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Have you been meaning to add a few native plants to your garden? Native plants provide beauty as well as food and shelter for wildlife. Native species are adapted to the Illinois climate. They require little or no watering and are resistant to drought, insects and most diseases. Because they are perennials, you can welcome their presence year after year.
twin-leaf (Jeffersonia diphylla)
Photo (C) 2014, River Valley Photographic Resources, Ltd., rvprltd.com
Twin-leaf is a member of the barberry family of plants. It grows in woodlands and blooms in April and May. It is rarely found in the southern one-third of the state but is fairly common in the northern two-thirds of Illinois. The flowers are white and have eight petals. The distinctive leaves have the appearence of being almost completely pinched into two parts in the center, leading to the name of "twin-leaf." The plants are about eight inches tall when in flower but will grow to a height of about 16 inches.
For more information about native Illinois plants, including where to purchase them and planting guides, view the following publications at http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/Publications.
Prairie Establishment and Landscaping
Landscaping for Wildlife