The Saguaro Cactus: Emblematic Plant of the American…
Specimen StoriesWhat's in a name?
With its tall, columnar shape and upward-bending branches, the cactus we know…
Fabian Michelangeli's field trip to Cuba, November 2013
A recent expedition to eastern Cuba took three Cuban colleagues and me…
Mums the Word
With their vibrant purples, deep reds and bright yellows, Mums (or Chrysanthemums) are always…
Pitcher Plants
Pitcher Plants sometimes attract insects to their specialized leaves with nectar or…
The Calabash in Capoeira Music
The Berimbau is the musical instrument played in capoeira. It consists of a…
Christmas Tree Species
Though most Christmas trees are in the pine family, Pinaceae, they are…
John Torrey
John Torrey (1796-1873) is considered one of the most influential American botanists…
Surviving the Fires of Australia
Amid the tragedy of the Australian fires, the Wollemi Pine is a…
Dog Days of Summer: Good Dog!
Cabinet of CuriositiesWhat's in a name?
Dogs have a special place in our lives, as trusting companions and…
Botanical Lessons
Botany students must learn the structures of flowers in all their intricate variety.…
Venus flytrap
Even though Venus Fly Traps are widely available as cultivated plants, they…
Carnivorous plants
Cabinet of CuriositiesFocus on Science
Watch out, these plants are hungry! Most carnivorous plants grow in bogs…
The Cactaceae
The Cactaceae was a publication written by the founder of NYBG, Nathaniel Lord Britton…
Corpse Flower
Another famous plant in the Araceae family is the Titan Arum or…
The Lilac Collection
The lilacs are blooming here at the Garden, gracing us with their…
July in the Native Plant Garden
The Native Plant Garden is looking lovely right now! Some plants that…
Spider Plant
The spider plant is in the genus Chlorophytum which contains almost 200 species, mostly originating…
Conifers and Mistletoes
Evergreen trees and mistletoe both come to mind when we decorate with holiday…
Skunk Cabbage
Specimen StoriesFocus on Science
A locally occuring arum in the northeast U.S., skunk cabbage, Symplocarpus foetidus…
Begonias
The genus Begonia contains over 1800 species. They are native to tropical…
David Hosack's Elgin Botanic Garden
Elgin Botanic Garden was the first public botanical garden in the United…
Don't touch
Plants have evolved many ways to protect themselves, from growing barbs that…
Fig family, Moraceae
Ficus carica L., the edible common fig has been cultivated for millenia.…
Marantaceae, Arrowroot family
Marantaceae, the Arrowroot family, is thought to have originated in Africa, though much of…
Air plants
Specimen StoriesFocus on Science
The little air plant in your house that you mist every day could…
Sundews
Sundews. Drosera is the largest genus of carniverous plants, with almost 200…
El Yunque
Set foot in El Yunque, the beautiful tropical rain forest in eastern Puerto…
Philodendron
Specimen StoriesFocus on Science
Greek: Philo- (love) dendron (tree) There are close to 500 species of…
Fancy Foliage
Where did that sweet little potted plant sitting on your window sill…
Floating Flowers
If you're staying cool this summer in your favorite swimming hole, here are…
The Azalea Garden
Always a destination for Mother's Day, the Azalea Garden is a spring…
Daffodils are blooming!
It's springtime and the daffodils are blooming outside! In the herbarium, these…
Sticky Rice
Focus on ScienceWhat's in a name?
A couple of years ago I was asked by Michael Purugganan (Dean…
Mystery Tree of Rondônia
In September 2019 I went to Rondônia state in Brazil in the…
Traditional Medicine: Momordica charantia
Momordica charantia L. is a plant species that is used in the…
Witches!
Cabinet of CuriositiesWhat's in a name?
Don't be too scared by these witches - just some friendly plants…
Yuletide Greetings
European winter traditions that predate Christianity have a large focus on plants.…
Mary Treat
Those who have read Barbara Kingsolver's newest novel, Unsheltered, will be familiar with the…
Rooted in Plants: An Interview with Arvolyn Hill
Arvolyn Hill is the Family Programs Coordinator at the Everett Children’s Adventure…
#plantlove
Specimens contained in the William and Lynda Steere Herbarium represent the endless…
Bioremediation
Bioremediation is the use of living organisms to remove contamination from the…