Chicago Botanic Garden Spring 2019

34 chicagobotanic.org Ask the experts Do you have a question for our experts in the Plant Information Service? If so, contact them at plantinfo@chicagobotanic.org or call (847) 835-0972 . Q. How do I know if there’s a reason to treat yellowing leaves on my plants? A. Gardeners should start to monitor plants when they be- gin active growth in the late winter or spring. It is impor- tant to know what is “normal” for particular plants in order to determine if a plant is in distress. An accurate diagnosis depends upon careful observation of the plant. Look for signs and symptoms to help determine if plants are a ected with a disease pathogen or if cultural practices or environ- mental conditions are the cause of a plant’s decline. Di er- ent pests, diseases, and disorders can produce similar symp- toms. Keep an eye out for changes that are out of the ordinary, including leaf discoloration, reduced bloom, dying twigs, or increased numbers of insects and wildlife. Take note of changes—did they appear suddenly or spread gradually? Are symptoms or signs in a random or uniform pattern? An infectious pathogen or insect usually causes a random distribution of symptoms. Uniform patterns are generally associated with cultural problems or environmental issues. Is only one plant a ected? Is only one species of plant af- fected or are symptoms visible on many di erent plant spe- cies? It is important to be familiar with up-to-date disease and insect pest reports for northeastern Illinois to make an accurate diagnosis. Contact the Plant Information Service for diagnostic help as soon as unusual activity or patterns appear. Q. Can you identify a plant from a photo? If so, how should I photograph the specimen? A. In order for us to properly identify your plant based on a photo, we will need several pictures. It is important that we see the leaf arrangement along the branch—this will be at least several inches long; some plants have an alternate leaf arrangement and some have an opposite leaf arrange- ment. Make sure to include pictures of the ower(s) and/or seedheads, if they are present. In addition, please include a picture of the plant in its entirety so we can observe its growth habitat. Try to place an object next to the plant so we can get a sense of scale. Once you have taken the proper pictures, please email them as attachments, to enable us to zoom in and observe ne details. In your email, include all pertinent information, such as if it grows in full sun or shade, its size, and where the plant is located—was it taken on a trip to Florida or does it live in your backyard? We may ask additional questions after we receive your inquiry, but often this will be enough information for us to posi- tively identify your mystery plant. Plant Information Service is sponsored by Learn more Send your plant questions to plantinfo@chicagobotanic.org or call (847) 835-0972. You may also bring plant samples to the certified University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners at the Plant Infor- mation Desk in the Regenstein Center. For more tips: chicagobotanic.org/plantinfoservice Sign up for adult education classes on plant care: chicagobotanic. org/education ree di erent views of ‘Miss Kim’ Manchurian lilac