Plant Spotlight: Golden Penda, Xanthostemon chrysanthus (F. Muell.) Benth.
Written by Shawn McCourt, Ph.D. Plant Records Keeper On the west side of the Great Lawn that stretches southwards from the historic Selby House at MSBG’s downtown campus is a beautiful, golden-flowered small tree that is often overlooked by visitors until the winter...
Botanical Spotlight: Aboriginal Prickly Apple Cactus
Written by Shawn McCourt, Ph.D.Plant Records Keeper Just a stone’s throw from some of the most popular beach destinations in the country, and mostly overlooked by the more than 2.5 million tourists who visit southwest Florida each year, a tall, slender, succulent...
Species Highlight-Celtis laevigata (hackberry or sugarberry)
By Elizabeth Gandy, Curatorial Assistant Celtis laevigata, commonly known as hackberry or sugarberry, is an easily overlooked small to large tree found in wet to mesic hammocks throughout Florida and much of the United States (Image 1). With an affinity for calcareous...
Archaeology and Artifact Scatter
When archaeologists are conducting a surface survey of an area they may discover artifacts on the surface, the location of these artifacts are recorded and are indicators of the use and human presence of that site. The artifacts that occur on the surface may be...
Botanical Spotlight: Cattleya percivaliana
Cattleya percivaliana blooming in Wedding Oak at downtown campus (Photo by Aaron Fink) Blooming now in the “Wedding Oak” just west of the Payne Mansion at Selby’s downtown campus is a beautiful lavender-colored orchid with large flowers that is often underlooked by...
Rainforest Masks of Costa Rica Exhibition Returns to Selby Gardens’ Downtown Sarasota campus for 18th Year
SARASOTA, FLA. – December 29, 2020: For the 18th consecutive year, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens (Selby Gardens) will exhibit the Rainforest Masks of Costa Rica in the Museum of Botany & the Arts at the Downtown Sarasota campus. Guests to the exhibition will...
Botanical Spotlight: Holiday Ingredients
As we prepare our favorite holiday cookies and baked goods, you may be wondering where these popular ingredients originate from. Well, on your next visit to Selby Gardens’ Downtown Sarasota campus, you will not have to look extremely far, as many of the common holiday...
Botanical Spotlight: Holly
This week, we continue our investigation of plants that have become culturally important during the winter holiday season. Previously, we looked at mistletoe and its significance both to humans and to the natural environment in which it is found. In this post, we will...
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens will showcase Pop Art icon Roy Lichtenstein’s take on Monet’s garden
SARASOTA, Fla. – Roy Lichtenstein made his name by applying his Pop Art interpretation to cultural icons like Mickey Mouse and images from American advertising. Yet, he was also fascinated by landscapes and the popular art form of Impressionism. Starting in the 1960s,...
Archaeology Spotlight: Lightning Whelks
Lightning Whelks may be found along the Atlantic Coast and Gulf Coast ranging from Texas to North Carolina. They are unique in that they are left-handed, or sinistral, meaning they spiral counterclockwise. For early coastal inhabitants, the Lightning Whelk provided an...