… like pinkball dombeya ( Dombeya wallichii ). Native to East Africa and Madagascar, the genus is a highly sought-after ornamental in USDA Zones 9 and warmer. One of the rarest plants in our collections is Deppea splendens. Native to the mountains of western Mexico, this plant is extinct in the wild. Visit our What’s in Bloom highlight page each week—twice a week during …
Type: Blog
… are three vegetables we are harvesting at Windy City Harvest that are nutrition powerhouses: #1. Scallions They grow easily and can be used in many dishes. Scallions, or green onions, are … and allyl sulfides, as well as thiosulfinates. Those are complicated words, but what they mean is that these compounds are being studied for their effects on blood pressure, cholesterol, and … http://www.agriculturejournals.cz/publicFiles/48446.pdf http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/tc/antioxidants-topic-overview http://www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.f1378 …
Type: Blog
… hillii ) blooming This thistle was not the Canada thistle ( Cirsium canadensis ), which is a non-native weed that is commonly seen along the roadsides and in your garden. What I stumbled on was Hill’s thistle ( … from taller plants. A number of species of bees visit and pollinate this plant. The plant is believed to be monocarpic, which means the plant dies after flowering and producing seed. I …
Type: Blog
… shadowed water below. Doctoral student Lynnaun Johnson wades over for a closer look. Habitat is shrinking for this reclusive orchid, and he is using a unique approach to better understand the species’ uncommon lifestyle. During March … the plant and took a sample from the bark of its host tree. “What I’m interested in primarily is identifying the fungi within the habitat of these particular orchids,” said Johnson. “If you …
Type: Blog
… Foraging for edible mushrooms is a treasure hunt that always yields a reward. You never know what you’re going to find. At the … bugs abounding in the woods. I also carry knowledge that helps me discern among the more than 1,200 types of mushrooms identified so far in the Chicago metropolitan area. For more than 30 … black trumpet mushrooms ( Craterellus cornucopioides ). Photo by Jean-Pol Grandmont Summertime is the fruiting season for two of my favorite edible mushrooms: chanterelles ( Cantharellus …
Type: Blog
… Horticultural Society was founded. To celebrate the Society’s 125th anniversary, the Garden is featuring two special exhibitions, lectures, and the launch of a commemorative book, Chicago … Fire of 1871 to the victory garden era through the present.” A view looking south from the site of the future Chicago Botanic Garden; low in the horizon is the city of Chicago (click on image for a larger view) An early image of the Garden’s islands: …
Type: Blog
… off the lawn and cutting back perennials are all fine to do now providing your garden soil is not too wet. Early flowering bulbs like snowdrops at the Chicago Botanic Garden are very … growth, they might benefit from a light layer of mulch. For the most part, though, there is nothing special for most gardeners to do in their perennial beds. Even in great weather for … spring. The freezing and thawing of the soil can push recently installed small plants such as 1-gallon perennials or ground covers that were grown in containers out of the soil as the weather …
Type: Blog
… also allow for richer colors to develop. These peony stems have a deep burgundy color that is highly ornamental in an otherwise empty bed. Eventually these will grow out into large bushy … x hybridus ‘Blue Metallic Lady’ in the Thomas English Walled Garden sports new growth that is almost showier than its flowers. Of course, since it is spring, there are plenty of flowers to see. Many people associate spring with bulbs, but there …
Type: Blog
… Circle, Ring, Wreath This is a BIG wreath—great for an outdoor wall. Flint. Dent. Sweet. Flour. Pod. Pop. Regenstein Fruit … Bantam’—in a seasonless sunburst. The French saying on this wreath translates to, “the moon is my light and my joy.” Monica Vachlon (administrative assistant of horticulture) and Jacob … wreath are made of raffia. A nursery grower in our production greenhouse by day, Lorin Fox is an artist and woodcarver off-hours. A close look at his wreath reveals the mushrooms he …
Type: Blog
… plants first appeared in the fossil record and then rapidly diversified. The fossil record is the best source of evidence to document the origin and early evolution of a group of plants … (China), and Niigata University (Japan). A grant from the National Science Foundation is funding this research. Our research has revealed an abundant and diverse assemblage of fossil … species thar belong to extinct groups of seed plants of uncertain affinities. Our research is currently focused on these extinct lineages to investigate their evolutionary significance …
Type: Research
