Saving Spring: Growing Rare and Endangered Magnolias

An emblem of spring, magnolias are celebrated for their beautiful white and pink flowers that bloom early in the season. While common in home landscapes, half of all magnolia species are threatened with extinction in the wild. They are found around the globe, and are mainly threatened by logging activity as well as habitat loss…

Focus on Crocus

A frequent subject in poetry and art, crocus are considered by many to be the first sign of spring.

Scientific Resurrection: Bringing Extinct Plants Back from the Dead 

Species in the hibiscus and sedge families, both extinct for decades but preserved at the Missouri Botanical Garden, are among those scientists want to target to bring back from the dead.  Scientists from across the globe recently collaborated to create a list of plants targeted for “de-extinction.” They examined plant specimens preserved in herbaria, or…

Botanical Resonance: Artworks in the Exhibition

Botanical Resonance: Plants and Sounds in the Garden is currently installed in the Stephen and Peter Sachs Museum, which is open for visitors Tuesday-Sunday, 11:30am-4:30pm. The exhibition content is available online at the Museum Twitter account here and the Museum Instagram account here. Please check the Museum site here for updates and future online events….

Botanical Resonance: Learn More About Madagascar Instruments

Botanical Resonance: Plants and Sounds in the Garden is currently installed in the Stephen and Peter Sachs Museum, which is open to visitors Tuesday – Sunday, 11:30 am-4:30 pm (winter hours through January 8, 2023, are 10:30 am-3:30 pm). The exhibition content is available online at the Museum’s Twitter account and the Museum’s Instagram account….

Garden Weather Station Turns 10

This intriguing machine offers crucial information to the Garden, which has evolved in use over time, and celebrates its 10 year anniversary in 2022.

Spotlight on Science: Scott Woodbury

Scott Woodbury spent more than 30 years at Shaw Nature Reserve caring for the Whitmire Wildflower Garden and sharing his wealth of native gardening knowledge in the St. Louis area and beyond. As he prepared to step away from his role at the Nature Reserve, Scott took the time to share his gardening tips, career advice for aspiring horticulturists, and stories from his own life.

When did your favorite Thanksgiving plant food get to America? 

The first Thanksgiving, in American lore, is usually identified as a harvest feast that took place in the fall of 1621 in Massachusetts. But it wasn’t until two centuries later, when President Abraham Lincoln declared the last Thursday of November to be Thanksgiving that it started to become the holiday we know today. Congress officially made…

The Plants of Día de los Muertos 

Day of the Dead or Día de los Muertos, is a holiday celebrated from October 31—November 2 each year. A blend of precolonial rituals, Latin American traditions, European religion and Spanish culture, family and friends remember deceased loved ones with a joyous celebration that includes food, drink, and flowers. While frequently associated with Mexico, Día…