In or out of the garden, plants rule. They give us all food, clean air, intrigue, shelter, medicine, and more—all while looking good (or at least interesting…) on top of it. Find out why by entering the wide and wonderful world of EcoMyths-approved plant science…
seed science + tips
hot seed science
- Making the Case for Plant Diversity, Paul Smith, et. al., Seed Science Research, 2011
- Storage of Seeds chapter 4, Franklin Bonner, Woody Plant Seed Manual, 2008
- Preservation of Recalcitrant Seeds, Christina Walters, et. al., Science, 2013
- Ex situ Conservation of Rare and Valuable Forest Tree Species Through Seed-gene Bank, Shyam Phartyal, et. al., Current Science, 2002
- Conservation of Threatened Relict Trees Through Living Ex situ Collections: Lessons From the Global Survey of the Genus Zelkova (Ulmaceae), Gregor Kozlowski, et. al., Biodiversity Conservation, 2012
cool seed tips
- Seeds: Time Capsules of Life, Wolfgang Stuppy & Rob Kesseler capture the beauty of the Millennium Seed Bank
- 32,000-Year-Old Plant Brought Back to Life—Oldest Yet, R. Kauffman, National Geographic, 2012
- Seed Dormancy on a Moment of Science, Indiana Public Radio, 2004
- Why the Avocado Should Have Gone the Way of the Dodo, K. Annabelle Smith, Smithsonian, 2013
yard plants science + tips
hot yard plants science
- Maximizing arthropod-mediated ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes: the role of native plants, Rufus Isaacs, et. al., Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 2008
- Scaling up from gardens: biodiversity conservation in urban environments, Mark Goddard, et. al., Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 2009
- Variation among plant species in pollutant removal from stormwater in biofiltration systems, Jennifer Read et. al., Water Research, 2008
- Summary of Functional Benefits of Native Plants in Designed and Natural Landscapes, Brendan Dougherty & Dan Shaw, University of Minnesota
cool yard plants tips
- Community Action Strategies, including climate-friendly gardens and lawns, developed by the Field Museum and Chicago Wilderness
- The Morton Arboretum’s handy tree selector
- The Forest Service on native gardening
- Native Plants and Wildlife Gardens: “Are lawns a carbon sink?”
soil science + tips
hot soil science
- Soil Publications: A compilation of scientific resources, International Union of Soil Sciences
- Biochar and Biosolids Increase Tree Growth and Improve Soil Quality for Urban Landscapes, Bryant Scharenbroch, et. al., Journal of Environmental Quality, 2013
- Integrating Soil Ecological Knowledge Into Restoration Management, Liam Heneghan, et. al., Restoration Ecology, 2008
cool soil tips
grass clippings science + tips
hot grass clippings science
- Managing Thatch in Lawns, Peter J. Landschoot, Penn State College of Agricultural Science
- Mowing, Dethatching, Aerifying and Rolling Turf, Aaron Patton & Zac Reicher, Purdue University
- Mowing Your Lawn and “Grasscycling” [PDF], A. Harivandi & VA Gibeault, University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources
- Mowing To Recycle Grass Clippings: Let the Clips Fall Where They May!, David R. Chalmers & Judy Booze-Daniels, Department of Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech
cool grass clippings tips
- The EPA’s Give and Inch, Save a Yard program
- Busting the Most Common Lawn Myths and Misconceptions [PDF], Aaron Patton, University of Arkansas
- USDA Index of Local Cooperative Extension Offices, for local mowing recommendations
- CalRecycle’s What Is Grasscycling?
native plants science + tips
hot native plants science
- Plants of the Chicago Region, Floyd Swink and Gerould Wilhelm…stay tuned for the new edition
- vPlants: A Virtual Herbarium of the Chicago Region, a joint project by The Morton Arboretum, the Field Museum, and the Chicago Botanic Garden
- European Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) and its Effects on Some Ecosystem Properties in an Urban Woodland, Liam Heneghan, et al, Ecological Restoration, 2004
- The Evolution of Chromosome Arrangements in Carex (Cyperaceae), Andrew Hipp, et al, The Botanical Review, 2008
- Lengths and Correlates of Lag Phases in Upper-Midwest Plant Invasions, Dan Larkin, Biological Invasions, 2012
cool native plants tips
- Native plant sales around Chicagoland
- Popular native plant picks for Chicagoland gardeners
- City of Chicago Sustainable Backyards Program, offering rebates for native plant purchases
mulch science + tips
- National Wildlife Federation: What’s wrong with using cypress mulch?
- NPR: Battle Brews over Louisiana Cypress Mulch
- Best of New Orleans.com: More unsettling news about the dwindling cypress groves
- The Mulch and Soil Council: Which mulches come from natural forest products?
- Colorado State University Extension Service: Mulching with Wood/Bark Chips, Grass Clippings, and Rock
- Washington State University, Dr. Linda Chalker-Scott: Problems With Rubber Mulch
- American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)
- Penn State University: About Artillery Fungus
