Recently, we placed a Chocolate tree (Theobroma cacao) on display in the Costa Rica biome of the Glasshouse. It had a beautiful seed pod on it almost 6 inches long. We included some interpretation next to the tree that talked about chocolate, its origins and other ‘fun facts’ about chocolate. Unfortunately, the pod was stolen within the first week we had the tree on display.

Coincidentally, another botanical garden in Asheville, NC, suffered much more serious vandalism to some of its trees recently. The vandals spray painted their nom-de-plumes in garish red paint on several large tree trunks. Our trade organization, APGA (Association of Public Gardens and Arboreta) sent an email out today asking for suggestions on how to treat the vandalized trees without jeopardizing their health.

Plant and tree vandalism really saddens me. I can’t imagine why some people would wantonly destroy or harm plants. The only explanation I can think of is that they simply don’t care or don’t have any respect for nature. What can you do? Install a love of nature into your kids. Never stop teaching them the importance of plants and that without them, we couldn’t survive.

Chocolate pods

Posted by Cynthia Druckenbrod

I know it’s only 20 degrees outside, but I am already thinking about container arrangements for this upcoming growing season. The containers that are currently stuffed with branches of red twig dogwood, curly willow and various evergreens, will come alive this spring with colorful arrangements. I like to buy a few extra bulbs so that I can pot them up and heel them in for the winter. Then, when the tulips and daffodils come up in the beds, I can consolidate some of the potted bulbs in containers to compliment what is in the beds. We also had a number of leftover amaryllis bulbs one year that we let go dormant and then pot up in the spring for stunning summer container displays. Last year, I had very good success with red, orange and yellow dahlias in containers. I mixed them in with red and green joyweed and some yuccas. And, the true low-maintenance container can consist of the succulent houseplants you have around the house. Combine them in a large container with some well drained sandy soil and you can pretty much forget about them.

I recently attended a presentation at Youngstown State University in which they described their extensive container planting program. They use a lot of tropicals that need to be overwintered somehow. I was concerned about the need for expensive greenhouse space for this. The speaker stressed that they have been successful with some low-maintenance, cool, dark storage of these plants that basically just need an occasional drink to make sure they don’t dry out. So, I will be experimenting with various plants next winter to see which ones can survive this kind of dormancy.

Anyway, the other exciting part of the YSU presentation was the list of their favorite container plants. They use Plectranthus extensively and have it cascading out of and skirting many of their planters. They recommend a dwarf sweet potato vine if you don’t want to be cutting it back all season. I don’t mind its aggressiveness, because I like to keep rooting more from the cuttings to fill in areas where perennials might die back in the beds. Some of their other container plants that I want to try this year are Eupatorium capillifolium elegant feather (6’ tall!), Aristolochia grandiflora (Tropical Dutchman’s Pipe with 8” flowers!), non-climbing morning glories and banana-leafed cannas. I am always willing to try something different, so let me know if you have any favorite container plant recommendations.
 

Winter is here to stay in Cleveland, especially in Feb. when we are so starved for warmer temperatures and sunnier days. This is the time when you should really be paying attention to your house plants. The dry air of our winter homes is the perfect environment for plant pests to get out of control. In particular, spider mites can be a real problem on Ficus trees and other indoor tropical plants. The symptoms include: mottled leaves and spider-like webbing if the infestation is really bad. Prevent spider mites by simply misting the foliage on a regular basis if your outbreak is low. For greater control, use soapy water. I like to use dish soap (1 tbs soap/quart of water) in a spray bottle or you can use insecticidal soap or neem oil that you can obtain from garden centers. Use of a systemic insecticide is totally unnecessary, especially if you have animals in the house that might chew on a leaf now and then.

Everyone gets it around here. Each year I think I’ve developed a little immunity, or at least enough tolerance to act cool when the orchids start showing up for the annual Orchid Mania exhibit. But I’m caught up in the delirium every time, oohing and aahing over the dizzying variety of shapes, patterns, and fragrances. Even the bland, rounded petals of common moth orchids (Phalaenopsis) charm me again with subtle little variations between pale pink and rose-stained, dappled, striped, water-marked with primrose yellow, and jutting curlicued fuchsia lips.

Once I’ve gotten over the sheer impact of so many  flowers, the next phase sets in: Covetousness. Although it’s quite possible to maintain a collection of orchids in windowsills and under lights (many people do it!), you have to have the chronic form of orchid fever to devote yourself to doing it well. I have a handful of durable little orchids at home, but there’s really not a lot of room for more.

The solution for me is to collect with a camera. Digital photography makes it wildly easy to capture flowers in full color and stunning detail. I don’t need to be that good a photographer to collect a greenhouse full of images.  They bloom with the click of a mouse, I don’t have to water them, and I can keep them on my desktop, where pretty much everything else has withered and died. Only the fragrance is left to memory (more about fragrance, flowers, and memory some other time.)

Posted by Ann McCulloh

We have a variety of natural soil textures in Northeast Ohio. I have a heavy clay soil at my home in Lakewood, and there is a nice sandy soil where I work at Cleveland Botanical Garden. But sometimes after a construction project, soil is brought in that varies in texture from the natural soils. That is the case with the Gateway Garden in front of the Garden. Construction crews hauled away the natural sandy soil when they excavated and brought back a high pH (8.0) clay soil as fill. There are also new concrete drives and walks that leach calcium and lime into the soil. So, right off the bat, some of the acid lovers that were planted in this garden showed stress. My current game plan is to use a low pH organic fertilizer in the garden and especially around the acid lovers. The garden takes about 80 yards of mulch each spring, so I am looking for a good source of low pH mulch that will help neutralize the pH as it breaks down each year. Pine mulch seems to be my best bet so far since suppliers are telling me it has a pH of around 4.5. Two other acidifiers that I am going to try are sulfur and cottonseed meal. I am interested to hear what kind of success others have had with these techniques in their own gardens.

Posted by Bob Rensel

For Orchid Mania, we have many varieties of fragrant orchids on display this year. For the first time, we have an orchid called Rhynchostylis (pictured left), aka the foxtail orchid. Its inflorescence is packed tightly with pink, red or white flowers almost resembling a hyacinth. It has a very sweet, citrusy scent that at first I couldn’t place. I wasn’t even convinced that I liked the fragrance. But then my husband said it reminded him of the scent of Osage-Orange fruit, also known as Mock Orange (but the slang is much more fun: monkey brains). Since then, every time I walk by Rhynchostylis, I have to smell it, because it has one of the most unique orchid scents. Another orchid that has a delicious scent is the so called chocolate orchid - Oncidium Sharry Baby. We’ll have a number of these orchids on display for your smelling pleasure!

Posted by Cynthia Druckenbrod                                                      

I recently read that the Phalaenopsis (Moth) Orchid is the second most popular house plant in the U.S. preceded only by the Poinsettia. And that makes perfect sense since I see Moth Orchids everywhere: the grocery store, the big box stores, garden centers, etc. What I find unfortunate is that many of these orchids are now treated as throw-away plants. Once the orchid is finished blooming, why keep it? I disagree. Moth Orchids are incredibly beautiful and easy to grow and can be kept in a typical windowsill, providing years of blooms. All you need to do is provide light from an east or west window, water once per week, sometimes twice, fertilize every other week and re-pot it every two years. If you’re not familiar with growing these orchids, that’s just another reason to come to the Garden this Feb. to learn how you can grow colorful Moth Orchids.

Posted by Cynthia Druckenbrod