… During the exquisite Orchid Show, when the Garden was planning a summer of Brazil in the Garden, highlighting the influence of Brazil on gardens, arts and culture, and … home. Cattleya orchid (Cattleya coccinea) and hybrids from the Wisconsin Orchid Society Show in 2017—my plants! First, a few facts. Brazil has one of the highest diversities of orchid … and others. The national flower of Brazil— Cattleya purpurata (formerly Laelia purpurata) —is also an orchid. The native orchids of Brazil are often epiphytes growing on trees and shrubs, …
Type: Blog
… When buckthorn moves in to the ecosystem, it dominates. Imagine a friend invites you to a dinner party, promising a … aren’t eating the kale, the kale continues to dominate the party. Even if someone brought in better foods that more people enjoy, there is no room on the tables. The kale is everywhere! While not a perfect analogy, this anecdote …
Type: Blog
… March to begin pruning and complete the work before the buds begin to plump and open, as this is the optimal window to prune apple trees for plant health. Over the years, I have been in every tree many, many times. Some are easier to prune than others, and some are downright … branch directional training that increases production and lessens apple weight-load breakage in late summer. The apple arbor in bloom, April 2012. New whipstock was planted on half of the …
Type: Blog
… deeper (literally and figuratively), and you’ll find the reason for that slope: the “hill” is actually the remnants of a glacier. Its proper name is the Highland Park Moraine. It’s one of … edge of a glacier, then left behind as it shifts its motion and melts/recedes. Moraines vary in sizes and heights. Glacial ice that once covered northern Illinois began to recede about … path included much deliberation about the plants that were already growing at the site. As construction neared, Garden ecologist Jim Steffen reached out to the Glencoe Friends of …
Type: Blog
… & Blooms exhibition features a huge variety of live butterflies. One interesting example is Caligo atreus, also known as the yellow-edged owl, or our favorite: the magnificent owl. … atreus are clearly visible. Photo by Stuart Seeger via Wikimedia Commons This blue beauty is in the genus known as the owl butterflies ( Caligo ). They’re called owl butterflies because the … Caligo translates to “darkness,” which corresponds to the fact that they prefer to fly in the early morning before their predators are out and about. They are native to the tropical …
Type: Blog
… to identify different kinds of evergreens by their needles and cones. It’s a lesson in sorting and classifying plants—in other words: taxonomy. Conifer vs. Evergreen Every year we remind students of the meanings of … the words “evergreen” and “conifer” —they are not the same thing!—and every year, someone is confused. I blame Christmas trees. The “Christmas Tree” intersects both of the sets …
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… The Krasberg Rose Garden is naturally romantic. As with fine wines, the descriptive words for roses are rich and … and the perfect name for a proposal. ‘Love and Peace’ —A beautiful combination: yellow, edged in pink. And that fragrance! Starry Night™ —Five pure white petals sparkle like the stars in your true love’s eyes. Some roses speak of love through scent. American historian Alice Morse …
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… the pollinators visiting these plants. A standout plant, looking almost like a small shrub, is white wild indigo (Baptisia alba). This is the white-flowered cousin to blue wild indigo … not native to the Chicago region, was historically a source for blue dye. Both species are in the pea family. Many prairie plants belong to the pea family; other important families of the … might be seen visiting these plants, bumblebees being the primary pollinator. Butterflies, in their quest for nectar, will not be rewarded for their visit, however, since Ohio spiderwort …
Type: Blog
… Gardening is all about embracing change. You plant seeds and wait to see which ones will sprout. You … Garden—and how the Garden will look when we are able to reopen. Only essential staff is on-site at the Garden and health and safety guidance on social distancing means big changes in the work the horticulture staff does and how we do it. Our focus is to keep the Garden alive …
Type: Blog
… This is the story of a road trip I took with some corpse flowers, the rock stars of the plant world. … the Chicago Botanic Garden’s plant collection is the more than 70 species of Amorphophallus . In particular, Amorphophallus titanum , also called the titan arum or corpse flower, has gained … bloom time—a hybrid of week-old gym socks and a rotting mouse that you just can’t seem to find in your kitchen. The Garden began collecting titan arums, or corpse flowers, in 2003. There’s a …
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