Cold Weather Kale and Cabbage

Cabbage and kale are popular cool-weather vegetables known for their many health benefits, but did you know these lovely leafy greens come in ornamental varieties, too? Ornamental cabbages and kales have showy, colorful foliage and are typically grown as annuals in fall container plantings or massed for a late-season bedding display. The leaves come in…

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Plan a #Plantsgiving Feast

Turkey is the headline-grabbing star of most Thanksgiving meals. But plants are the real heavy-lifting heroes. From savory seasonings to sweet desserts, almost every dish on the dinner table will have at least one botanical ingredient. Whether you are preparing the food or just enjoying it this Thanksgiving, give thanks to the plants making this…

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AIP Masters Program — Advancing Higher Ed Beyond the Classroom

As we search for ways to thrive along with the astounding biodiversity around us, some in St. Louis are expanding their understanding of human and ecological communities through the Advanced Inquiry Program (AIP). AIP is a master’s degree program that links study at the Missouri Botanical Garden with online courses from Miami University in Ohio….

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Storm Drains are for Rain

This year, many of us have been cooped up at home and are looking for new and interesting ways to get outside and help our communities. One Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD) project, coordinated by the EarthWays Center, is providing scouts, families, municipalities, and just about anyone in the area with just such an…

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National Geographic Honors Garden Researcher for Conservation Work in Madagascar

Jeannie Raharimampionona has dedicated her life to conserving the flora of her native Madagascar. With more than half of plant species facing extinction in Madagascar, some may find the never-ending work to save them to be too daunting. But Raharimampionona can’t imagine doing anything else. “Sometimes I think of each plant species as a gorgeous,…

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Take Our Tree ID Quiz

These thorny questions may leaf you feeling nuts, but see if you can conquer these ten questions about trees.

Garden Study on Biodiversity Helps Focus Conservation Efforts

Around the world, tropical forests are disappearing at alarming rates. As conservations race against time to protect these ecosystems, it’s crucial to know where it would be most fruitful to focus their efforts. Key to that is data. While it has long been understood that Latin America is richer in plant species than tropical Africa, scientists…

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All About Pumpkins

From pumpkin spice lattes to jack-o-lanterns, pumpkins have become a universal symbol of fall. Pumpkins also come from an enormously diverse plant family, Cucurbitaceae, which contains more than 100 genera and over 700 species. In the U.S., any round, orange squash is likely to be called a pumpkin, but the term “pumpkin” has no real…

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The Botanizing Presidential Candidate

The Missouri Botanical Garden is home to more than seven million plant specimens. In addition to its role as a research tool for botanists, it is also a window into history. Each specimen tells a story—connecting people, plants, and places. The Garden’s herbarium can tell us about the early career of groundbreaking botanist George Washington…

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Scroll Through the Garden: September

September is the final month of summer, and its autumnal equinox ushers in the fall season. Take a scroll through the bright blooms of late summer and the first hints of fall color.

30 Things You Might Not Know About the Climatron

The Climatron® is an architectural marvel filled to the brim with tropical plants from all over the world. A lot has happened in the 60 years since it first opened to the public. From history to pop culture, and even an alligator encounter, here are 30 things you might not know about the Climatron. In…

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