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…
Tag: Horticulture
Focus on Crocus
A frequent subject in poetry and art, crocus are considered by many to be the first sign of spring.
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.
Plant Profile: Persimmon
The American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) is a Missouri-native tree known for its edible fruit and cultural connections.
Wrapping Up a Hard Year for Home Gardening
It was a tough year for gardeners across the region. Here’s how to put your garden to bed for the season If you’re ready for a fresh start next spring.
Saving Potted Mums
Mums are a staple in fall gardens. With a little extra care, they can bloom again year after year and save you from making an annual purchase.
Heat-tolerant Plants
As St. Louis and much of the surrounding area experience another round of triple-digit temperatures, the plants around us are feeling it too. Hot, sunny weather will dry out soils quickly. With less water available for the roots to absorb, leaves and stems may start to wilt and flag. An occasional deep, slow watering should…
Plant Profile: St. John’s Wort
As interest grows in native plants, some gardeners may be wondering what kinds of options are available to add to their own backyards. From our experts at the William T. Kemper Home Gardening Center comes a suggestion for a native, flowering shrub with an eye-catching bark: Hypericum prolificum, or St. John’s wort. The unique, layered bark…
Honeysuckles Explained
Most gardeners cringe at the word “honeysuckle” these days. But not all species of honeysuckle are bad. Here, the William T. Kemper Home Gardening Center explains which native species you should plant in your garden to attract pollinators and which invasive species you should eradicate wherever possible.
2022 Plants of Merit
Every year since 1998, the Missouri Botanical Garden has partnered with other regional horticultural institutions to select Plants of Merit. Plants of Merit are chosen for outstanding quality and dependable performance in Missouri, southern and central Illinois, and the Kansas City metro area. To qualify as a Plant of Merit, the plants must be easy to…
Critically Endangered Agave pelona Blooms in Garden Greenhouses
It was late January when Jared Chauncey, Senior Horticulturist and arid plant expert at the Missouri Botanical Garden, noticed that something extraordinary was about to happen: an Agave pelona was sending up a flowering stalk. It was about to bloom. These plants live for decades before sending up the only bloom of their lifetime—they are…