… a bee grabs onto a flower’s anthers and must vibrate at a particular frequency for the flower to release pollen. To evaluate the best habitats for native bees, the Chicago Botanic Garden has collected bees from all around the … than an adult thumb, some are smaller than the width of your pinky nail. The name “Dumbledore” is an Old English term for a bumblebee. Despite what you may expect, bee diversity is most …
Type: Plant Info
… Unusually mild weather might cause some buds on flowering shrubs to bloom prematurely. These flower buds will not rebloom in spring, but there will be enough of … display, prune large flowering trees and shrubs after they bloom in spring. Fruit trees are best pruned in late February or early March. If tree branches become covered with ice, let the … tree trunks with protective wrap in fall and removing it in early spring. If weather is unusually warm, avoid pruning trees that will "bleed," or discharge large amounts of water, …
Type: Plant Info
… There’s still plenty to enjoy in the garden in August and September. Later-blooming perennials, annuals, and shrubs … good-looking, late-season wonders for your garden. Butterfly bush (Buddleja) Butterfly bush is a magnet for flower-feeding butterflies, bees, and other insects. This woody perennial ranges … Remove the spent blossoms to extend the bloom time. Full sun and moist, well-drained soil work best for this charmer. Seven-son flower (Heptacodium miconioides) A large shrub or small tree …
Type: Plant Info
… sustainable agriculture techniques, growing flowers, and providing Lawndale with access to fresh vegetables. Violeta Hernandez Intern Violeta recently graduated from Northeastern … environmental science. She spent a semester abroad in Bali working in agriculture and wanted to expand on that experience in Chicago. She likes working side-by-side with the students and learning about urban agriculture. Carolina Macias Intern Carolina is an intern from the Windy City Harvest program. She is from the Little Village neighborhood and …
Type: Page
… When September comes to the Chicago area, even if it's been warm outside, it’s time to start thinking about moving your houseplants inside. The best time to do this is when temperatures outside are relatively close to the temperatures indoors, meaning mid- to …
Type: Blog
… heart is full of unwashed socks, your soul is full of gunk, Mr. Grinch. The three words that best describe you are as follows— and I quote: stink, stank, stunk!” —Dr. Seuss “Titan Tim” … Pollak here once again, with an update on Spike, our still-growing titan arum. Spike continues to get bigger, not only in height, but also in girth! What we’re really curious about, however, … ( Catharsius sp.) think that stink smells great. Photo ©2012 via potokito-myshot.blogspot.com A different view of ewwww! Carrion beetles, dung flies, and flesh flies aren’t responding to …
Type: Blog
… fawns in the spring and summer. Deer seek out plants in their most nutritious stages, which is often when they are flowering, fruiting, or undergoing rapid growth. Damage Deer eat the buds, … soft and growing. Bucks shed their antlers every winter. Damage can occur from ground level up to 6 feet. Treatment & Solutions Choose plants that deer do not prefer. Generally, deer avoid … protection but need to be reapplied after a substantial amount of rain or watering. It is best to rotate different repellents so that deer do not become accustomed to any one product. For …
Type: Plant Info
… Libraries, Missouri Botanical Garden, and the Chicago Botanic Garden) and we all researched best practices for digital libraries and made recommendations for improvement to the Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL). BHL is a group of natural history and botanical libraries that work together to digitize books and …
Type: Blog
… sun rocketing off the white of the snow, all plants are revealed in their naked glory. This is a moment when you really love your birch. But even if the following day is shrouded in gray … the chalky white or cinnamon bark, often peeling, or "shingling," and calls attention to the dangling male flowers known as catkins. Spring is signaled by the limey-green new foliage, … for all seasons. Betula nigra is the most southerly of all birches but still is one of the best choices as a landscape tree for our area. Able to withstand variations in soil moisture and …
Type: Plant Info
… Even when the kids have schoolwork, it’s still important for them to play outside. Outdoor activities encourage creativity and independent thinking. The good news is that outdoor play time has many benefits ; a growing body of research shows that nature play … can discuss the different types of clouds and identify those currently over their heads. The best part about this activity? No tools required. …
Type: Blog
