… Rigoberto Montoya is an assistant grower for the Plant Production department's indoor floriculture division. He is responsible for the day-to-day care of plants, and he comes up with innovative ways to grow …
Type: Staff bio
… Attention orchid fans: our vanilla orchid is blooming in the Tropical Greenhouse at the Chicago Botanic Garden. It’s a rare occurrence in … Why hand pollinate? In hopes of producing a vanilla bean. Yes, the fruit of a vanilla orchid is used to make pure vanilla extract, which flavors many foods we enjoy. Vanilla vines typically …
Type: Blog
… the Forest Preserves of Cook County, including a stint at the Garden. The Conservation Corps is a paid summer internship that gives young people hands-on conservation and environmental … because everybody knows each other in the field." —Ushus Hermanson, 17, Chicago The program is part of the effort by the Garden and its partner, Friends of the Forest Preserves, to build … the Garden’s director of government affairs, who helped coordinate the program. “Not only is it a great help for the Garden’s staff to tackle needed projects, it is a great learning …
Type: Blog
… Pogue, senior horticulturist, Elizabeth Hubert Malott Japanese Garden My New Year’s resolution is to apply the principles of the Garden's soil initiative. I am very excited to learn more about … Wade Wheatley, assistant horticulturist, Greenhouses My horticultural New Year’s resolution is to be a better plant dad to my houseplants. Since I spend the day at work taking care of the tropical plants at the Garden, it is sometimes difficult to maintain enthusiasm to come home and keep watering plants. However, I …
Type: Blog
… a lot of meaning into that name: Cyprus was the sacred island of Venus’s birth, pedilon is the word for slipper, and calceolus means little shoe. The lady’s slipper orchid is native to a broad swath of the temperate world, from Europe through Asia. While still common in some wild areas, the orchid’s beauty has made it over-loved in others—it is now considered extinct in Greece, the very home of its ancient legend. And that brings us to …
Type: Blog
… Garden continued to work remotely to ensure the rare species they care for are not lost. This is important because plant species are being lost at an alarming rate, and botanic gardens play a … that using a “studbook” approach to track all individuals held in botanic garden collections is essential to prevent the loss of genetic diversity. This approach follows a model developed by … a framework for global collaboration among botanic gardens that will be transformative for off-site, or ex situ, conservation of rare plants that can’t be seed-banked.” The Garden team …
Type: Research
… equal in their ability to survive and support wildlife in their yard. Yet very little guidance is available to help select the best native plant source. Garden scientists are working with … means that gardeners need to be aware of what source they purchase, especially if their goal is to support wildlife in their yard.” The results of this work were recently published in the … own Richard Hawke, plant evaluation manager, has collected data that informed this study and is helping home gardeners in Chicago understand what sources may survive best in their …
Type: Research
… species of moths in the state of Illinois—more than ten times the diversity of butterflies—it is a real adventure sampling the moth species inhabiting the McDonald Woods at the Chicago … moth ( Ponometia erastrioides ) Straight-lined Plagodis moth ( Plagodis phlogosaria ) It is a never-ending surprise to see what new species will show up each time traps are placed. Some … they are resting on; the hindwing only becomes visible when they spread their wings to fly. It is thought to be a distraction or scare tactic to foil predators. Although there is a subtle …
Type: Blog
… Handmade greeting cards make people feel loved. Here is a fun and festive way to show friends and relatives that you care about them. It’s a great … crayons, or colored pencils Work over a large paper towel or mat, because this project is messy! Fold a piece of stiff paper (construction paper or card stock) in half. Draw a design … on the front of the card. Try to use glue sparingly, because the paper will warp if the glue is too thick or wet. Sprinkle the herbs or spices of your choice on the wet glue. You can apply …
Type: Blog
… projector—using leaves. Rule number one with eclipses—and with the sun every day, actually—is don’t look directly at it with the naked eye . A fun way to indirectly “see” the eclipse is with a pinhole projector, and one of the best natural projectors is a leaf. Leaves often have holes that can act as natural projectors. During the eclipse, turn …
Type: Blog
