January 16, 2004

2004 All-American Annual Flower Selection Winners


Five annual flowers were chosen as All-America Selection award winners for 2004. There are over 40 All-America Selection sites across Canada and the United States that evaluate unreleased annuals and vegetables. To receive this award, each selection must possess unique or improved characteristics compared to existing cultivars. A brief description of each award recipient is listed below.

Gypsophila 'Gypsy Deep Rose'

Snailcase Bagworm - A Potential New Pest for Iowa


A new and interesting (some might say, "weird") exotic insect was introduced by accident into the USA from Europe in the 1940s and is now known to occur in parts of New York, Pennsylvania, the Pacific coastal states, Colorado, Michigan, Nevada, Utah, Idaho and as of this summer, Indiana. Snailcase bagworm (Apterona helix) caterpillars feed on the foliage from a wide variety of ornamental plants, crops and Christmas trees.

Centipedes and Millipedes


Millipedes and most centipedes prefer to live outdoors in damp habitats. They can be found under logs, mulch, leaves and rocks. Millipedes feed on decaying plant matter and are important decomposers. Centipedes are predators and eat insects, and other small arthropods.

Horticultural Meetings of Interest


Upcoming state horticulture meetings of possible interest to our readers are listed below. For additional information, contact the individual listed for each meeting.

Organic Gardening Primer

March 8, 2004
Reiman Gardens, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
Program Information: Lisa Orgler (515)294-7569

Shade Tree Short Course

March 9-10, 2004
Scheman Building, Iowa State Center, Ames, Iowa
Program Information: Jeff Iles (515)294-3999

This article originally appeared in the 1/16/2004 issue.