Director of Collections Andrew Doran Dear Garden Community, At approximately 4:30pm on Tuesday March 21st a loud crash was heard by the few remaining staff on site during the high winds that gusted through the Garden. Immediate suspicions were that the large coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) that predates the Garden had partially failed with the loss…
Dr. Lew Feldman, Garden Director Horsetail (Equisetum telmateia) An invasive weed, but also useful in many ways! Horsetail (Equisetum telmateia) is found throughout the Garden, generally as an invasive, aggressive weed. But what truly distinguishes horsetail is that it is rich in the mineral silicon (silica), which contributes to cell wall rigidity and to the…
The new year brings much needed moisture, and the rainy season is in full-swing in Northern California! However, concern over extreme weather conditions continues, not just in California but around the country, and the world. Whether we face a drought or deluge environment, it is still important to conserve water as it is a precious resource….
Dr. Lew Feldman, Garden Director The onset of fall brings cooler weather, shorter days, and brilliant color seen across a range of plants. We are presented with stunning displays of orange, yellow, red and purple leaves. What causes the foliage to change color? The environmental cues that make a plant ready for winter are typically…
Christine Manoux, Director of Education and Visitor Engagement; Cat Callaway, Horticulturist On Monday, October 10, 2022 (Indigenous People’s Day), the Garden hosted a special event for the public in our Crops of the World Garden collection in partnership with the local cultural group Indigenous Permaculture (IP). In this area, the Garden arranges plantings of food crops based on areas…
Press Release | by Krista Vossekuil, Development Director The UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley (Garden, www.botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu) is usually bursting with blooms this time of year, but one section is a standout among wide-eyed visitors and staff. The spectacular Southern African Collection, located southeast of the entrance kiosk, is overflowing with an almost unbelievable splash of color…
Sophia Warsh, Horticulturist | California As spring progresses, poppies (Eschscholzia and Papaver) are everywhere in California! But there are some other members of the poppy family (Papaveraceae) to explore – Dendromecon and Romneya, California’s shrubby poppies. Dendromecon, which is greek for tree poppy, is a shrub to small tree native to California. The species we…
Dr. Lew Feldman, Garden Director In this edition of IGYA we will consider bark, which is the outermost layer of trees, woody shrubs and vines, and which can be thought of as the “skin” of a woody plant. Bark is essential for a tree’s survival. Bark has an important role in protecting the plant from…
Dr. Lew Feldman, Garden Director One of the questions that students frequently ask me is what is the difference between “hard” and “soft” woods. The answer, however, is not straightforward because the terms hardwood and softwood do not necessarily relate to the density or hardness of the wood itself. Rather, the wood type depends on…
James Fong, Horticulturist | Asia, Australasia As you take a stroll into the Australasia collection this time of year, you may notice the giant tree ferns or the magnificent rimu, but dive deeper into the collection, and you will find the vibrant, glowing, cone-like structures sitting in the trees and shrubs like ornaments on a…