Gardens Blog
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
You will find Guarianthe bowringiana in its native Central America, from southern Mexico to Honduras. One of the plant’s signature characteristics is its remarkable adaptability. Guarianthe bowringiana typically flourishes in several types of environments—as...
The southwest coast of Florida is a major pit stop for migratory birds since from here, the distance across the Gulf of Mexico to the Yucatán is the shortest route (as the bird flies). Unfortunately, it is now also one of the most developed areas of the state and...
By Shawn McCourt, plant records keeper Erect or shell mound prickly pear (Opuntia stricta) is a cactus species native to the Gulf and Atlantic coasts of Florida and other southeastern states, where it grows in well-drained sand or shell on coastal ridges, dunes,...
Found in coastal mangrove forests of the American tropics and subtropics and western tropical Africa, the Black Mangrove is known for protecting the coastline from erosion and providing habitat for a variety of sea life and shorebirds. Nicknamed black mangrove because...
The butterfly tree (Erblichia odorata) is now in bloom on the Downtown Sarasota campus' Great Lawn! On your next visit, you will not be able to miss the bright pop of color that this handsome little tree brings to an otherwise vast expanse of green.  It blooms for us...
Young bottlebrush tree in bayfront exhibit. Inset: Weeping stem and leaves of bottlebrush (Photos by Aaron Fink)Written by Shawn McCourt, Ph.D., Plants Record Keeper Claude Monet’s famous paintings of his gardens and home at Giverny in France have been brought to life...
Written by Shawn McCourt, Ph.D. Plant Records KeeperDendrobium nobile var. cooksonianum in MSBG’s greenhouse collection.When most people think of spring flowers, they tend to think daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, cherry blossoms, or azaleas, but here at Marie Selby...
Written by Shawn McCourt, Ph.D., Plant Records Keeper Some of the largest, and showiest, exotic trees planted in parks and gardens here in southwest Florida include several members of the mallow family, the Malvaceae. Among these are the deciduous spring-blooming red...
Written by Shawn McCourt, Ph.D., Plant Records KeeperFigure 1. Blooming flatwoods plum (P. umbellata) draped in Spanish moss on the perimeter of MSBG’s downtown campus (Photo by Sandra Robinson)Figure 2. Chickasaw plum (P. angustifolia) in bloom along Mound Ave. at...
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...