The American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) is a Missouri-native tree known for its edible fruit and cultural connections.
Tag: Cassidy Moody
The Plants of Encanto
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ newest feature film, Encanto, is not a movie about plants. But plants are far more than background greenery in this story. They play an important role as the plot unfolds, and take center stage in one of the more lively musical numbers. Even the plants that are in the background serve…
The Botanist Behind Encanto’s Plants
Walt Disney Animation Studios goes to great lengths to build true-to-life environments as the settings for their films. For the movie Encanto they enlisted the help of the Colombian Cultural Trust. This group of experts consulted with the filmmakers on subjects such as architecture, clothing, indigenous culture, food, and of course plants. The botanist who…
Take a Virtual Visit to the Sachs Museum
Grafting the Grape: American Grapevine Rootstock in Missouri and the World is currently installed in the Stephen and Peter Sachs Museum, which is open for visitors Tuesday-Sunday, 10:30am-3:30pm; all visitors over age 5 must wear masks indoors and on the grounds of the Garden. Please check the Museum site here for updates and future online…
Saving the Seeds of an Endangered Christmas Tree
Two years after wild-collected Christmas tree seeds made their way from the Appalachian Mountains to St. Louis, our researchers are learning more about the challenges ahead when it comes to conserving the Fraser fir.
Record-Setting Monstera Among Newly Described Species
Monstera are well-known to many houseplant parents. The glossy evergreen leaves give off tropical vibes year-round, and the perforated leaves add an extra layer of interest. Species like Monstera deliciosa and M. adansonii are in-demand houseplants, along with cultivated varieties like the white-speckled ‘Thai Constellation.’ While appreciation is growing for these cultivated houseplants, so too…
Ynés Mexía: Botanical Groundbreaker
150,000—led to the discovery of dozens of new species and greatly expanded the botanical understanding of the plants of Mexico and parts of South America.
Rare Tree Reveals First Flower
One of the world’s rarest trees, Karomia gigas, is flowering in the greenhouses of the Missouri Botanical Garden for the first time.
Azaleas on Alfred
One of the Missouri Botanical Garden’s most spectacular spring shows is headed Off-Broadway, so to speak. Specifically, to Alfred Avenue, the site of a make-shift nursery housing more than 300 of the Garden’s azaleas and rhododendrons. Here, they await a public encore in the near future. These showy, spring-blooming shrubs were moved to Alfred Avenue in 2020….
Dr. Anna Isabel Mulford: Botanical Groundbreaker
In 1895, Anna Isabel Mulford would become the first student—of any gender—to earn a PhD from Washington University.
The Plantmoji Project: 2020 Updates
Gardening 🌿 teaches us many things, including patience and the acceptance of failures 🤦♀️. So too, it turns out, does emoji-making. In 2019 the Garden submitted 📩 a proposal for an official orchid emoji to the Unicode Consortium, the governing body that oversees emoji. One year later the orchid remains close to reaching its goal…
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…