INLA NEWSLETTER

February 2025

IN THIS ISSUE: 

• INLA Scholarship Recipients
• INLA Trade Show
• Shade Tree Short Course
• INLA Annual Meeting
• Learn on Saturdays
• Plant Picks of the Month

Tony Krebs, Iowa State University

Miranda Capper, Kirkwood Community College

Hannah Schilling, DMACC

A FEW BOOTHS ARE STILL AVAILABLE

Sign up Deadline to be on printed materials is February 7^th.

INLA 2025 Trade Show

February 19-20, 2025 | Ames, Iowa

https://agribiz.swoogo.com/2025inla

The INLA 2025 Trade Show will be held at the Scheman Building in Ames in conjunction with the Iowa State University Shade Tree Short Course in February. Set up for exhibitor booths will be from 10 AM to 4 PM on Tuesday, February 18^th.

Plan your booth location now. View the Trade Show booth map here: 

2025 INLA Trade Show Booth Map

Additional information and updates will be available on the registration website.

Please call Heath DeYoung in the INLA office at 515-868-0311 or email at hdeyoung@agribiz.org if you’d like to bring an item for the silent auction during the show. Proceeds will go towards the INLA scholarships handed out every year to deserving students.

The 69th Iowa State University Shade Tree Short Course

Scheman Building, Iowa State University Campus

February 19-20, 2025

https://www.regcytes.extension.iastate.edu/shadetree/

The 2025 INLA Annual Meeting will be during the 2025 INLA Trade Show.

Come prepared to vote on specific benefits that you are looking to see implemented in the future! We want your input on what you want as an association and what our focus should be.   

Join the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden for Learn on Saturdays, a weekly educational lecture series presented by experts from across the state of Iowa. Session begins at 10:30 am.

Winter is the best time to dream big about your home garden, and this winter, Learn on Saturdays is back with a new format and a great line up! Growing the Gardener in You is the theme for Learn on Saturdays 2025 at the Botanical Garden. Eight fantastic experts over eight Saturday mornings will help you grow your gardening skills, learn sustainable gardening techniques, add more eco-friendly practices, and keep your garden adapting to changing Iowa conditions. Growing as a gardener during the winter will result in amazing home gardens in the summer. Come learn with us! 

Check out this link for all the details and registration.

Learn on Saturdays 2025 is funded by the Resource Enhancement and Protection Conservations Education Program (REAP CEP) and will improve the toolkit of all Iowa’s gardeners and their efforts to plant a more beautiful world.  



The INLA will have a booth at the upcoming BUILD IT in Coralville, Iowa on March 5 & 6, 2025!

Stop by and say hi to us if you’re there!

If you’re looking to get ICNP certification, please contact Bob Smith at Kirkwood Community College, and we will try to organize a time to sign your business or individuals up to test and become an Iowa Certified Nursery Professional.

Contact Bob at 319.398.5899 x5127 or Bob.Smith@kirkwood.edu

FEATURES: Wild Quinine is a prairie native with unique flower clusters forming a flat-topped flower shape. The blooms are white and are on display from May-August. The dry flower heads persist throughout the winter providing a textural feature in the fall and winter months.  The relatively large leaves are denser at the base and spread out as they grow smaller and alternate along the stem to the top. The stems also tend to subtly zigzag up to the flower heads.

WHY WE LOVE IT: Wild Quinine is underused in the industry and could be one of the next big plants in more naturalized perennial designs. It grows well in most all conditions and reliably returns year after year. The unique blooms attract pollinators and provide detailed beauty for garden visitors to discover and enjoy. Wild Quinine also stands up well through the winter on its strong stems providing textural interest throughout the four seasons. If you want to try something new and treat your garden visitors to something unique, give Wild Quinine a try.

Parthenium integrifolium

Begonia Viking Red on Chocolate

COMMON NAME: Begonia Viking Red on Chocolate

BOTANICAL NAME: Begonia

SUNLIGHT: Part Sun to Sun

HEIGHT: 20-24”

SPREAD: 24-28”

SOIL CONDITIONS: Well drained soil

FEATURES: Rich red colored blooms on dark bronze (chocolate) colored leaves

WHY WE LOVE IT: Begonia Viking Red on Chocolate is a very versatile plant that can handle the hottest and sunniest locations in your annual displays as well and shady locations. The plant has low watering needs and is relatively maintenance free. Its upright, spreading habit make it useful in mass plantings in the ground as well as a planter component. If you are the plant it and leave it type this plant is for you! 

COMMON NAME: Canada Red Chokecherry

BOTANICAL NAME: Prunus virginiana, ‘Canada Red’

USDA ZONE: 2-7

SUNLIGHT: Full Sun (6+ hrs sun), Part Shade (4-6 hrs morning sun), Part Sun (4-6 hrs afternoon sun)

SOIL CONDITIONS: Wide Range

HABIT: 20-30' tall x 15-20' wide

FEATURES:

• Deer resistant
• Dark purple foliage by mid-summer
• Produces small, reddish-purple edible fruits
• Displays red-brown bark and hanging clusters of white flowers that are each 3-5" in length
• Is hardy and can tolerate many harsh conditions

WHY WE LOVE IT:

The Canada Red Chokecherry is colorful and hardy. It is adaptable to most soils and sunlight conditions and is deer resistant.  This native American chokecherry variety boasts green leaves in the spring that turn into a stunning dark purple in the mid-summer. The chokecherry fruits are considered poisonous when raw, but can be processed into jams and preserves.

If you haven’t returned your 2024-25 Membership Enrollment, please follow the link below and take a moment to register online!

INLA Membership Online Membership Form

John DeHaven

Acorn Farms Inc.

Galena, OH