ArboretumPage 6
Make your own maple syrup — feel like a pioneer
In an age of grocery stores, dancing celebrities and robotic floor sweepers, we can sometimes feel pretty far removed from our pioneer ancestors. That’s when it’s nice to be able to do something as rugged and self-sufficient as turning tree sap into food. Yes, you too can be like the native people and […]
Groundhogs Set to Prognosticate!
Groundhogs (or Woodchucks as they are often called) are a strictly North American species. Having entered the doldrums of winter, it is now, more than ever, that we need a holiday to bolster our spirits. Thank goodness Groundhog’s Day is nearly here! Unfortunately, Groundhog’s Day is not nearly as prominent of a holiday as one […]
Cicada-killer wasps
Most gardeners have had the occasional encounter with a wasp. Whether it’s a confrontation with a paper wasp or an unfortunate misunderstanding with a hornet, most of us are personally familiar with the havoc and anxiety that a wasp can create. Then there are the cicada-killer wasps. When it comes to panic-inducing capabilities, the cicada-killer […]
Unnatural Father’s Day Hike
Hey. After not finding the time to make the next glorious and thorough blog post, I’ve decided that I just need to make quick and simple posts. So, just wanted to say that our first ever Father’s Day Weekend Unnatural Event was a great success. Not a huge turnout, but the 30+ folks who came […]
First Post of the spring, Butterflies are back
Hey all: First…. an apology. I’ve been the new Naturalist here at the Arboretum for over 4 months, but this is the first time I’ve made time to post. Rest assured that posts will be coming MUCH more regularly in the future. That aside, the butterflies are back! As of May 2, I have seen […]
Gargantuan Leaf Leaps for the Sun
Are You Ready for Some Chlorophyll?!!? Perry the Corpse Flower (Amorphophallus titanum) has exceeded all expectations with his/her leaf, and is producing a shimmering wave of deja vu within the greenhouse, as shown in the photo (click the thumbnail image for a full view). The student scale objects are Tran Tuan (Gustavus ’13) on October […]
Chlorophyllous Antenna Begins Reception
Perry the Corpse Flower’s leaf has begun to unfurl! The massive leaf shoot, growing by many inches per day for the past few weeks, has begun to open its leaflets to the sun. What follows will be Perry’s gulping of light to feed the massive corm that lies within the pot, all to power yet […]
Titanic Sprout Shoots Skyward
Perry the Corpse Flower (Amorphophallus titanum) continues to grow his/her solar antenna at an astonishing rate, as shown in the accompanying photographs – click on the thumbnails for the full photos. The photos include Tran Tuan (Gustavus ’13, current Perry student scale object), Anthony Cesnik (Gustavus ’12, returning scale object), and Alex Burum (Gustavus ’07, […]
An Exquisite Corpse Flower…Leaf
Perry the Corpse Flower’s leaf continues to grow as an increasingly astonishing rate. The exquisite sculptural beauty of the growing leaf is surreal, giving rise to the title of today’s blog post. On Monday afternoon, Tuan and I measured the height of the leaf shoot at 61 inches. On Wednesday afternoon it was 74 inches […]
Arb Sightings 8/5/11
A hot, humid start to the beginning of the week has transitioned into slightly cooler but drier days. Whereas dew points had been in the 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit range, they are now in the more comfortable 60’s range, meaning our bodies don’t sweat as easily when the outdoor temperature is in the 80’s. After a […]