Orchids Native to Missouri

When most people imagine where orchids grow, they see a misty, tropical rainforest. What they may not realize is that orchids are found on every continent, except Antarctica, and live in habitats including grasslands, bogs, deserts and many more.  Even in Missouri, with a careful eye and a bit of luck, anyone can find orchids…

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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…

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Plant Profile: Phalaenopsis Orchids

Commonly called moth orchids, Phalaenopsis are popular house plants that will flower repeatedly once per year with the flowers lasting for four months or more with proper care. Phalaenopsis orchids are one of the longest blooming orchid genera. Where do they come from? Phalaenopsis are a class of around 45 species of mainly epiphytic orchids—orchids…

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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….

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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….

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Advancing Conservation Through Continuing Education

The Advanced Inquiry Program encourages professionals to ignite ecological and social change while earning their master’s degrees. Overseen by Miami University’s Project Dragonfly, the Advanced Inquiry Program (AIP) is a one-of-a-kind master’s program that immerses students in collaborative inquiry and action as they champion change. Through web-based coursework from Miami and face-to-face experiential learning and…

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New Species Described by Garden Scientists in 2022 

Each year, the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Science and Conservation staff discover and name about 200 plant species new to science. That’s roughly 10 percent of all plant species discovered by scientists worldwide annually.

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…

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