Ironweed is a Fabulous Pollinator Perennial

By Kerry Mendez | October 12, 2019

Vernonia.  Commonly called Ironweed, this genus includes about 1,000 species of perennials, shrubs and trees native to North America. The plant supposedly gets its common name from the fact that it has tough, erect stems and rusty looking seed clusters as flowers age. Most species can tolerate clay soil. In this feature I will zoom…

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IN SEARCH OF PERFECT PLANTS!

By Kerry Mendez | March 1, 2018

I have been a long-time fan of Richard Hawke and the plant evaluation trials that he oversees at Chicago Botanic Garden, an extraordinary public garden. The 2.5 acre Bernice E. Lavin Plant Evaluation Garden (Zone 5b) has been the testing ground for over 40 different genera, many of which are perennials. The winter issue of…

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