Chicago Botanic Garden Spring 2020

24 chicagobotanic.org March goals: pruning Pruning gets trees and shrubs ready for spring. Remember: Sterilize pruning tools with a 10 percent solution of bleach before each cut. Here’s what and when to prune: Fruit trees: Start in early March on a dry day before buds swell. Fruit trees benefit from having their canopies opened up to permit more sunlight and air into their centers. Oak trees: Complete in March, or before the oaks begin active growth. This may help reduce the spread of oak wilt. Roses: Prune when the forsythia begins to bloom. When pruning roses, make a 45-degree cut above a healthy bud, angled away from the center of the plant. If not done last fall, prune hybrid tea roses and grandiflora roses back to 12 inches to rein- vigorate growth. Spring-flowering trees and shrubs: Prune immediately after they flower to pre- serve this season’s flower display. Gardening Tips from Garden experts • is genus of bulbous plants includes the showy Fritillaria imperialis , or crown imperial, which grows up to 3 feet tall, with a ashy cluster of orange bells and a topknot of green leaves. • e small checkered lily (Fritillaria meleagris) couldn’t be more di erent. It hugs the ground in shady spots like in the Graham Bulb Garden. • e genus name Fritillaria comes from the Latin fritillus , meaning dice- box. e owers of some species have geometric patterns of spots, reminis- cent of the dots on dice. • e checkered fritillary is a charmer and does well placed in shade near a path’s edge. It prefers well-amended, moist soils. • e crown imperial is a bit more demanding: It needs full sun and impeccable drainage. Try it in a container with an especially well- draining potting mix. Learn more chicagobotanic.org/plantinfo Fritillaria meleagris Fritillaria imperialis Fritillaria: Opposites make these bulbs attractive