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  • … Greg Mueller , Ph.D., chief scientist and Negaunee vice president of science at the Garden for answers. Why do mushrooms pop up out of nowhere? Mushrooms can appear magical—seeming to pop … nutrients and water. Depending on the species and its ecology, an individual may persist for weeks to more than a thousand years! When conditions are right, the mycelium produces …
    Type: Blog
  • … already with the pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, and pumpkin cookies), consider this recipe for bourbon pumpkin-pecan fudge. The bourbon gives the fudge a bit of a kick (and who doesn’t …
    Type: Blog
  • … when ecosystems changed very rapidly.   “Mongolia and Inner Mongolia, China, are well known for their diverse dinosaurs and early mammals during the Mesozoic era, but very little is known …
    Type: Research
  • … at the Chicago Botanic Garden are investigating a new approach to improve degraded landscapes for pollinators and other wildlife. In 2018, the Donnelley Foundation awarded $66,000 to …
    Type: Research
  • … are not large enough to escape the pollinarium’s grasp on its leg — an unfortunate situation for the insect! There are so many flowers in close proximity on a milkweed plant that it seems … but only one or two pollinated flowers develop into mature follicles. The energy it takes for a plant to produce a healthy follicle is considerable, so the other pollinated flowers are …
    Type: Blog
  • … The creation of the Isthmus of Panama approximately 3 Ma provided the opportunity for the southern and northern migrations of animals, fungi, and plants known as the Great …
    Type: Research
  • … question now? Take the Fruit Pursuit quiz below. Is This a Fruit? Click on each picture for the answer. × Yes, bell peppers are fruits. Fun fact: Red bell peppers are green peppers that …
    Type: Blog
  • … be less successful than others and produce fewer seed, hence favoring the more common form. For this reason, variation in floral shape, color, or scent within a population is often rare, …
    Type: Research
  • … living plant documentation, respond to environmental conditions when preparing to go dormant for the winter. Just like animals that hibernate, trees slow their processes down in order to …
    Type: Blog
  • … lawn mower’s mushroom, is also nonedible. (Photo with permission Michael Kuo,  mushroomexpert.com .) Not all mushrooms growing in lawns are toxic.   But the only way to tell is to know what … to join a club like the  Illinois Mycological Association . Identifying mushrooms and plants for the Illinois Poison Center and hospitals is something that I and other Chicago Botanic Garden …
    Type: Blog