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What Are Large Milkweed Bugs? The large milkweed bug goes by the scientific name of Oncopeltus fasciatus. This flying, migratory bug is a member of the Lygaeidae family (the “seed bugs”). It is a true bug, meaning it belongs to the order, Hemiptera. Members of the Hemiptera order lack mouths with which to do their eating; instead, they have a proboscis. This proboscis is a long beak that they stick into the plant part that they are dining on to extract fluids from it....

Rust Fungus Identification Many types of rust fungus disease affect specific annual and perennial flowering plants, but no matter the rust disease, gardeners can recognize this problem by observing the speckled masses that form on the surfaces of leaves. Like the namesake, many of these pustules are rust-colored, but gardeners should also suspect rust if they see brown, orange, purple, red, or yellow dry spots on foliage. Rust spots are usually tiny and scattered across plant foliage like freckles....

Things You’ll Need Painter’s tapePencilLevelSomething round to trace for your scallops Step 1: Decide on Scallop Placement and How Much Wall You Want Covered For Julie’s project, she and her husband chose to go about 3/5 up the wall. Step 2: Tape Off and Paint Next, she taped a straight line at the ideal height, emphasizing that you should “make sure the tape is firmly pressed onto the wall to prevent bleeding....

It has soft, hair-like blades that grow in a rounded clump as tall as it is wide. In spring, three to five small spikes of greenish-white flowers appear, attracting some early pollinators. These are followed later in the season by small round brownish-black fruits that remain on the plants from May to July, unless eaten by birds or other wildlife. These fruits are the reason the plant is sometimes known as ebony sedge....

Plant these shrubs in the spring or early fall about two to three feet apart for adequate room. ‘Blue Chiffon’ is sterile and will not self-seed. It grows at a medium rate of about one to two feet per year. Deer are not likely to severely damage this plant but pollinators love it. Mulch the shrubs for weed control and to maintain soil moisture. The bushes are fairly tolerant of dry conditions once established....

These flowers are best planted in the spring after the threat of frost has passed, and they have a fairly quick growth rate, blooming about two months after sprouting from seeds. Reliably hardy in zones 10 to 11, these tender perennials are planted as annuals in other climate zones. While there are more than 70 species in the genus, most African daisies sold in the trade are cultivars and hybrids derived from O....

The blue Atlas cedar has a slow-to-moderate growth rate (1 to 2 feet per year). It’s best planted in the spring or fall as a container plant or ball-and-burlap specimen (it does not take well to being transplanted) and is generally easy to care for, making it a true favorite of landscape architects and gardeners alike. It’s a good idea to stake the blue Atlas cedar until it’s established—if you skip this step, it’s likely that the tree will end up growing close to the ground....

Cornflower’s delicate papery discs are surrounded by bracts that flower atop slim stems of narrow gray-green leaves. Mature plants will reach a height of up to 48 inches, and a spread of 12 inches wide in all growing zones. Dense bright blue blooms last from spring through midsummer. This species also boasts several cultivars offering pink, white, and crimson flowers. Like most common annuals, cornflower can be purchased as a nursery start, but it is also very easy to grow from seed....

The plants are characterized by lance-shaped foliage with stiff, upright stems. Some taller cultivars need staking. Planted in early spring, helenium plants grow quickly to a mature size of 2 to 5 feet tall and spread to 24 inches wide. Deer seldom browse helenium plants, making them a natural choice for meadows, prairies, and other naturalized areas that must accommodate wildlife. Heleniums make excellent, long-lasting cut flowers to make seasonal bouquets with other autumn beauties like sunflowers, asters, or sedum....

The stems of this clump-forming plant redden in the fall. A silver stripe runs up the middle of the sword-like green leaves. While the leaves are yellow somewhat by mid-fall and fade to a beige in winter, they are still colorful enough to provide much-needed winter interest. Maiden grass is an invasive species in many mid-Atlantic and southeastern states in the U.S. Also, deer resistant and not picky about the soil it grows in, it tends to grow invasively....

The okra plant has an upright, branching growth habit; the palmate leaves have five to seven lobes, and the flowers are yellow or white, often with purplish centers. The flowers give way to elongated seed pods, up to 7 inches long, containing white seeds that fill a pentagon-shaped chambered structure. Okra is generally planted in the spring from seeds sown directly into the garden when the soil reaches 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit....

One variety that is increasingly sought after is the Philodendron gloriosum. This vulnerable Colombian native isn’t a climbing epiphyte like many species in the genus. Instead, the heartleaf-shaped, velvety foliage with eye-catching white veins has a creeping, ground-crawling habit. Part of the appeal of this plant is its forgiving, low-maintenance nature. It’s the perfect tropical houseplant for even the most brown-thumbed plant lover. Just keep the plant out of reach of inquisitive four-legged friends....

Pine trees are among the most common types of trees used for bonsai worldwide, although they are usually enjoyed by bonsai enthusiasts as they are not a great beginner option. Since pines grow in many different shapes, sizes, and colors, pine bonsai can be shaped into nearly every known bonsai style successfully. Several different species of pine can be successfully used for bonsai cultivation. An important part of growing and shaping a healthy pine bonsai tree is proper wiring....

The plant is vigorous with an upright growth habit. It can be planted in groupings and mass plantings as a screen or a hedge, or as a specimen in perennial borders. The 6-inch panicles sit on sturdy upright stems, which makes them good choices for fresh flower bouquets or dried arrangements. Unlike bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla), the flower color of Hydrangea paniculata cannot be changed by altering the soil pH....

Depending on the region where you live, snowdrops appear in February or March, often while snow still blankets the ground. Thus the botanical name, Galanthus nivalis: The genus name refers to the white flowers (gala is Greek for “milk,” anthos is Greek for “flower”), and nivalis is Latin for “snow-covered.” Snowdrops are tiny plants (3 to 6 inches tall) that produce one small (1 inch or less), white, bell-shaped flower, which hangs off the end of a green, leafless stalk like a “drop” prior to opening....

One such well-behaved cultivar is usually known by its registered trademark name, Sunburst. The official cultivar name is Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis ‘Suncole’; it was created through selective manipulation of a thornless variation of the native species. ‘Suncole’ has a pyramidal shape and is somewhat shorter than the native species, growing to about 40 feet vs. the 80 feet of the native tree. The podless/seedless characteristic derives from the fact that commercially offered trees are typically male cultivars....

The “trap” of a Venus fly trap is actually a modified leaf. A plant can have as many as eight of them arising from flat stems (technically part of the leaf) around a basal rosette. Venus fly trap is not the only example of a plant with a modified leaf. Another example is the purple pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea subsp. purpurea). This leaf/trap consists of two lip-like lobes united by a hinge....

Cinnamon plant foliage is generally a glossy green to yellow-green, and the plants produce small flowers. Both the bark and leaves are aromatic thanks to their oils. And it’s the inner bark of various species that is used to make the spice. Cinnamon species generally have a slow to moderate growth rate and can be planted in the spring or early fall. When planting cinnamon outdoors, choose a location that provides enough room for the mature size of the species....

One plant produces thousands seeds that remain viable in the soil for at least nine years. What Does Milk Thistle Look Like Identifying a particular thistle species can be tricky because many thistles look so much alike. Milk thistle is an exception so identifying it isn’t difficult. What gives this plant away is the distinctive white marbling of the dark green leaves. It is also what gave the plant the ‘milk” moniker....