… who manage the Garden's amazing natural areas ). I work collaboratively with land managers to harness the Garden's research capacity to address priority management needs. Ultimately, our goal is to play a leading role in supporting the conservation, management, and restoration of native …
Type: Staff bio
… graduate program run by Northwestern University and the Chicago Botanic Garden. Flower timing is critical for many reasons. For the earliest of the spring bloomers, earlier flowering provides first access to important natural resources and pollinator services. However, these early individuals are at higher risk of exposure to extreme weather events. In contrast, later flowering individuals risk flowering in an …
Type: Blog
… air and from the leaf litter in the tree niche it inhabits. Orchid Roots Are Adventitious That is, an orchid’s roots can grow along the stem of the plant, not just out of the bottom of it. The … rather papery, but spongy and protective, it’s a one-way water barrier that allows moisture to soak in—and keeps it from oozing out. If the velamen appears dried or rotted, it should be stripped off up to where it’s healthy and white, leaving the wiry inner root to help stabilize the plant once …
Type: Blog
… know the extent that urban areas impact native bees. My research at the Chicago Botanic Garden is investigating how urban areas may affect native bees in Chicago. Chicago is an ideal city to study the impact of urbanization on native bees because the intensity of urbanization slowly … that attract and capture the bees. Secondly, we use a butterfly net to capture bees at the site throughout the day. When we are finished sampling, the bees are taken back to the lab at the …
Type: Blog
… Summer-blooming lavender is everywhere these days—in botanical cocktails, in aromatherapy mists, on fruit salads. The … the Lavender,” based on the plant’s texture, scent, beauty, and versatility. It’s a bit tricky to grow lavender in the Midwest . Most of the 28-plus species of lavender are not reliably hardy … sugar 5½ tsp. water 6½ tsp. rosewater Recipe courtesy of The Spice House, thespicehouse.com …
Type: Blog
… plants were disappearing and other lineages were taking their place. Some of these would go on to dominate modern ecosystems, such as the conifers and angiosperms. Jurassic and Early … diversity of fossil plants and animals. The Early Cretaceous of Mongolia in particular is well known for its fossil dinosaurs and other vertebrates, but fossil plants from Mongolia are … and China that are yielding new, exceptionally well-preserved fossil seed plants. Our goal is to understand the diversity and evolutionary implications of these fossil plants. The fossils are …
Type: Staff bio
… Attention orchid fans: our vanilla orchid is blooming in the Tropical Greenhouse at the Chicago Botanic Garden. It’s a rare occurrence in the wild—and in a greenhouse. Wade Wheatley, assistant horticulturist, seized the moment to hand-pollinate the flower. Why hand pollinate? In hopes of producing a vanilla bean. Yes, the fruit of a vanilla orchid is used to make pure vanilla extract, which flavors many foods we enjoy. Vanilla vines typically begin to …
Type: Blog
… For Earth Day this year, take some time to appreciate the rich soil that covers our planet and supports plant life. Try this soil seed-bank test to discover the magic of topsoil. The soil seed-bank test is used by farmers, scientists, and others to find out what weed seeds are hidden in a garden or … soil from a woodland area Dry leaves (leaf litter) from the ground above the soil collection site Moss growing nearby Directions Pour a layer of gravel about 2 inches deep on the bottom of …
Type: Blog
… Home gardeners can sympathize: not every seed that is planted grows. This truth extends to restored prairies that are grown from seed mixes, … to a large swath of acreage in the suburbs, she and her team visited each restored prairie site to compare the plant communities to the mix of seeds that were planted there initially. “I …
Type: Blog
… Caribbean Islands, South America, Colombia, Peru, South Africa, and Lesotho. Not only is it widespread, the members are also adapted to a number of environments from hot, humid Sumatra rainforests to cold, temperate, deciduous forests; temperate and tropical wetlands; Mediterranean climates; …
Type: Blog
