The month of January, with its freezing temperatures and leaf-less trees, is a time when it’s easy to think of nature as dormant. While this might be true for deciduous trees and hibernating animals, this is far from true for soil organisms.
Category: HF&G Blog
Meeting the Grand Botanic Garden Challenge at Holden Forests & Gardens
By Juliana Medeiros, When we consider the major challenges facing humanity today, it is exciting to think that plants can provide a myriad of sustainable solutions. Problems with water quality, our dependence on fossil fuels, food insecurity…
Cleveland Botanical Garden to Open 15th Annual Flower Show Orchids Forever
Holden Forest & Gardens will open one of its most popular annual experiences Orchids Forever at the Cleveland Botanical Garden on Saturday, February 13, 2021. The show will run through Sunday, April 11th.
How do deer and forest edges shape Northeast Ohio forests?
By Alexa Wagner, Doctoral Graduate Student
One of Northeast Ohio’s most charismatic consumer of plants within our forests is the white-tailed deer. Perhaps you’ve even noticed their impacts in your own backyard garden.
Help Our Trees, Please Donate What You Can
We need your help! The recent snowstorm caused significant damage to our collections. Your gift will help us maintain our living collections and pay for the necessary maintenance and propagation needed to help trees survive.
Sowing Orchid Seeds In Vitro
Orchids are among the most ornamental and diverse groups of plants in the world. We often think of them as epiphytes, growing on trees in the tropics. Many would be surprised to know that there are orchids native to Ohio and that they do not grow in trees. Our native orchids grow in the ground and are called terrestrial orchids. Ohio has approximately 47 native orchid species, and of them, the lady’s slippers may be the showiest.
The Biodiversity Belowground: Celebrating World Soil Day
Each year on December 5th, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations celebrates World Soil Day. Take some time to learn more about soil and its role in the ecosystem.
Bridging the Diversity Gap in Plant Science Internships
On November 18th Dr. Juliana Medeiros was invited to make a presentation about the Holden Research Internship Program for The Morton Arboretum virtual workshop: Bridging the Diversity Gap in Plant Science Internships. This workshop represents the first steps in building a network of science-based institutions that provide research internships, with the goal of promoting and enhancing diversity in the STEM workforce.
EVENT POSTPONED :: Jesse Owens’ Oak Tree Legacy to Live on in Cleveland
Due to the stay-at-home advisory issued by the Cuyahoga County Board of Health and the city of Cleveland, the planting of the newly propagated tree from the Jesse Owens Oak that was to take place at Rockefeller Park Lagoon tomorrow, Thursday, November 19th will be postponed until Spring 2021. Local elected officials and business leaders […]
Scientist Lecture Series: Reach Out, Encourage and Mentor Black Students Interested in Science
Holden Forests & Gardens second scientist lecture in the Growing Black Roots: The Black Botanical Legacy series was with Dr. Morgan Halane from the National Park Service. Dr. Halane shared a deeply personal look at his experience as a Black person navigating interest and study in the field of science with nearly 150 participants on […]
Our Workhorse Forests and Acid Rain
By Katie Stuble, HF&G Research Scientist
Our forests are not only beautiful, but also environmental powerhouses, pumping out oxygen, filtering runoff, and storing carbon that would otherwise collect in the atmosphere and contribute to global warming. In fact, forests are our most promising tool to naturally mitigate climate change. But, not all forests are created equal and they vary in their ability to take up and store carbon.
Gardening Wednesday: Cyclamen and Seeds
By Dawn Gerlica, Horticulturist Cyclamen Even though we have seen our first snow and many trees and perennials have already gone dormant, there are still a few beauties out there that shine and laugh at the approaching winter. This Cyclamen hederifolium, ivy-leaved cyclamen, is still in bloom and showing off. You can find these plants […]
Ecological Paths Through a Yellow Wood
It’s that time of year when the woods turn yellow – or orange and red depending on where you live – and shine with the vibrance of fall color. This perennial autumn display represents the process of nutrient recycling and recovery by trees before they lose their leaves for the season.
Glow to Return to Cleveland Botanical Garden Nov. 21st
Glow Features an Outdoor Celebration of Lights, Trees and Festive Holiday Experiences
Popular holiday tradition will provide a safe and enjoyable experience for all
Glow at the Cleveland Botanical Garden will delight the senses and transport visitors into a safe holiday wonderland outside and in, all season-long beginning on Saturday, November 21 through Sunday, January 3, 2021.
Bringing Holden Science to the Classroom
At Holden, my job focuses mostly on conducting plant science research. I really love conducting research! There is something thrilling about an unexpected result or a result that answers a long burning question. I even love the months (or years) of data collection that are necessary to answer a research question. But, this week I brought Holden’s research into two different classrooms and it was equally thrilling!
Curating a Collection
As Rhododendron collections manager at Holden Forests and Gardens I wear many ericaceous hats, but at the core of my job is curating the Holden Rhododendron Collection. This role differs from most of the other folks in the Holden Research Department, who are actively trying to create new knowledge and solve problems. My job is to build a plant collection that facilitates this.
Global Birding Weekend
Did you know that the arboretum is a birdwatching hotspot all year round? And, this weekend is the inaugural Global Birding Weekend, a new event devoted to getting outside and recording as many birds as possible.
Crabapples: a ripe system for research
Crabapples, the wild apple species and cultivars (Malus spp.), are important members of the rose family. Crabapples produce profuse blossom (Fig. 1) and small fruits (Fig. 2)1. Many crabapples are cultivated as ornamental trees or rootstocks, and their apples can be used for preserves1. Common crabapples1 (Fig. 1) include the European crabapple (Malus sylvestris), the Caucasian crabapple (Malus orientalis), the Siberian crabapple (Malus baccata), and the crabapples native to North American such as Malus angustifolia, Malus coronaria, Malus ioensis, and Malus fusca.
Science on Friday: the Art and Science of Grafting
By Connor Ryan
Grafting is an ancient technique of joining two distinct plants together. Grafts occur naturally or they can occur through human intervention. In practice, grafting usually involves the joining of the shoots of one plant (termed the “scion”) to the roots of another (termed the “rootstock” or “understock”).
Learn More About the Flowering Plant that’s Everywhere: Goldenrods
By Dawn Gerlica, Horticulturist The burst of smiling yellow blooms in every field seem to be saying goodbye to summer and welcome to autumn. This is the season of goldenrod. Solidago, commonly called goldenrods, is a genus of about 100 to 120 species of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. Most are herbaceous perennial […]