The beginning of the summer is a great time in the Chicago area.  The warm weather is back, and the trees are in full bloom for the growing season.  However, the return of warm weather and freshly grown foliage also means that those annoying pests that can damage your plants are back.  With the return of the growing season and the pests that come with it, we have returned with our series on tree diseases and insect pests of the Chicago area to...

We have returned again this month with a new installment of our serious of the native trees of the Chicago area with a closer look at magnolia trees.  Magnolia trees (Magnolia sp.) are flowering trees and plants that are believed to have appeared for the first time as far back as 95 million years ago.  There are just over 200 species of magnolia plants classified within the Magnolia genus, most of which can be found throughout southeast Asia in...

Our series on the native trees of the Chicago area is back this month with a closer look at the eastern redbud tree.  Eastern redbud trees (Cercis canadensis) are small trees mostly found in the eastern half of the United States from southern Michigan and northern Illinois down to Florida and from Virginia and North Carolina west to Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.  These trees are mostly planted for ornamental purposes as their smaller size and...

We are back with our series on the common tree diseases and insect pests in Illinois with a closer look at a dangerous fungal disease, verticillium wilt.  Verticillium wilt is known to affect more than 350 species of flowering plants including shrubs, trees, fruits, and vegetables.  This disease affects the xylem, or tissue responsible for the movement of water within the tree, which makes it difficult for water to get to the branches.  As a...

Just about every living thing on Earth from animals to plants needs water to survive.  When it comes to plants, the water they receive typically comes from rain and humidity.  However, mother nature does not always provide enough water for plants and trees as droughts can leave areas dry for weeks or even months.  If your area does not receive enough rain, especially during the hot months of the summer, you will need to water your plants and...

Today we continue with our series on the common tree diseases and insect pests in the Chicago area to discuss an invasive pest, the Japanese beetle.  Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica) are native to Japan but considered an invasive species in the U.S. as they are known to feed on the leaves of more than 300 species of plants including bushes and trees.  Adult Japanese beetles skeletonize leaves, destroying the foliage of affected plants and...