Green第48页 - 绿手指 - 养花技巧、花生病了怎么办、花园打理和设计

Description: This perennial plant is 1½–2' tall and unbranched. The central stem is light green to light purplish green and more or less pubescent. Several pairs of opposite leaves occur along the entire length of the stem; they are more or less ascending. The leaves are often folded upward along their margins, where they are often wavy (up and down). Individual leaves are up to 5" long and 1½" across; they are linear-lanceolate to lanceolate in shape and smooth (entire) along their margins. The upper leaf surface is medium green, while the lower leaf surface is light green; both surfaces are short-pubescent to nearly glabrous. The petioles are about 3 mm. (1/8") long, light green to light reddish green, and pubescent. The primary veins of the leaves are pinnate, while their secondary veins form a reticulated network that is visible on their undersides. From the axils of middle to upper leaves, there are nodding umbels of flowers spanning 1–1¾" across (only one umbel per pair of leaves). These umbels have short pubescent peduncles up to 6 mm. (¼") long. A typical plant will have 1-4 umbels; each umbel has 15-45 flowers on hairy pedicels about ½" long. Individual umbels are broadly obconic to half-globoid in shape and dome-shaped in front, rather than flat-headed.

Each flower is about 8 mm. long and 3 mm. across, consisting of 5 erect hoods, 5 deflexed petals, 5 deflexed sepals, and the reproductive organs. The flowers are light green to green, becoming yellowish green or purplish green as they age. Individual hoods are lanceolate-oblong in shape; they are without horns. The hoods surround a central reproductive column on all sides; this column contains masses of winged pollinia (packets of pollen). The deflexed petals are lanceolate in shape; when the flower is fully open, they hide the shorter sepals. The sepals are linear-lanceolate in shape, light green to purplish green, and hairy. The blooming period occurs during early summer, lasting about 3 weeks. Afterwards, the flowers that have been cross-pollinated successfully (if any) are replaced by follicles (seedpods that open along one side). The follicles are up to 3½–5" long and ½–¾" across; they are narrowly lanceoloid and usually short-pubescent. During the autumn, these follicles split open to release their seeds. The seeds are dark brown, flattened-ovoid in shape, and winged along their margins. At their apices, the seeds have tufts of white hair; they are distributed by the wind. The root system consists of a central taproot. This plant usually occurs as scattered individuals, rarely forming colonies.

Cultivation: The preference is full sun and dry-mesic to dry conditions. This plant will also tolerate partial sun and mesic conditions. If anything, poor soil is preferred, containing gravelly or sandy material, as this reduces competition from taller plants. However, rich loam is tolerated if it is well-drained. After the blooming period and during the development of seedpods, this plant gradually deteriorates.

Range & Habitat: The native Short Green Milkweed is widely distributed in Illinois, but it is absent from some eastern and central counties (see Distribution Map). In areas where it occurs, this plant is rare to occasional. Habitats include openings in upland forests that are rocky or sandy; upland black soil prairies, sand prairies, gravel prairies, and hill prairies; barrens, limestone glades, and sand dunes; and abandoned fields. Short Green Milkweed usually occurs in high quality habitats, rather than degraded areas. Occasional wildfires are probably beneficial by reducing competition from woody vegetation.

Faunal Associations: The nectar of the flowers attracts primarily bumblebees, which are the primary pollinators (Robertson, 1929). Ants are also attracted to the nectar, but they are not effective at cross-pollination. Some insects feed destructively on Short Green Milkweed and other milkweeds (Asclepias spp.). For example, larvae of a long-horned beetle, Tetraopes texanus (Texas Milkweed Beetle), bore through the stems of Short Green Milkweed, while caterpillars of a butterfly, Danaus plexippus (Monarch), occasionally feed on the leaves. Other insects that feed on milkweeds are listed in the Insect Table. Mammalian herbivores avoid consumption of the foliage because its milky latex contains toxic cardiac glycosides and it is bitter-tasting. Because caterpillars of the Monarch butterfly are able to sequester these toxic chemicals, the adults of this insect are usually avoided by birds.

Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at the Prospect Cemetery Prairie in Ford County, Illinois, and the Coneflower Hill Prairie in Shelby County, Illinois.

Comments: This non-showy plant is unlikely to receive favor from the mass market in horticulture, but it is nonetheless quite interesting to examine. This milkweed species is rather variable across different localities; there is a variety with narrow leaves that occurs in sandy areas near Lake Michigan. Short Green Milkweed (Asclepias viridiflora) can be distinguished from many species of milkweeds by its nodding umbels of greenish flowers. The rare Mead's Milkweed (Asclepias meadii) has this characteristic, but its flowers are more wide (about 6 mm. across) and the hoods of its flowers have horns. Another milkweed species, Tall Green Milkweed (Asclepias hirtella), produces nodding umbels of greenish flowers, but its umbels are more fully globoid in shape, and its leaves are usually more linear and narrow than those of Short Green Milkweed.

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Description: This perennial herbaceous plant is ½–2' tall and more or less erect; it is either unbranched or sparingly branched along the upper half of its central stem. The central stem is yellowish green or medium green and terete; it has vertical lines of short pubescence. Whorls of 4-6 leaves occur along the nodes of the central stem; because the internodes of this stem are fairly short, these leaves are produced in abundance. Relative to the orientation of the central stem, the leaves are usually ascending, although sometimes they are widely spreading or drooping. The leaves are 2-3" long, 2-3 mm. across, and linear in shape; their margins are entire (toothless) and strongly revolute (rolled downward). Sometimes whorls of smaller secondary leaves are produced from short lateral stems that develop from the axils of leaves along the central stem. The upper leaf surfaces are yellowish green or medium green and glabrous to sparsely short-pubescent; they are narrowly grooved along the middle where the midribs occur. The lower leaf surfaces are whitish green and short-pubescent; they are partially obscured by the rolled leaf margins. The leaves are sessile or they have very short petioles (less than 2 mm. long). From the axils of middle to upper leaves, umbels of flowers are produced on short peduncles (flowering stalks); there can be 1-4 umbels of flowers at each node. Individual umbels span ¾–1½" across, consisting of 7-20 pedicellate flowers.

Each flower is about 5-6 mm. across and 8-10 mm. long, consisting of 5 sepals, 5 petals, 5 hoods with horns, and a central reproductive column. The sepals are light green, short-pubescent, and lanceolate in shape; sometimes they are tinted purple toward their tips. These sepals are visible at the bases of flower buds, but they are hidden by the petals when the flowers bloom. The petals are white or greenish white, sometimes with pale purplish tints toward their tips; they are oblong-elliptic in shape and strongly declined (bent downward), curving slightly upward toward their tips. The erect white hoods are open-tubular in shape and somewhat oblique, their lower sides facing the center of the flower. The slender white horns are sickle-shaped and inwardly curved; there is one exserted horn per hood. The short reproductive column is white at its apex and light green below. The slender pedicels of the flowers are light green to nearly white, sometimes becoming purplish at their bases; they are 8-12 mm. long, terete, and short-pubescent. The peduncles are ½–1½" long, light to medium green, glabrous to short-pubescent, terete, and ascending. The blooming period occurs from early to late summer, lasting about 1-2 months. There is little or no floral scent. Afterwards, successfully cross-pollinated flowers are replaced by ascending to erect follicles (seedpods that open along one side). These follicles are 3-4" long and about ½" across; they are narrowly lanceoloid in shape and fairly smooth (lacking warts or soft prickles). At maturity during autumn or winter, these follicles split open to release their seeds to the wind. Mature seeds are about 4-5 mm. long, ovate-flattened in shape, brown, and narrowly winged along their margins; their apices have large tufts of white hair. The root system is fleshy-fibrous and long-rhizomatous. Colonies of clonal plants are often produced from the rhizomes.

Cultivation: The preference is full sun, mesic to dry conditions, and soil containing loam, clay-loam, sand, or gravel. Infertile soil is actually preferred because it reduces competition from taller plants. During hot dry weather, the lower leaves may turn yellow and fall off, or the foliage of the entire plant may become yellowish green. In open sunny areas with exposed soil, this plant can spread aggressively.

Range & Habitat: The native Whorled Milkweed occurs occasionally throughout most of Illinois, except for a few southern counties (see Distribution Map), where it is rare or absent. Habitats include upland prairies, sand prairies, gravel prairies, hill prairies, openings in rocky upland forests, sandy savannas, limestone glades, rocky bluffs along major rivers, bluegrass meadows, pastures and abandoned fields, grassy slopes along highways, and waste areas. Whorled Milkweed is a pioneer species that prefers open disturbed areas.

Faunal Associations: The nectar of the flowers attracts many kinds of insects, including honeybees, bumblebees, Halictid bees (Halictus spp., Lasioglossum spp.), Halictid cuckoo bees (Sphecodes spp.), sand-loving wasps (Tachytes spp.), weevil wasps (Cerceris spp.), Sphecid wasps (Sphex spp., Prionyx spp.), Five-banded Tiphiid Wasp (Myzinum quinquecinctum), Northern Paper Wasp (Polites fuscatus), spider wasps (Anoplius spp.), Eumenine wasps (Euodynerus spp., etc.), Syrphid flies, thick-headed flies (Physocephala spp., etc.), Tachinid flies, flesh flies (Sarcophagidae), Muscid flies, Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) and other butterflies, Peck's Skipper (Polites peckius) and other skippers, Squash Vine Borer Moth (Melittia cucurbitae) and other moths, and Pennsylvania Soldier Beetle (Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus); sources of information include Robertson (1929) and personal observations. Among these floral visitors, bees and wasps are usually more effective at cross-pollination. Some insects feed destructively on the foliage, flowers, seedpods, and other parts of Whorled Milkweed. These species include the Small Milkweed Bug (Lygaeus kalmii), Milkweed Leaf Beetle (Labidomera clivicollis), Yellow Milkweed Aphid (Aphis nerii), and a moth, the Delicate Cycnia (Cycnia tenera). Although this insect does not occur in Illinois, in the southwestern United States, the Horsetail Milkweed Longhorn (Tetraopes discoideus) feeds on Whorled Milkweed and closely related milkweed species (Asclepias spp.); sources of information include Betz et al. (1997), Yanega (1996), and personal observations. Mammalian herbivores usually avoid the foliage of Whorled Milkweed as a food source because it is one of the more toxic milkweed species.

Photographic Location: Photographs were taken at the webmaster's wildflower garden in Urbana, Illinois, and a bluegrass meadow near Parkland College in Champaign, Illinois.

Comments: This small milkweed blooms later in the year than most milkweed species (Asclepias spp.), and its small umbels of flowers attract many kinds of insects, including butterflies. Whorled Milkweed (Asclepias verticillata) superficially resembles the common Field Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) because of its whorled linear leaves. It can be distinguished from this latter species by the milky latex of its foliage and the later development of its flowers and seedpods. Field Horsetail is a spore-bearing plant that lacks true flowers. Whorled Milkweed is readily distinguished from other milkweed species in Illinois by its more narrow leaves (only 2-3 mm. across). Narrow-leaved Milkweed (Asclepias stenophylla) is an exception, because its linear leaves are almost as narrow. However, this latter species has leaves that are alternate to nearly opposite along its stems, rather than whorled. So far, it has been found in only a few counties of western Illinois.

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Description: This perennial herbaceous plant is 2-3' tall and unbranched. The erect central stem is relatively stout, terete, light green, and glabrous. Pairs of opposite leaves occur along the entire length of the stem; they are widely spreading to ascending (usually the latter). These leaves are 3-6" long and 1½–3" across; they are broadly oblong to ovate-oblong in shape, entire (toothless) and sometimes wavy along their margins, and either sessile or short-pedicellate. The leaf bases are rounded, while the tips of leaves are round or obtuse, tapering abruptly to a short narrow point. The upper and lower surfaces of the leaves are light-medium green and glabrous; the leaf texture is slightly fleshy. Leaf venation is pinnate; the prominent central veins are light green, pink, or purple. Each fertile plant develops 1-3 umbels of flowers (rarely more) from the apex of the central stem and the axils of the uppermost leaves. These umbels span 2–3½" across and they are slightly dome-shaped, consisting of 15-25 flowers each (rarely more).

Each flower is about ½" across and ¾" long, or slightly smaller in size, consisting of 5 sepals, 5 petals, 5 hoods with horns, and a central reproductive column that is whitish. The sepals are light green to pinkish purple, lanceolate-ovate in shape, and glabrous. The petals are mostly pink to purplish pink (although white at their bases), lanceolate in shape, and declined (bent downward). The hoods are erect, open-tubular in shape, and pink to purplish pink. Each hood has an exserted horn that is sickle-shaped and incurved. The pedicels of the flowers are 1–1½" long, light green to reddish purple, and glabrous. The peduncles of the umbels are ½–3" long, light green, and terete. The blooming period occurs during early to mid-summer, lasting about 1 month. The flowers have a pleasant fragrance. Afterwards, cross-fertilized flowers (if any) are replaced by erect to ascending follicles (seedpods that open along one side) that are 3-4" long and 1–1¼" across at maturity. These follicles are light green (while immature), lanceoloid in shape, and smooth to bluntly warty. At maturity, the follicles split open to release their seeds to the wind. The seeds are brown, flattened-ovate in shape, and narrowly winged along their margins; they have large tufts of white hair at their apices. The root system is fleshy and rhizomatous, occasionally producing clonal offsets.

Cultivation: The preference is full sunlight, moist to mesic conditions, and a rich loamy soil. While it can spread by means of its rhizomes, this plant is far less aggressive than Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca). During dry weather, some of the lower leaves may turn yellow and fall off the plant. This also happens when the seedpods develop, which is quite normal. Active growth occurs during the late spring and early summer.

Range & Habitat: The native Prairie Milkweed is uncommon to occasional in the majority of counties in Illinois, but it is rare or absent in many counties of southern and NW Illinois (see Distribution Map). Habitats include black soil prairies, cemetery prairies, prairie remnants along railroads, moist meadows along rivers or near woodlands, thickets, and roadside ditches. Prairie Milkweed is an indicator plant of average to high quality prairies.

Faunal Associations: Various insects visit the flowers of Prairie Milkweed for nectar, including bumblebees, cuckoo bees (Epeolus spp.), leaf-cutting bees (Megachile spp.), Halictid bees (including green metallic bees), Halictid cuckoo bees (Sphecodes spp.), sand wasps (Bembix spp.), Sphecid wasps, Ichneumonid wasps, thick-headed flies (Conopidae), Tachinid flies, flesh flies (Sarcophagidae), butterflies, skippers, moths, and ants (Robertson, 1929). The Ruby-throated Hummingbird also visits the flowers for nectar. Among the various visitors, bumblebees and other long-tongued bees are the most effective in cross-pollinating the flowers. Other insects feed on the roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and seedpods of Prairie Milkweed and other milkweeds (Asclepias spp.). The larvae of one species, the Milkweed Leaf-miner Fly (Liriomyza asclepiadis), tunnels through the leaves of Prairie Milkweed (Betz et al., 1997). Other insects that feed on milkweeds include long-horned beetles (Tetraopes spp.), the Swamp Milkweed Leaf Beetle (Labidomera clivicollis), the Milkweed Stem Weevil (Rhyssomatus lineaticollis), the Small Milkweed Bug (Lygaeus kalmii), the Large Milkweed Bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus), the Yellow Milkweed Aphid (Aphis nerii) and other aphids, caterpillars of a moth, the Delicate Cycnia (Cycnia tenera), and caterpillars of a butterfly, the Monarch (Danaus plexippus). The Insect Table provides additional information about these species. Because the foliage of Prairie Milkweed contains a white latex that is bitter-tasting and toxic, mammalian herbivores avoid consumption of this plant.

Photographic Location: The photographs were taken at the Loda Cemetery Prairie in Iroquois County, Illinois.

Comments: Prairie Milkweed (Asclepias sullivantii) somewhat resembles Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) in appearance, but the former species has flowers that are slightly larger in size and its leaves are hairless on their undersides. Prairie Milkweed is usually a shorter plant than Common Milkweed, and it produces fewer umbels of flowers from the axils of its leaves. Another similar species is Purple Milkweed (Asclepias purpurascens). This latter species differs by having seedpods that are always smooth (rather than bluntly warty) and it has short hairs on the undersides of its leaves. In addition, the flowers of Purple Milkweed are slightly smaller in size than those of Prairie Milkweed, and they are usually more purple. Sometimes Prairie Milkweed has difficulty in forming seedpods because many flower-visiting insects are not very effective in removing and transferring pollinia from one plant to another. In addition, it is not uncommon for some of these insects to become entrapped on the flowers and unable to escape. Another common name of this plant is Sullivant's Milkweed.

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BOTANICAL NAME: Brassica oleracea acephala
PLANT TYPE: Vegetable
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Loamy
SOIL PH: Neutral to Slightly Alkaline
BLOOM TIME: Varies
Kale is a hardy, cool-season green that is part of the cabbage family. It grows best in the spring and fall and can tolerate fall frosts. Here’s how to grow kale in your garden.
Kale can be used in salads or simply as a garnish. Kale has a number of health benefits, as it is rich in minerals and vitamins A and C.

PLANTING
You can plant kale at any time, from early spring to early summer. If you plant kale late in the summer, you can harvest it from fall until the ground freezes in winter.
Mix 1-½ cups of 5-10-10 fertilizer per 25 feet of row into the top 3 to 4 inches of soil.
Plant the seeds ¼ to ½ inch deep into well-drained, light soil.
After about 2 weeks, thin the seedlings so that they are spaced 8 to 12 inches apart.

CARE
Water the plants regularly, but be sure not to overwater them.
Mulch the soil heavily after the first hard freeze; the plants may continue to produce leaves throughout the winter.

PESTS/DISEASES
Cabbageworms
Flea beetles
Aphids

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BOTANICAL NAME: Phaseolus vulgaris
PLANT TYPE: Vegetable
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Loamy
Green beans are delicious eaten fresh off the plant or incorporated into a recipe.
The main difference between bush and pole beans is the plants’ growing styles: bush beans tend to grow more compactly and do not require support, while pole beans will vine and need to be grown up stakes or trellises. Bush beans generally require less maintenance and are easier to grow, but pole beans typically yield more beans and are very disease resistant.

PLANTING
Pole beans will grow as a climbing vine that may reach up to 15 feet tall. Therefore, pole beans require a trellis or staking. Bush beans will spread up to 2 feet, but do not require support. Watch this video to learn how to support beans properly.
Do not start seeds indoors; they may not survive transplanting.
Seeds can be sown outdoors anytime after the last spring frost; minimum soil temperature is 48 degrees F. Plant 1 inch deep in normal soil, and a little deeper for sandier soils. Cover soil to warm if necessary.
Bush beans: Plant 2 inches apart.
Pole beans: Set up trellises, or “cattle panels,” and plant 3 inches apart.
If you like pole beans, an easy support for them is a “cattle panel”—a portable section of wire fence—16 feet long and 5 feet tall. The beans will climb with ease and you won’t have to get into contorted positions to pick them.
For a harvest that lasts all summer, sow beans every 2 weeks. If you’re going to be away, skip a planting. Beans do not wait for anyone.
Rotate crops each year.

CARE
Mulch soil to retain moisture; make sure that it is well-drained.
Water regularly, from start of pod to set. Water on sunny days so foliage will not remain soaked.
Beans require normal soil fertility. Only fertilize where levels are low. Begin after heavy bloom and set of pods.
Use a light hand when applying high-nitrogen fertilizer, or you will get lush foliage and few beans.
Weed diligently and use shallow cultivation to prevent disturbing the root systems.

PESTS/DISEASES
Aphids
Mexican Bean Beetles
Japanese Beetles
Cucumber Beetles
White Mold
Mosaic Viruses
Woodchucks
Cutworms
Bean blossoms will drop from the plant if the weather is too hot, and too much nitrogen in the soil will prevent pods from setting.

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BOTANICAL NAME: Zebrina Pendula or Tradescantia Albiflora
PLANT TYPE: Houseplant
SUN EXPOSURE: Part Sun
Wandering Jews (Tradescantias) are valued for their stripes of white, green, silver, and purple colors in their leaves. They have trailing vines that flow from it’s base and are very easy to care for.

PLANTING
Grow in all-purpose potting mix in either a pot or hanging basket.
Select a location that delivers medium to bright light.
The room temperature should be between 55 and 75 degrees F.

CARE
Water completely and allow the soil to dry before watering again. You can water less during the winter months of its resting period.
Provide fertilizer twice a month.
You can re-root the long stem tips by cutting in the spring and summer. Just make sure the stems are 3 inches long and the plant will root within 3 weeks.

PESTS/DISEASES
Aphids tend to be a problem on the stems and leaves. To rid of them, pinch off the infected stems and spray the plant with water.

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BOTANICAL NAME: Chlorophytum Comosum
PLANT TYPE: Houseplant
SUN EXPOSURE: Part Sun
SOIL TYPE: Any
FLOWER COLOR: White
Spider Plants or Airplane Plants produce arched green and pale yellow stems that extend to be 12-18 inches long. When less than a year old, Spider Plants may produce tiny white flowers during the summer. These easy-to-grow plants look especially nice in a hanging basket.

PLANTING
Grow in soil-based potting mix in bright to moderate sunlight, but not directly facing hot sun.
Maintain average room temperature and humidity.

CARE
During growth, water occasionally; once fully developed (within one year), water moderately.
In the spring and summer months keep the soil moist. Do not let soil dry out.
Fertilize twice a month in the spring and summer, however, avoid overfertilization.

PESTS/DISEASES
Prone to tip burn from dry soil or salt and fluoride found in some public water. Keep the soil slightly moist. Avoid using fluoridated water.
To rid of the brown discs on leaves, use your fingernail to remove the brown residue every few days.

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BOTANICAL NAME: Beaucarnea Recurvata
PLANT TYPE: Houseplant
SUN EXPOSURE: Full SunPart Sun
Ponytail Palms are a great, long-lived indoor plant. (Despite it’s name and palm-like appearance, it’s not a true “palm.”)
This plant has long green leathery stems that develop as the plant ages. Indoors, they can reach up to 3 feet high. The only thing that is difficult about this plant is adapting to its watering needs.

PLANTING
Use a fast draining soil, such as cactus potting soil.
Normal room temperature is good for most of the year, but keep it cooler in the winter (50 to 55° F).
Find a location with bright light.

CARE
Keep soil fairly dry. Water from spring through fall allowing soil to dry on the surface before re-watering. During the winter only water occasionally.
Fertilize in the spring and bring into brighter room for the summer months.
Re-potting every other year at the most is all the Ponytail Palm needs.

PESTS/DISEASES
Overwatering can contribute to stem rot. If you withhold watering, the plant may be able to internally cure the problem.
Spider mites occur on the leaves, but can be fixed by rubbing a cloth of soap and water on the stems.

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BOTANICAL NAME: Artemisia dracunculus
PLANT TYPE: Herb
SUN EXPOSURE: Full SunFull SunPart Sun
SOIL TYPE: LoamySandy
Tarragon is a perennial herb with long, light green leaves and tiny greenish or yellowish white flowers. For cooking, use French tarragon. Russian tarragon can easily be mistaken for French, but Russian tarragon is coarser and less flavorful than French tarragon.

PLANTING
You can’t grow French tarragon from seeds. You must purchase the plants or take an established plant from a friend’s garden. Get the transplants in the spring or fall.
Plant the transplants in well-drained soil about 2 to 3 feet apart in order to give each plant room to grow. A full-grown plant should cover about 12 inches of soil.
The plants should grow to around 2 or 3 feet in height.
Tarragon is a good companion to most vegetables in the garden.

CARE
Be sure to prune the plant regularly to prevent flowering and to keep the height to around 2 feet (otherwise the plant will fall over).
If you live in a colder climate, be sure to put mulch around the plants in late fall in order to protect the roots during the winter.
To help keep your plants healthy, divide them every 3 to 4 years in the spring or fall. New plants can grow from stem cuttings or root cuttings.

PESTS/DISEASES
Many rusts, including white rust
Downy mildew
Powdery mildew
Various fungal leaf and stem diseases

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BOTANICAL NAME: Salvia officinalis
PLANT TYPE: Herb
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: LoamySandy
Sage is a hardy perennial with soft, grayish green leaves. Here’s how to grow sage in your garden!
Sage produces a variety of flower colors; they can be purple, pink, blue, or white. Common sage is used most commonly for cooking; it’s a classic in stuffing!

PLANTING
Sage can be grown from seeds, but the best way to grow high-quality sage is from cuttings from an established plant.
You can start the seeds/cuttings indoors 6 to 10 weeks before the last spring frost. (See local frost dates.)
Plant the seeds/cuttings in well-drained soil 1 to 2 weeks before the last spring frost.
Plant the seeds/cuttings 24 to 30 inches apart.
For best growth, the soil should be between 60º and 70ºF.
Plants should grow to be between 12 and 30 inches in height.
In the garden, plant near rosemary, cabbage, and carrots, but keep sage away from cucumbers.

CARE
Be sure to water the young plants regularly until they are fully grown so that they don’t dry out.
Prune the heavier, woody stems every spring.
It’s best to replace the plants every 4 to 5 years to ensure the best quality.

PESTS/DISEASES
Rust
Powdery mildew
Stem rot
Fungal leaf spots
Whiteflies
Aphids
Spider mites

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BOTANICAL NAME: Petroselinum crispum
PLANT TYPE: Herb
SUN EXPOSURE: Full SunPart Sun
SOIL TYPE: Loamy
Parsley is a biennial plant with bright green, feather-like leaves and is in the same family as dill. Here’s how to grow parsley in your own garden.
This popular herb is used in sauces, salads, and especially soups, as it lessens the need for salt. Not only is parsley the perfect garnish, it’s also good for you; it’s rich in iron and vitamins A and C.

PLANTING
For a head start, plant seeds in individual pots indoors 10 to 12 weeks before the last spring frost. For better germination, you can soak the seeds overnight.
Plant the seeds 3 to 4 weeks before the last spring frost because parsley is a slow starter. (The plants can handle the cold weather.) It can take up to 3 weeks for the plants to sprout.
Plant the seeds in moist, rich soil about 6 to 8 inches apart. For thinner plants, plant about 6 to 10 inches apart. Try to pick an area that is weed-free; that way, you’ll be able to see the parsley sprouting after about 3 weeks.
You can use a fluorescent light to help the seedlings grow. Make sure it remains at least two inches above the leaves at all times.
To ensure the best growth, the soil should be around 70ºF.
Plant parsley near asparagus, corn, and tomatoes in your garden.

CARE
Be sure to water the seeds often while they germinate so that they don’t dry out.
Throughout the summer, be sure to water the plants evenly.

PESTS/DISEASES
Stem rot
Leaf spots
Black swallowtail larvae
Carrot fly and celery fly larvae

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BOTANICAL NAME: Anethum graveolens
PLANT TYPE: Herb
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Loamy
Dill is an annual, self-seeding plant with feathery green leaves. It is used most commonly in soups and stews and for pickling. Dill weed is easy to grow and attracts beneficial insects such as wasps and other predatory insects to your garden.
If you’re planting dill for pickling, plant every few weeks into midsummer to ensure a constant supply!
To create a permanent dill weed patch, allow some of the seeds to self-sow each year—you’ll have plenty of early dill to start the season.

PLANTING
Sow dill seeds about ¼-inch deep and 18 inches apart in rich soil, then gently rake the seeds into the soil. The soil should be between 60 and 70ºF for best results.
Dill weed does not grow well when transplanted, so start the seeds fresh in the garden in early summer. Make sure to shelter the plants from strong winds.
After 10 to 14 days, the plants should appear in the soil. Wait another 10 to 14 days, then thin the plants to about 12 to 18 inches apart.
In your garden, plant dill next to cabbage or onions, but keep it away from carrots.

CARE
Water the plants freely during the growing season.
In order to ensure a season-long fresh supply of dill, continue sowing seeds every few weeks. For an extended harvest, do not allow flowers to grow on the plants.
If the soil remains undisturbed throughout the growing season, more dill plants will grow the next season.

PESTS/DISEASES
Leaf spot and occasionally a few other types of fungal leaf and root diseases

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Description: This perennial wildflower is 8-20" tall, erect, and unbranched. The central stem is light green to brown, terete, and canescent to short-pubescent. Pairs of opposite leaves occur at intervals along the central stem. The leaf blades are 2-3" long and ¾–1½" across; they are lanceolate, ovate, or oval in shape and their margins are smooth. The upper surfaces of the blades are green and hairless, while their lower surfaces are pale green and canescent to short-pubescent. On each blade, the lateral veins extend outward from the central vein toward the outer margins. The petioles are about ¼" in length. The central stem terminates in a a dome-shaped umbel of flowers about 1½–2" across; there are usually 1-3 additional umbels of flowers that develop from the axils of the upper leaves. Each umbel has 8-24 flowers that are more or less white. Individual flowers are about ¼" across, consisting of a short reproductive column in the center, 5 surrounding hoods with inwardly curving horns, and 5 drooping corolla lobes. The hoods are white or cream-colored, while the corolla lobes are white, greenish white, or pale purplish white. The slender pedicels of the flowers are about ¾–1" long and short-pubescent.

The blooming period occurs from late spring to mid-summer and lasts about 3 weeks. Fertilized flowers are replaced by spindle-shaped seedpods (follicles) about 2-3" long that have smooth and canescent outer surfaces. These seedpods are held erect. At maturity, each seedpod splits open along one side, releasing seeds with tufts of light brown hair. The seeds are distributed by the wind. The root system is rhizomatous.

Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, dry conditions, and sandy soil; other kinds of soil are tolerated, if water drainage is good. This small milkweed could be cultivated in rock gardens.

Range & Habitat: The native Oval-Leaved Milkweed is rare in Illinois and state-listed as endangered; it is found in only a few northeastern counties. This milkweed is more typical of prairies in the northern plains; Illinois lies at the southeastern limit of its range. Habitats include hill prairies and dry sand prairies, typical savannas and sandy savannas, and openings in upland oakDistribution Map woodlands. Occasional wildfires are probably beneficial as this reduces the encroachment of woody vegetation. Oval-Leaved Milkweed is found in high quality natural areas.

Faunal Associations: The nectar of the flowers attracts many kinds of insects, including long-tongued bees, wasps, ants, butterflies and skippers, and probably some moths. Ants are nectar robbers, but they may provide the flowering plant with some protection from aphids and other small insects. Little information about floral-faunal relationships is available for this milkweed specifically, but in general milkweed species (Asclepias spp.) attract a distinctive group of insects that feed on the leaves and other parts of these plants. These insect feeders include the weevil Rhyssomatus lineaticollis, Lygaeus kalmii (Small Milkweed Bug), Oncopeltus fasciatus (Large Milkweed Bug), Tetraopes basalis (Milkweed Longhorn), Tetraopes femoratus (Large Red Milkweed Beetle), Tetraopes tetrophthalmus (Red Milkweed Beetle), Aphis nerii (Introduced Milkweed Aphid), the aphids Myzocallis asclepiadis and Myzocallis punctatus, the moths Cycnia inopinatus (Unexpected Cycnia) and Cycnia tenera (Delicate Cycnia), and the butterfly Danaus plexippus (Monarch). Because the foliage is toxic and bitter as a result of its milky latex, mammalian herbivores usually avoid milkweeds. Sometimes, the Eastern Goldfinch uses the tufted hairs of the seeds in the construction of its nests.

Photographic Location: A nature preserve in Cook County, Illinois. The photograph of the flowering plant was taken by Lisa Culp (Copyright © 2009).

Comments: This little-known milkweed has reasonably attractive flowers and foliage. It is one of several milkweeds (Asclepias spp.) in Illinois with flowers that are more or less white. To identify Oval-Leaved Milkweed correctly, the following two characteristics should be considered: 1) its stems and leaf undersides are canescent or short-pubescent, rather than hairless or long-haired, and 2) its larger leaves are usually ovate to oval, rather than linear or lanceolate. For example, the white-flowered Asclepias lanuginosa (Woolly Milkweed) has more slender leaves and its stems are covered with spreading hairs. This latter milkweed produces only a single terminal umbel of flowers per plant, while Oval-Leaved Milkweed often produces 1-3 axillary umbels of flowers. Other common names of Asclepias ovalifolia are Dwarf Milkweed and Oval Milkweed.

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Description: This perennial wildflower is 1½–3' tall, producing one or more unbranched stems at the base that are erect to ascending. The stems are light green to reddish green and glabrous to densely pubescent. Along each stem, there are numerous alternate leaves that are ascending to widely spreading. Individual leaves are 2-6" long and 1/8-1/2" (3-12 mm.) across; they are linear to linear-lanceolate and smooth along their margins. Their upper surfaces are medium green and glabrous. The leaves often curve upward along their central veins. The petioles of the leaves are about ¼" long and light green. Globoid umbels of greenish white flowers about 1½-2" across develop from the axils of the middle to upper leaves (one umbel per leaf). Each umbel has 30-100 flowers on pedicels about ½-¾" long. The slender pedicels are light green and pubescent. Individual flowers are about 1/8" (3 mm.) across and 1/4" (6 mm.) long. Each flower has 5 sepals, a corolla with 5 narrow lobes, 5 upright hoods without horns, and a short central column containing the reproductive organs. The lobes of the corolla hang downward from the face of the flower (pointing toward the center of the umbel). The lobes are mostly greenish white, although they become purplish toward their tips. The peduncles of the umbels are about 1-1½" long, light green, and pubescent. The blooming period occurs from mid- to late summer and lasts about 2 months. Fertile flowers develop into follicles (seedpods that split open along one side) about 4-5" long and up to ½" across that are narrowly lanceoloid in shape. The surface of each follicle is canescent and smooth. Each follicle contain numerous seeds with tufts of white hair that are released to the wind at maturity. The root system consists of a taproot. This wildflower spreads by reseeding itself.

Cultivation: The preference is full sun, moist to dry conditions, and sandy or gravelly soil. Soil containing loam or clay-loam is also tolerated.

Range & Habitat: Tall Green Milkweed is occasional throughout Illinois. It is a native herbaceous plant. Habitats include dry-mesic railroad prairies, sand prairies, rocky glades, edges of sandy wetlands, roadsides, pastures, and abandoned fields. This milkweed can be found in both high quality habitats and disturbed areas that are sunny.

Faunal Associations: The flowers of Tall Green Milkweed are cross-pollinated primarily by long-tongued bees and wasps. Bee visitors include honeybees, bumblebees, and leaf-cutting bees (Megachile spp.). To a lesser extent, the flowers also attract small butterflies and day-flying moths (e.g., Cisseps fulvicollis). These insects obtain nectar from the flowers. Milkweeds attract a special group of insects that are oligophagous on various parts of these plants. These insect feeders include caterpillars of the butterfly Danaus plexippus (Monarch) and caterpillars of the moths Cycnia inopinatus (Unexpected Cycnia), Cycnia tenera (Delicate Cycnia), and Euchaetes egle (Milkweed Tiger Moth). Some of these moths seem to prefer some Asclepias spp. over others. The larvae of some long-horned beetles bore through the stems and roots of milkweeds, specifically: Tetraopes tetrophthalmus (Red Milkweed Beetle), Tetraopes femoratus (Large Red Milkweed Beetle), and Tetraopes quinquemaculatus. This last species has been found on Tall Green Milkweed. When the follicles of milkweeds are present, the seeds are eaten by Lygaeus kalmii (Small Milkweed Bug) and Oncopeltus fasciatus (Large Milkweed Bug). Occasionally, aphids are found on the upper stems and leaf undersides; these species include Aphis asclepiadis, Myzocallis asclepiadis, Myzocallis punctatus, and Aphis nerii (Introduced Milkweed Aphid). Because the milky latex of the leaves and stems contain cardiac glycosides and possess a bitter flavor, they are usually avoided by mammalian herbivores. The White-Footed Mouse eats the seeds of milkweeds to a minor extent, while the Eastern Goldfinch uses the silky hairs of the seeds in the construction of its nests.

Photographic Location: A prairie in Fayette County, Illinois. The photograph of the flowering plant was taken by Keith & Patty Horn (Copyright © 2009). A caterpillar of the Monarch butterfly is conspicuous in this photo.

Comments: Tall Green Milkweed is one of the lesser known species of milkweed that is occasionally found in upland prairies. It is distinguished primarily by its greenish white umbels of flowers, lack of horns in the hoods of the flowers, and narrow alternate leaves. It also produces more umbels of flowers per plant than most milkweeds. Other milkweeds usually have opposite leaves. A somewhat similar species, Asclepias viridiflora (Short Green Milkweed), is a shorter plant with pairs of opposite leaves. It produces only 1-2 umbels of flowers that nod downward. Another similar species, Asclepias verticillata (Whorled Milkweed), is a smaller plant with whorls of grass-like leaves; these leaves are more narrow (filiform-linear) than those of Tall Green Milkweed.

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