Vanessa Handley, Director of Collections & Research Here at the Garden, dead plants are generally not cause for excitement. But the fossilized remains of a plant that lived – and died – millions of year ago certainly are. We are therefore delighted to announce the incorporation of our newest (and oldest!) accession: a petrified tree…
Lewis Feldman, Garden Director After much discussion, the decision has been made to close the Garden on the third Tuesday of every month, in addition to the already scheduled closure on the first Tuesday of every month, starting on January 7, 2020. Maintaining the UC Botanical Garden at a high level, requires a lot of…
UC Berkeley Facilities Services is conducting an Evacuation Support Project for Centennial Drive in December, January, February, and March. The goal is to ensure that Centennial is passable during an emergency (fire, earthquake, etc.). The Garden will be accessible either from above (along Centennial from Grizzly Peak Boulevard) or below (along Centennial Drive from the…
Dr. Lew Feldman, Garden Director Luffa sponges come from plants, instead of our default notion that sponges are animals. Luffas represent the fibrous interiors of fruits of the gourd-producing plant, Luffa aegyptiaca, a tropical member of the Cucurbitaceae that grows as an annual vine, as pictured below. When harvested at a young stage Luffa fruits…