants and this one comes in a unique yellow color. The plant is a perfect choice for hanging baskets and planters as well as mass plantings in the ground. The plant is extremely vigorous, but that vigor comes in very even growth. In mass plantings it resembles are carpet completely covered in blooms. The plant reblooms without a need for deadheading. A must have for many uses in the landscape and will bloom continuously all season long. 

COMMON NAME: Northern Bush Honeysuckle

BOTANICAL NAME: Diervilla

USDA ZONE: 4a-7b

SUNLIGHT: Full Shade to Full Sun

SOIL CONDITIONS: Moist well-drained but drought-tolerant

HABIT: 3-4’ x 3-4’ Mounded

FEATURES:

This plant is not the invasive honeysuckle Lonicera! To the contrary, it is a native and attracts many of our favorite pollinators including butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds with its light yellow flowers.

WHY WE LOVE IT:

This plant is extremely durable to just about any condition. It grows in full shade to full sun. It is drought-tolerant and deer-resistant. It stays true to its habit and doesn’t require maintenance – though will welcome a trim in spring like most cut-back shrubs as it blooms on new wood. There are many great cultivars including the Kodiak series by Proven Winners that have wonderful colored foliage including Orange, Red, and a Dark Maroon. It is an excellent way to add some color interest – especially in shady spots where weigela, ninebark, and barberry won’t thrive. In fact the bright red color in the Fall makes this plant an excellent native replacement for the popular invasive burning bush.  

If you haven’t returned your 2024-25 Membership Enrollment, please follow the link below and take a moment to register online!

INLA Membership Online Membership Form

Shawna Moss

Kirkwood Community College

Cedar Rapids, IA

Cathy James

Hortica Insurance

Edwardsville, IL