… Competition is heating up in the western United States. Invasive and native plants are racing to claim available land and resources. Alicia Foxx, who studies the interplay of roots of native and invasive plants, is glued to the action. The results of this contest, says the plant biology …
Type: Blog
… senior horticulturist for the Malott Japanese Garden. She is also responsible for overseeing and coordinating the maintenance of Evening Island, the Ellis Goodman Family Foundation Green Roof Garden South, the Josephine P. & John J. Louis Foundation Green Roof Garden North, and the Bernice E. Lavin Plant Evaluation Garden. In addition, Pogue assists with gardening classes, leads tours, and gives demonstrations. Pogue has worked for the Garden since 2007, when she started out as a …
Type: Staff bio
… so creating a “pump-cano” was the perfect fall fun activity for him. This is an entertaining and simple activity for children of all ages and a great way to extend Halloween celebrations during the first week of November with leftover … a great time to remind kids that pumpkins are plants that grow as a vine. Along with squash and cucumbers, pumpkins are part of the plant family Cucurbita. What you will need: A small …
Type: Blog
… of year, but I have to say warblers are my favorites. The other day, when the rain cleared and the sun came out, I found myself in warbler heaven! Yellow-rumped warblers ( Setophaga … my first warbler of the day—a prothonotary! ( Protonotaria citrea )—an uncommon warbler, and the first time I’ve ever seen one at the Chicago Botanic Garden! Next stop: the top of the … were hopping! Here I added eight more warbler species, including yellow-rumped, palm, black-and-white, Cape May, American redstart, Wilson’s, magnolia, and yellow warblers! Wow! So much …
Type: Blog
… to the rare phenomenon of a corpse flower in full bloom. We chatted with the early birds and met some “regulars”—visitors who had come by to meet Spike, the Garden’s first titan arum on display last August, and Alice, the corpse flower that bloomed last September. Maxwell and Lexi (in her Alice T-shirt) Kirchen visit Sprout early this morning before school. Harper, 14 …
Type: Blog
… It’s a warm summer evening , and you’re at the Chicago Botanic Garden with someone special. The food’s been great, and the music sounds terrific…time to grab his/her hand and head out for a romantic stroll. Find the places where the two of you can hear the music …
Type: Blog
… lek . What did I just say? The vocabulary surrounding Lepidoptera can be very specific—and not so easy to understand. Let’s break it down, and go over some of my favorite butterfly and moth terminology (and learn some of the amazing things these insects do). Then, see if you …
Type: Blog
… Jamie Berlin is the horticulturist for the Lavin Evaluation Garden and Green Roof Gardens at the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Plant Conservation Science Center. The Lavin Evaluation Garden is home to the Garden's Plant Evaluation Program, featuring plants best suited for Midwestern gardens and those in similar climates. The Green Roof includes a south garden with plants native to North …
Type: Staff bio
… egg case earlier this spring. We decided to keep it indoors so we could watch it hatch, and then release the newly hatched insects into the Garden. A praying mantis egg case is called … mantis last fall. She laid her eggs in this foam of protein that hardened around a stick and protected the eggs through the winter. The eggs usually hatch in mid-June to early July. The … Children’s Growing Garden was infested with red aphids. I released the praying mantises, and the hungry babies immediately began to feed. At first, the praying mantis babies seemed a …
Type: Blog
… Have you noticed all the mushrooms popping up in lawns, mulch, and next to trees? We asked Greg Mueller , Ph.D., chief scientist and Negaunee vice president of science at the Garden for answers. Why do mushrooms pop up out of … among wood chips. The mycelium is the long-lived part of the individual that absorbs nutrients and water. Depending on the species and its ecology, an individual may persist for weeks to more …
Type: Blog
