… sheen. My interest in moths stems from the fact that many of the species are dependent on one or just a few native plant species for their survival, and as a result, may serve as valuable … food chain. Entomologist Doug Tallamy tabulated the number of caterpillars that were used to support one nest of black-capped chickadees and found that they consumed between 6,000 and 9,000 …
Type: Blog
… other than a pretty face. Dodecatheon meadia : A Must-see of the Prairie Question: Which one of these is NOT a common name for this handsome spring ephemeral? Shooting star Prairie … core of the anthers creates a perfect pointer. Prairie primrose is not a common name, but one that I created. Not very colorful, but this could very easily be a name for this species, … Ohio, since this species is at home in open woodlands as well as prairies. And it is, in fact, one of the common names for Dodecatheon meadia. Dodecatheon meadia —or shooting star—is a …
Type: Blog
… the trunk became mostly hollow and the top of the tree crashed to the ground. Looking back at one of the middle sections of trunk, where the center was a rich dark brown from the rotting … able to move enough to show they were alive. As it turned out, these grubs were the larvae of one of our largest woodland beetles, known as the stag beetle or stag-horn beetle. These beetles … work of reducing fallen trees to rich organic soil that will help other trees grow and support the next generation of plants. These beetles are members of the Coleoptera (beetles) …
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… How did the Chicago Botanic Garden end up sharing one of the most sought-after strawberry plants in the world with a three-star Michelin … to produce. By 2007, the USDA National Clonal Germplasm Repository in Corvallis, Oregon, was one of the few places to even have Marshall strawberry plants. Now, a handful of private growers … got the Marshall plants into the ground right away at the Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden; one was promptly stolen. But by 2013, Hilgenberg was able to propagate 50 of the strawberry …
Type: Blog
… forests in Hawaii, and has beautiful mo`olelo (stories/legends) associated with it, including one about spirits of the forest who immortalize two young lovers with eternal blossoms. `Ohi`a … and large pouch immediately impressed me when I saw this orchid blooming in our greenhouses, one of the reasons this critically endangered orchid is on my bucket list is because of where it … locking their prey inside. They are stationary hunters and only eat what wanders by. Truly one of a kind. Jamie Berlin, horticulturist Baobab ( Adansonia digitata ) and Brocchinia ( …
Type: Blog
… the colors of the season long after the tree leaves have faded and been raked away. It is one of November’s icons, reminding us of the cultural and botanical history of the continent. … we all think of the sweet yellow stuff on our dinner plates (and its close relatives) as the one and only “corn.” This drawing shows the similarities between modern corn and its ancestor, … the season. How to make an Indian corn necklace You will need the following: Indian corn (one average-size cob will make two necklaces) a sharp embroidery needle, long, with a large eye …
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… when it comes to their delicate seedlings that lead to new generations. Foxx is one of the scientists working to give native plants a leg (or root) up. She hypothesizes that a … “I’m looking more at how native plants behave in a community, as opposed to evaluating them one by one… How they interact with one another and how that might influence their performance or …
Type: Blog
… Remove, cool, then knead dough. Store in an air-tight container. Rainbow Pops This is a good one to let the kids make themselves. You can find popcicle-making tools at the grocery or dollar … under warm water helps frozen treats pop out of their mold with ease. Rainbow Garden This one I have to give full credit to my daughter Laila for dreaming up. What a randomly wonderful idea she had one morning. "Mama! Do you have flower seeds in every color? I want to make a heart-shaped …
Type: Blog
… cultivar ( Aphelandra sinclairiana ‘Panama Queen’) native to Panama and Costa Rica, as one of his favorites. The Semitropical Greenhouse was filled with blooms like pinkball dombeya ( … and Madagascar, the genus is a highly sought-after ornamental in USDA Zones 9 and warmer. One of the rarest plants in our collections is Deppea splendens. Native to the mountains of …
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… out of sticks! Sue Dombro of the Forest Preserves of Cook County gave us tips for building one, adding this telling comment: “My daughter used to do this all the time, and now she’s a … baton, the first leg of a tepee, and anything else a child says it is. 2. Learn to Lash If one stick is interesting, a pile of sticks has real 3-D potential. The art of lashing teaches … and water-soaked cotton balls to accessorize a temporary shoe-box habitat. 7. Lift a Log One of the simplest of all outdoor projects: lift up a log that’s been sitting on the ground and …
Type: Blog
