… 27 display gardens, plant production, plant healthcare, and general grounds. Johnson graduated with a bachelor of science degree in horticulture from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in … Georgia; and the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in Williamsburg, Virginia. Johnson has been with the Garden since January 1985 in a variety of positions—including assistant horticulturist, …
Type: Staff bio
… Ph.D., shows that networks of interactions between plants and pollinators shift dramatically with the changing seasons. Research identified which pollinators visited each plant species all … observed within these interaction networks clearly shows that plants and pollinators can roll with the punches of climate change and environmental disturbances. But perhaps more important, … scientific journal, Oikos . The article is available here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/oik.07526 …
Type: Research
… species of orchids on the planet, about 70 percent are epiphytes—plants that grow on trees, with above-ground rather than in-ground roots. Known as aerial roots, they act as anchors and … orchids grow baby plantlets, called keikis, that can be removed from the mother plant along with their own set of adventitious roots. The White Stuff Is Velamen An aerial root should look … is the number one threat to an orchid plant. Orchid roots rot easily if given too much water—with no switch to prevent roots from pulling in excess water, the plant can drown if left …
Type: Blog
… The night Spike blooms will thrill us all in the semi-tropical greenhouse, with its breathtaking flower…accompanied by a titanically rotten smell. “Your heart is full of … 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 … ( 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
… nannyberry. Native goldenrods include blue-stemmed goldenrod (Solidago caesia) , a wildflower with blue-green stems. Follow the winding paths through the Reserve’s aquatic, prairie, and … pond The restoration work also allows visitors to get a great view of the 6-acre pond, framed with color. Look for swamp white oaks turning a nice burnt yellow, shagbark and bitternut … My favorite place in the Reserve is the southeast corner. I love the views across the pond, with the Garden’s other shorelines in the distance. Every day, I see something new, which makes …
Type: Blog
… spring wildflowers open up too early—or too late? How does the timing of flowering synchronize with native bees and other pollinators? These are just some of the questions I’m studying as a … weather events. In contrast, later flowering individuals risk flowering in an environment with less sunlight due to the developing forest canopy. Because of this natural variability, this … master’s student at Northwestern University and the Chicago Botanic Garden. She works with Amy Iler, Ph.D., who studies plant-pollinator responses to climate change. …
Type: Blog
… them this way to protect your containers instead. Sherwood also recommends covering plants with old bedding, especially fitted sheets. They fit snugly around the bottom of the containers … out the cold air. If you do cover your containers, it may be helpful to prop up the covering with bamboo poles. The covering shouldn’t touch the plants, because it can weigh down and crush … level of protection. Contact Plant Information at the Garden at plantinfo@chicagobotanic.org with any questions. …
Type: Blog
… are those that, when introduced to a new location, can spread prolifically, competing with native species for resources and eventually dominating the landscape. Some invasive species … been leading an effort to understand the effect of buckthorn on native woods, and to remove it with the help of volunteers. Some of the most remarkable transitions following the removal of … buckthorn and other invasive plants and reestablish a diverse, open-canopied woodland with improved ecosystem functioning. For understory vegetation, targets included high …
Type: Research
… strategizing and prioritizing so I can squeeze the most out of the upcoming growing season. With a little advance planning, you can harvest something from your garden from April through … from seed . Last spring, for the first time, I grew my vegetable garden from seed, starting with old seeds I had and an old florescent light. I had long aspired to growing vegetables from seed, but never got around to it. With a little time and TLC, you never know what’s possible—the tomato seed that I grew last …
Type: Blog
… If you have heard about milkweed, you no doubt know about the plant’s unique relationship with the Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) . Milkweeds are the only plants on which monarchs … are pod-like structures (follicles) that split open to release many seeds that catch the wind with their long silky hairs (coma). Most people are familiar with common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) , which occurs commonly along roadsides, the edges of …
Type: Blog
