Phen…What? Phenology is one of the many -ologies — the study of something. In this case, it is the study of the timing of biological events that recur — usually on a seasonal basis, but I like to simply think of it as “let’s see what’s in bloom this week!” After...
No, bananas aren’t native to Missouri, but the pawpaw, otherwise known as the American custard apple or Missouri (or Indiana, Hoosier, Michigan or Nebraska) banana is. These small trees with big leaves tend to grow along streams and rivers in bottomland forests.
This week’s focus is vine or Japanese honeysuckle Lonicera japonica. It smells lovely, tastes sweet, and can smother trees to death.
The umbrella-like leaves of red buckeyes offer habitat to birds and small animals. The flowers are an important food source for our native ruby-throated hummingbirds, especially since they bloom right at the time that the hummingbirds arrive in the St. Louis area from their migration north from southern Mexico and Central America. Note that the flowers are a hummingbird’s favorite shape (tubular) and color (red)!
An Ode to Giant Coneflower: Most garden centers today offer a lot of great options for people that want short perennials. But, what about plants that make us tip our heads back to look up instead of down? Do these plants deserve a spot in the...
Winter can be grey, cold and dreary especially for gardeners who long for the lush growth and flowering plants of spring and summer. There is a way to fight against the idea that the winter garden is a boring dormant scene. There are so many characteristics of...
Ackert Plaza, a contemporary green space on the Loop. Five years after the installation of the eight feet tall bronze statue of the world’s most influential rock and roller Chuck Berry, Ackert Plaza finally has trees and a garden. U City in Bloom staff and volunteers...
Spring is the time of flowering trees. We have Magnolias and Redbuds and Crabapples all competing for our attention…well at least for the attention of their pollinators, but we like to think those displays are for us. Certainly we have bred many of those colors and...
We at U City in Bloom get lots of positive comments on the beds we create and maintain in University City and we love to hear your comments and questions. Often people want to know what plants are there so we decided to share some information about the bed in front...
What's in bloom? Look up! Pink and magenta petunias all along Olive Blvd. in University City are now in place in the hanging baskets. Floral and hanging baskets brighten and improve the ambiance of streets in many cities and the 76 baskets that stretch from Midland...
It is February and yes, the earliest beginnings of Spring are emerging. Winter Aconite, (Eranthis hyemalis) is in bloom in the flower beds at the U City Library. It is planted in tuber form in the late summer or fall and is a wonderful sight to see at the end of...
Asters are a perennial plant that comes to life about the same time when every other perennial in the garden has given up for the season. Asters attract the beneficial pollinators and come in various shades of color most commonly purple. You will see them in a number...