Plant

All Plant Content

A patch of Sweet Woodruff in bloom in a garden.

Sweet Woodruff: Attractive Groundcover for Shady Gardens

Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum) is an attractive plant that makes a finely textured ground-cover perennial for shade gardens.

A green plant with spire-like white and pink flowers.

Lupines for Northern Gardens

Lupines (Lupinus), a genus of plants in the legume family Fabaceae, are popular plants in the United States. In addition to their aesthetic value, lupines provide a variety of benefits to the garden.

A lush plant with spoted leaves and pink and purple flowers throughout.

Lungwort: A Winter-hardy Perennial for Shade or Part-shade Gardens

Lungwort is a great plant for the partly sunny or shade garden, offering multiple seasons of interest, starting with flowers in early spring, followed by the development of new, basal leaves decorated with white spots and blotches.

a fern plant growing in a mulched garden with tall, brown growths at its center

Ferns: A Classic Shade Garden Plant

When people think of a natural, shady area in the woods, they probably expect to see ferns growing there. Ferns are commonly found where they get at least some sun during part of the day, or where they receive dappled sunlight most of the day.

Three amaryllis bulbs in a pot.

Forcing Tender Bulbs Indoors

Winter and early spring months can benefit from a pop of color brought on by forcing bulbs to bloom indoors. Learn about a variety of bulbs to consider for both beginning and experienced plant lovers.

Wheat plants exhibiting severe symptoms of rust.

SDSU Plant Diagnostic Clinic provides fast diagnoses of plant diseases

March 07, 2025

South Dakota State University Plant Diagnostic Clinic is the only public diagnostic clinic for plant diseases in South Dakota and receives more than 1,500 samples each year.

Seven different prairie flowers that have gone to seed arranged on a tabletop.

Native Seed Hand Harvest Guidelines

Hand harvest of native plant seed is a low-cost and low-tech method suitable for collecting seeds for small-scale use. Learn some important guidelines for harvesting, storing, and stratifying native plant seeds.

Young man shoveling a pile of compost.

Organic Gardening: Soil Management

Gardeners throughout South Dakota are experimenting with organic gardening. While the adoption of organic gardening methods can be daunting, learning some fundamental soil management concepts will set the foundations for success.

Hostas growing under filtered light beneath a tree.

Hosta: A Shade-loving Perennial

Hostas, known for their foliage and love of shade, have developed into a coveted landscaping staple. Learn how to select, plant and grow a hosta that's right for your garden or landscape!

Colorful coleus growing in a garden.

Coleus: A Color for Every Garden

Coleus have long been a great plant for gardens, generally grown as foliage plants that offer a huge variety of foliage colors, and can be grown in a variety of soils in part-shade to sun.