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Taking Care of Your Orchids

The Orchid Show is in full bloom at the Missouri Botanical Garden and visitors are able to buy orchids of their own at the Garden Gate Shop to bring home and grow. But with great flower comes great responsibility, so you may be looking for some tips on how to care for your orchid, especially…

From the Library: Rebuilding the Bateman Book (Part 1)

Conservation work on the Peter H. Raven Library’s copy of The Orchidaceae of Mexico and Guatemala has begun! Follow along as we document this painstaking restoration of one of the largest and grandest volumes in the Garden’s rare book collection. James Bateman, a wealthy English orchid collector, was responsible for the creation of The Orchidaceae…

Get Swept up in Orchid Mania

What is orchid mania? These days, you can buy an orchid just about anywhere — grocery stores, gardening centers, and (shameless plug) the gift shop of your favorite botanical garden. In the 19th century however, these beautiful flowers were incredibly rare in cultivation. New species were highly sought after by collectors and the elite as…

Fighting Winter Plant Damage

This winter’s frigid temperatures may have kept you indoors, but your garden can’t escape the cold. Plant damage like winter burn or frost injury are common this time of year, and the dry weather the St. Louis region has seen in recent months adds to the chance of problems, but there are a few steps…

From the Archives: Silver and Gold

The Olympic Games celebrate the world’s premiere athletes, with the best of the best taking home gold, silver, or bronze. In many respects, floral shows in the first half of the 20th century were Olympic events for gardens like ours — a chance to shine on a national stage. And a quick trip through our…

Spotlight on Science: Dr. Carmen Ulloa

A monthly look at the people behind plant science at the Missouri Botanical Garden Meet Dr. Carmen Ulloa Curator, Science & Conservation If Dr. Carmen Ulloa could share one message about the Missouri Botanical Garden, it would be this—St. Louisans should know, and be proud, of the Garden as a global institution. “It has a very high reputation among botanical institutions all over the world,”…

Green Eating at the Garden

Green Dining Alliance Awards 5-Star Rating to Sassafras The delicious lunches served daily at the Garden’s cafe are now even greener! In the Garden’s annual review as a member of the St. Louis Green Dining Alliance (GDA), the Garden’s cafe, Sassafras, rose to a 5-Star Rating, the top level of GDA certification. “This process has…

Dedicated Volunteers Build the Orchid Show

Every year, visitors flock to the Garden during cold winter months to see the splendor of the annual Orchid Show, which fills Orthwein Floral Display Hall with the tropical, exotic flowers. But before the crowds stream in, volunteers spend weeks turning the Hall into an orchid paradise. The dedication of the volunteers is impressive, and…

What to Do with Warm Weather Plants in Cold Temperatures

Poinsettias With another holiday season wrapped up, you may be looking to keep the spirit alive with some festive plants, like poinsettias. While traditionally associated with a winter holiday, poinsettias are native to Mexico, making them tough to maintain through cold Missouri winters. But it can be done. Keep the plant in a sunny but…

Conservatories of the Garden

From tropical temperatures to Mediterranean retreats to historic splendor, the conservatories of the Missouri Botanical Garden offer an escape in any season. Climatron Covering more than a half-acre, the Climatron® is an ever-changing ecosystem and a symbol of the Garden. The geodesic domed structure was inspired by the futuristic design of R. Buckminster Fuller,…

Cataloging Diversity Across The Americas

“Now we know what we can conserve.” -Dr. Carmen Ulloa “What trees! … all utterly new to us; Bonpland keeps telling me he’ll go out of his mind if the wonders don’t cease soon.” Alexander von Humboldt words of excitement when first landing in present day Venezuela in 1799 demonstrate the exuberance of plant diversity…

Plant Profile: Jackfruit

The Climatron is home to nearly 3,000 plants, but none are quite as remarkable as Artocarpus heterophyllus. Better known as Jackfruit, this tropical tree stands out for a very big reason: it bears the largest fruits of any tree in the world. What is a Jackfruit? Artocarpus heterophyllus is native to India and Malaysia—but…