Photoperiodism, Promotion, and Poinsettias: The Botanical History of a Holiday Favorite
The poinsettia is a quintessential part of typical holiday decor. It’s a plant with a curious history that stretches from the Aztecs to a pioneering American diplomat and a family of plant-savvy Californians. Learn all about the holiday favorite, poinsettia.
So Why Do Trees Lose Their Leaves? There’s More Going On than You Might Expect
It’s a fact so obvious that we named an entire season after it: fall leaves fall from trees. But what’s going on within the plant during that process? A lot more than you might think.
New Library Exhibit Shines a Spotlight on Trailblazing Texas Botanists
The botanists of the Fort Worth Botanic Garden stand in a long line of scientists who study the plants of Texas. A new exhibit at the BRIT Library, “Voyages of Discovery: Trailblazing Texas Botanists,” tells the story of these pioneering naturalists and their contributions to science.
Why All the Latin? Taxonomy, Binomial Nomenclature and Carl Linnaeus
When you visit the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, you will notice signs identifying the plants. In the Japanese Garden, for example, you will see signs that read “Acer palmatum (Japanese maple).” Many people know that the part of the name in italics is the formal name of the plant, written in Latin (more or less.) Some people might even know that Acer palmatum is the genus and species of the tree more commonly known as Japanese maple. But why? What is the purpose of giving plants names in a dead language?
The Botany of Bluebonnets, Texas’s Favorite Flower
The bluebonnets are in bloom across North Texas, splashing waves of blue across hillsides and plains. Conditions this year were just right for brilliant display of color, and you can expect to see families plunking their kids down in the middle of blooming patches for photos all weekend.
How Orchids Helped Charles Darwin Understand Nature—and How Darwin Helped Scientists Understand Orchids
Charles Darwin is known for his work in the Galapagos Islands, his study of birds and insects and the development of the theory of evolution as presented in his 1859 book On the Origin of Species. What is less well-known is Darwin’s work as a botanist and the important role that orchids played in the development of his ideas.