… New research by Garden scientists offers hope for plants growing in human-altered landscapes. The ability of organisms to move across a landscape is an important part of dealing with change. For example, this ability to move—or disperse—allows plants and animals to deal with human-altered land-use change, such as urban development, agriculture, and grazing. For plants, the ability to disperse from one habitat to another occurs via the movement of pollen …
Type: Research
… Using peonies as a cut flower for floral design is easy, with a few tricks to preserve the health of your plants and flowers. … the plant can continue to thrive. You can select flowers that are as open as you like, but for the best vase life, select buds that have just begun to open and feel similar to a marshmallow. Cut stems can be stored in the refrigerator for two to three weeks, but ... no fruit—such as apples—can be in the refrigerator with your …
Type: Blog
… composed of three petals contrast with its six bright yellow anthers, each flower opening for a few hours in the morning or longer if cloudy. Spiderwort belongs to the Commelinaceae, the day flower family, which commonly features plants with flowers that open for a day or less and then deliquesce (liquefy). If you pinch one of the blue petals between your … came to be. The genus Tradescantia and others in this family have a mucilaginous sap that, for all you farmers out there, resembles bovine saliva as it drips from the broken leaf. A …
Type: Blog
… to add up. An Amorphophallus titanum shoot to the right of a leaf stalk provides comparison for determining the slight bulge, which could mean a flower bud. The emerging Amorphophallus … take a decade or more to send up their first flower shoot. We’ve been tending to this corm for about 12 years, so the timing was right. Is the corm big enough? The smaller the corm, the … and expertise. Their final confirmations gave us the thumbs up to go public with the big news that Spike would soon blast into bloom! Like first-time parents, we are learning as we go. I …
Type: Blog
… and some are broadleaf evergreens—this is a deciduous variety. Crape myrtles are most famous for their flowers, which grow as clusters of small blooms. Flowering typically takes place … in the ficus genus in the world, but there are only about a half dozen that are commonly used for bonsai. Ficus benjamina , Ficus microcarpa , Ficus retusa (or Green Island fig), and … bonsai that will love their new temporary home in the Greenhouse. Be sure to keep a lookout for the new additions. Here is a sneak peek at one of the trees you might see…can you tell what …
Type: Blog
… tend to name men. Rarely do they mention some of the amazing women who have opened the door for so many of us following in their footsteps: marine biologist Rachel Carson, conservationist … that they have their own hashtags: #YAMMM (Yet Another Mostly Male Meeting) and #Manel (short for “male panel”). However, as difficult as it has been for women in science generally, it has surely been much, much harder for women of color and other …
Type: Blog
… Looking for fun projects to do indoors? Here’s one with a great return: start seeds. It’s easy to do, … first sprouts spring to life? To get started, let’s go over the basics. Important requirements for any seed starting are time, light, a growing medium, cleanliness, water, and attention . Time is critical. Some species need weeks longer than others. Tomatoes, for example, need just six to eight weeks indoors while it is already too late for others. It's a …
Type: Blog
… no small task. The invasive species that the native plants are up against are very impressive. For example, Russian knapweed is allelopathic (prevents other plants from growing nearby), and it … fiery orange flowers. These wildflowers are likely “native winners” and are strong candidates for increased use when restoring habitat in the Colorado Plateau. A rainbow of wildflowers for restoration: Tansy aster ( Machaeranthera canescens ): This purple-flowered plant is good …
Type: Blog
… testimony to the many plant explorers who, in the past four centuries, traveled far and wide, for years at a time, in search of new plants. The story of plant exploration is a thrilling … the Chicago Botanic Garden’s director of plant collections. He also manages plant exploration for the Garden. “Over the past three years, I have led expeditions to Azerbaijan twice, the … in 13 states. The role of plant explorers is much more than finding new, pretty specimens for gardens. The importance of the Plant Exploration Program at the Garden is multifaceted. “We …
Type: Blog
… Garden’s horticultural therapists engage our clients in similar moments of joyful perseverance for their health and well-being, guiding them through to May, when the last frost date finally … on the layers of support systems in their lives: their family, friends, and neighborhood. For children, this is an excellent opportunity to conceptualize the many levels of community … in small sections to maximize productivity based on how much space different vegetables need. (For example, you can grow nine beets in a square foot, but only one tomato plant.) In this …
Type: Blog
