… the Coleoptera (beetles) and get their name from the large antlerlike mandibles (jaws) found on the front of the head of the males. The females also have mandibles, but they not as impressive as those of the males. The large mandibles are used for territorial defense and also to protect the beetles from any birds or other animals that … are thought to help with communication between the grubs. The grubs have a striated structure on the leg that allows them to produce sound (called stridulation), kind of like rubbing a spoon …
Type: Blog
… to get crisper (and your summer plants will too), but September isn’t the expiration date for color and excitement at the Chicago Botanic Garden—and it shouldn’t be in your garden either. … the summer, then its flowers are replaced by small berries that last until winter. Depending on the species, Callicarpa can have shiny white or bright purple berries—both are a big hit … can range from shades of bright yellow to orange-gold, and some cultivars have flushes of red on the petals. Rudbeckia will respond well to deadheading or alternatively, leave the dried …
Type: Blog
… 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 … Claytonia have more opportunities for pollination, they also tend to produce, on average, more viable seeds. Comparison of developed vs. underdeveloped Claytonia seeds …
Type: Blog
… The clock was ticking—a little girl was seriously ill—when I got the call for help. A Denver hospital needed living tissue from Thujopsis dolabrata or any of its … Jewish Health. After I got the call, I looked into the hospital, which is known worldwide for treating patients with respiratory, immune, and related disorders. In the girl’s case, the … Within three hours of receiving the request, I had dropped the samples off at FedEx on the way home. As it turned out, Thujopsis did appear to be the culprit, and the hospital is …
Type: Blog
… the wetlands-loving venus flytrap and other carnivorous plants in mini bogs that we created on the Green Roof Garden at the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Plant Conservation Science Center. How … carnivorous plants get their nutrients? The pretty pitcher plant ( Sarracenia leucophylla) , for instance, attracts insects with nectar. Insects slip down the “pitcher” part of the plant and … movie and play Little Shop of Horrors: What do carnivorous plants eat? Should I be concerned for my fingers? Don’t worry; these carnivorous plants are only looking to devour insects. Why do …
Type: Blog
… out there was going to be a model railroad out there. Then one of the secretaries, who worked for a vice president, found out that I had been into model railroads all my life. So one day, the … It sounds like you were a busy kid. A. My family had 2.5 acres that we farmed in World War II for vegetables. I sold vegetables in the neighborhood in my little wagon. Then I was in the Boy … people away; they are just so dedicated. They whole thing has kept me young. I get up and down on my hands and knees all the time. I should write to the AARP—if you want to hear about a good …
Type: Blog
… Heather Sherwood, one of our very creative senior horticulturists, to get your own star appeal for the holidays. Heather has selected red-twig dogwood ( Cornus sericea ) for its warm, cheery color, but the star can be made from any combination of branches and natural … the shorter twigs. You’ll arrange the shorter twigs in a similar fashion, laying the cut edges on the outside edge of the pentagram with the natural edges covering the star point. Blend the …
Type: Blog
… Think fall color disappears in October? Nope. The first week of November is still prime time for leaf peeping at the Chicago Botanic Garden . As the Garden’s photographer, I talk up the … or rain storms, little frost—the color can hold fast or even deepen. November foliage can put on quite a show, even if some of the leaves have fallen. Evening Island November 2, 2009 The … rain and wind. At the fork in the path, the gingko tree glows. Esplanade November 4, 2011 On the dramatic allée, the commendation elms usually hold their leaves until the end of the …
Type: Blog
… hydrangeas to test three methods: Specimen 1 Dipped the stem in alum (a food additive used for pickling or canning) Specimen 2 Added Quick Dip powder to the water Specimen 3 Smashed … a control, one had only plant food. Our results? The hydrangea with the smashed stem wilted on Day 3. The hydrangea with only plant food performed the best but began to wilt on Day 7. We … tissue that transports water up the stem.” Do this: Put them in water ASAP Whether you cut or buy them, get your hydrangeas in water immediately. If hydrangeas are out of water for too long, …
Type: Blog
… sow seeds directly into the soil in mid-May (after the danger of spring frost has passed) or buy a mixed flat of flowers and transplant them at that time. (Dahlias are sold as tubers or … fertilizer, like Bloom Plus ® or Bloom Booster ® , or any fertilizer with 10-52-10 or 10-54-10 on the label, will help. The high middle number on the label indicates the product promotes … Or pick some fragrant viburnum flowers or a colorful hydrangea and pop them into a Ball jar. Visit your vegetable garden for a few stems of kale, Swiss chard, twirling pea stems, or dill …
Type: Plant Info
