Choosing a fresh fir over a plastic pine for your Christmas tree has some definite perks. There’s the chance to make special memories cutting a tree down at a farm or carefully choosing the right one from a lot. And, of course, there’s the irreplaceable fresh evergreen smell that comes with a cut Christmas tree….
Tag: trees
Butterflies Need Trees Too
Autumn is the perfect time to celebrate Tree Week. We encourage you to not only take a stroll and enjoy the fall colors, but also take a moment to think about all the life these trees support. Among those branches are thousands of different invertebrates, including centipedes and beetles, cocoons and chrysalises. Some trees are…
It’s Complicated: Trees and Ecological Restoration
The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is now. -Anonymous Addendum: That is, unless the tree will grow just fine without your help or the tree doesn’t really belong there. In that case, the best time might be never. Planting a tree is rejuvenating. It gets you…
Botany by Drone Takes Off at Shaw Nature Reserve
Picture in your mind a researcher in the field conducting a tree survey. Likely you imaged a trained botanist deep in a forest or jungle, swatting away insects and wiping sweat out of their eyes while keying out an unknown specimen with a hand lens, clipboard, taxonomic field guide, and a rucksack of supplies at…
Our Magnificent Trees
Fall is the best time of year to view one of the Garden’s oldest, yet often overlooked collections. In a display that ranges from bright golden yellow to muted copper to deep scarlet, our trees and their fantastic fall foliage take center stage every October. In celebration of our colorful canopy, the Garden is kicking…
Ask the Garden: Your Tree Questions
The Missouri Botanical Garden is celebrating its colorful fall foliage with Tree Week from October 29 to November 4. The week will highlight the Garden’s impressive tree collection, and the staff who care for it, with tours and other opportunities for guests to learn more about it. As part of that focus, we’d also like to…
Fall Color in Your Yard
As temperatures cool off, it’s finally starting to feel like autumn outside. This means it’s time to enjoy bold fall foliage. But that doesn’t have to be limited to the red, orange, and yellow leaves of trees in the fall. Grasses, shrubs, and showy berries can all add beautiful color to your garden in the…
Saluting Branches Day of Service
Arborists from across the St. Louis region descended on Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, then ascended into the trees and went to work. Armed with everything from rakes and pole pruners to chainsaws and chippers, these tree care professionals had one goal in mind—to make the cemetery canopy safer, and more beautiful for visitors. The collaborative…
Plant Profile: Avocado
What is an avocado? Persea americana is an evergreen tree, native to Mexico, Central America and South America. It belongs to Lauraceae, the plant family that also includes cinnamon trees. Avocado trees produce green-skinned, round or pear-shaped fruit containing a single large pit (seed). Botanically speaking, avocado is actually a berry. Its yellow flesh is…
Planting a New Tree
National Arbor Day isn’t until the end of April, but you can celebrate early with the annual Missouri Arbor Day Tree Giveaway at the Missouri Botanical Garden. Whether you pick up one of the native Missouri tree saplings available at the Garden’s Kemper Center or acquire one elsewhere, you may be a bit nervous about planting your…
Plant Profile: Cacao
There are few plants whose scientific name translates as “food of the gods,” but the Greek name for cacao—Theobroma cacao —does. It makes sense that this plant, famous for being the key ingredient in modern day chocolate, has become important for many cultures around the world. Ethnobotany: The study of the relationships between people and…
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…
