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Plant Stories we Loved in 2024
Every year unveils a bounty of plant-related discoveries. 2024 was no exception.
Case in point: blueberries. Theyre blue, right? Not so fast. Blueberries have dark red pigments in their skin to match their reddish pulp. Researchers at the decided to unpeel the mystery. Turns out, blueberries have tiny external structures in their wax coating that scatter blue and ultraviolet light, which is why we see them as blue.
Read on to discover more plant stories that caught our eye.
Classical vs. Rock. Which does an audience of plants prefer?
Shake, rattleand grow?
The idea that music can help plants grow has been studied for decades, with classical music usually winning. Spotify begs to differ. The music streaming service released its in May, inspired by research that claims plants grow better when exposed to the pulsating vibrations of hardcore rock. Wait, what? Actually, the jury is out as to whether metal is superior to Mozart for a plant-based audience. Plus, as the Gardens Greenhouses staffers will attest, no music can replace the building blocks of good soil, consistent watering, and the right amount of light. Still, for gardeners looking to hedge their musical bets between bombast and dulcet, may we suggest Beethoven?
Nesting instincts
A robins nest is an architectural masterpiece if not the envy of designers. Its no wonder that more architects are adapting design principles from the natural world. Its a growing trend called . Whether its a birds nest, a termite mound, or the bumpy fins of a humpback whale, natures blueprints can guide humans to build more sustainable structures. Consider the Beijing National Stadium built for the 2008 Olympics, nicknamed The Birds Nest. The intricate steel cladding delivers the same insulating benefits that birds accomplish with twigs, feathers, and the like.
Waltz of the sunflowers?
We know that sunflowers (Helianthus spp.) turn their faces to the sun to capture life-sustaining rays. But we had no idea they were so polite about it. A found that sunflowers growing together exhibited a dancing behavior, with flowers moving in a way that maximized their place in the sunbut without overshadowing (literally and figuratively speaking) their fellow flowers.
See 10,000 orchid blooms at The Orchid Show.
Orchid twofer
Scientists journeyed to an extinct volcano in West Papua, Indonesia in search of a rumored blue orchid (Dendrobium azureum) that hadnt been seen in 80 years. Eureka! Not only did they find the blue orchid, but they also discovered a rare fiery red orchid, which they named . Closer to home, did you know that staff from the Gardens plant curation, collections, production, and conservation science departments collaborate on initiatives that seek to protect native orchids? If youre all about orchids, you can see 10,000 orchid blooms at The Orchid Show: India Blooms, February 8 to March 23.
Move over, wine lovers.
Gardeners can get quippy, too.
Ever notice that wine lovers have no shortage of merchandise bearing snappy quotes? Its always wine oclock, or Corks are for quitters. Heres our curated list of sharp one-liners for gardeners. Let the repartee begin.
