THE ROGERS PARK GARDEN GROUP

Plant Forum 

Meeting:  October 29, 2008 / Bee Panel

Plants Introduced:  7

                        Miscanthus sinensis, Miscanthus Grass

                        Cotinnus coggygria, Smoke Tree, see Aug text

                        Persicaria virginiana, Painter’s Pallette

                        Rhus typhina ‘Bailtiger’, Tiger Eyes Sumac

                        Elymus magellanicus, Blue Wheatgrass

                        Parthenocissus tricuspidata, Boston Ivy

                        Amaranthus cruentus, Red Amaranth, Polish Amaranth

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Common Name: Miscanthus Grass 

Scientific Name:  Miscanthus sinensis 

Grown in Rogers Park?   Yes 

Habit:  herbaceous perrenial 

Hardy:     yes                                             

Month(s) in bloom:  Oct.-Nov. 

Time to prune: early to late winter 

Height: 4'-7'

Cultural notes & comments:  

Easy to grow.  The end of the season height will depend on watering.  Miscanthus can survive in dry conditions but will not be more than 3-4’ with narrow, folded leaves.  Frequent watering can lead to floppy plants at the end of the season too.  Foliage left through the winter for interest is a matter of taste.  Roots and stems are below ground and  pruning can be done at ground level.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miscanthus_sinensis

Brought in by: Brian Houck 

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Common Name: Painter's Pallette                                  

Scientific Name:Persicaria virginiana (Tovara virginiana)   

Grown in Rogers Park? Yes                       

Habit: groundcover                                                 

Hardy:  Yes                                                

Month(s) in bloom:  summer thru fall                            

Time to prune:  as needed                                   

Height: 1-2 1/2'                                                

Cultural notes & comments:

Seeds about easily but not quite invasive. Easy to grow.  Shade.  Regular watering and fertilizing is helpful for good looking plantings though it can take dryier conditions onces established.  Red berries are held above foliage and can be cut to reduce seedlings.

http://www.arhomeandgarden.org/plantoftheweek/articles/painters_palette.htm

Brought in by:  Brian Houck                                   

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Common Name: Tiger Eyes Sumac                                  

Scientific Name: Rhus typhina 'Bailtiger'                                

Grown in Rogers Park?  yes                     

Habit: shrub                                                   

Hardy:  Yes, zone 4                    

Month(s) in bloom: summer                            

Time to prune: late winter                                   

Height: 6'                                               

Cultural notes & comments:

This is a nice compact version of more common sumacs.  They can be very drought tolerant once established and often turn dramatic yellows, oranges and reds in the fall.  The feathery texture is very distinctive in the landscape

http://www.mobot.org/GARDENINGHELP/PLANTFINDER/plant.asp?code=C861

Brought in by:  Brian Houck                                   

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Common Name: Blue wheatgrass                                  

Scientific Name: Elmus magellanicus                              

Grown in Rogers Park?  yes                   

Habit: herbaceous perrenial                                                  

Hardy: Yes                                                

Month(s) in bloom:  May                            

Time to prune: winter                                    

Height:  1-2'                                               

Cultural notes & comments:

Tolerant of many conditions but probably does best in full sun with average watering.  Fertilize regularly for consistent new growth which shows off the bright, silvery blue foliage well.  Often best used mixed with other low-mid-sized plants because it forms a looser clump by itself.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.bluestem.ca/images/elymus-magellanicus6.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.bluestem.ca/elymus-magellanicus.htm&h=350&w=265&sz=31&hl=en&start=1&um=1&usg=__MCPb7hah_Lo8mvBuMbqDyPd1_rk=&tbnid=zOT9fW7HtDrqZM:&tbnh=120&tbnw=91&prev=/images%3Fq%3DElymus%2Bmagellanicus%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26sa%3DN

Brought in by: Brian Houck                                    

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Common Name: Boston Ivy  

Scientific Name: Parthenocissus tricuspidata                               

Grown in Rogers Park? yes                      

Habit:  vine 

Hardy: Yes                                                

Month(s) in bloom: summer                           

Time to prune: anytime                                  

Height: Usually limited by the building's height.                       

Cultural notes & comments:

This vine is found nearly on every street in Chicago.  The maple-like leaf shape is distinctive and the fall colors are quite good.  Roots often grow in cracks next to the foundation and can create an entry point for water.  Modified tendrils have ‘holdfasts’ which anchor the vine on the wall to a point.  Should significant growth weigh a vine down, large sheets can detach at once.  Holdfasts do not penetrate into a surface but often attached when stems are pulled away.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_ivy

Brought in by:        Brian Houck                            

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Common Name:  Red Amaranth, Polish Amaranth                            

Scientific Name:   Amaranthus cruentus                             

Grown in Rogers Park?     Yes

Habit:       annual

Hardy:  no

Month(s) in bloom: summer-fall

Time to prune: anytime