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News & Blog

Plants

May 6, 2022

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2026 Alfresco Gala raises $500,000

Houston Arboretum’s 2026 Alfresco Gala, honoring Main Street Capital, raised $500,000 to fund conservation and education programs.

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Arboretum receives $50,000 grant from The John M. O’Quinn Foundation for free parking

The first Sunday of free parking is April 12, in honor of Earth Month. After that, free parking will be available on the second Sunday of every month through March 14, 2027.

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Houston Arboretum & Nature Center awarded Level 1 Accreditation by ArbNet Accreditation Program

The Houston Arboretum has been awarded a Level 1 Accreditation by The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and The Morton Arboretum.

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Richard King Mellon Foundation Awards $90,000 Grant for Fall 2025 Conservation Project

The grant will fund the removal of invasive plant species and support hiring Student Conservation Association program participants, who will help restore the Arboretum’s woodland habitats.

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Reflecting on 20 Years at the Arboretum

20 years ago, I stepped into my role at the Arboretum with a deep love for nature and a desire to help more people experience its beauty.

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Houston Monarch Story arrives at the Arboretum

Houston Arboretum & Nature Center is excited to announce the opening of the Houston Monarch Story, an interactive art installation celebrating Monarch butterflies and their vital habitat.

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A Beginner’s Guide to Composting

If you’d like to do your part for the planet and begin composting, here are some simple steps to get you started. 

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Board Spotlight: Dr. Cullen Geiselman Muse

As her Board service draws to a close, it is with deep gratitude that we acknowledge the unparalleled leadership of Dr. Cullen Geiselman Muse.

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Inside a Prescribed Fire

Prescribed fire is vital for ecosystem health and community safety. Find out what is it like to be on the ground for one.

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The Great Owl Rescue

On a cool February morning, a visitor spotted three white puffballs. They were Great Horned Owl chicks, and they were in trouble!

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Experiencing Fall Migration

Happy Fall Migration! It may have just started to feel like autumn, but for birds, the subtle change in daylight hours at the end of August was enough to trigger their urge to travel.

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The Dog Days of Summer

We’re entering the Dog Days of Summer in a much more literal way this year – with multiple coyote and fox sightings!

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Common Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) is a Common Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) is a spectacular plant. The tiny white flowers bloom in large, spherical clusters that look just like fireworks on a summer night. They bloom through the hottest months (June-September) and attract an incredible variety of pollinators, from the tiniest bees to the largest butterflies. Buttonbushes grow as large shrubs in part to full shade and prefer moist to wet soil – they’ll even grow in standing water! If you need a beautiful pollinator plant for that challenging damp, shady spot in your yard, consider the Common Buttonbush.

📸 and observation by Kelsey Low, Naturalist II
Set the table for bees in your garden on Saturday, Set the table for bees in your garden on Saturday, June 27 at Gardening for Bees! Learn all about the best native plants for bees, techniques to help bees survive the extremes of summer and winter, and how to provide nesting space for these critical pollinators.

For more information, visit https://houstonarboretum.org/event/gardening-for-bees/
Wasps have an awful reputation, but still they kee Wasps have an awful reputation, but still they keep doing vital work to keep the ecosystem alive. Some wasps have powerful stings in order to protect themselves or their sisters, and that ability for self-defense has made all wasps a target for fear and extermination. However, wasps are also critical pest control and important pollinators. 

In fact, some plants like Clustered Bushmint (Hyptis alata) rely primarily on wasps for pollination and protection. This solitary Four-toothed Mason Wasp (Monobia quadridens) is quietly sipping nectar from the bushmint blossoms and carrying pollen between the plants. She also protects the plants from damage by pest caterpillars, snatching them up to feed her hungry babies. And she looks spectacular while doing it, with her polished enamel-like coat of pale yellow and black and her deep blue iridescent wings. 

The next time you spot a wasp in the Pollinator Garden, don’t panic; just step back and watch it work. 

📸 and observation by Kelsey Low, Naturalist II
Today is #WorldEnvironmentDay, and we couldn't thi Today is #WorldEnvironmentDay, and we couldn't think of a better day to let you all know about our newest Community Science offering: Fourth Saturday Phenology Walks!

Starting with our first Walk on June 27 at 9:00 am, you'll be able to discover the hidden seasonal rhythms of nature firsthand as you help track the life cycles of different plants across ecosystems, from the first spring bud burst to winter dormancy. You’ll learn how shifting weather patterns and climate change influence the timing of these important events in our local ecosystems and how you can become a community scientist, contributing vital data from your own backyard to a global research initiative.

These free morning walks, which are open to nature enthusiasts of all ages, will be led by scientists from Rice University and staff from the Arboretum.

Learn more at https://houstonarboretum.org/conservation/community-science/fourth-saturday-phenology-walk/
Crawfish season may be winding down for humans, bu Crawfish season may be winding down for humans, but it’s a year-round event for Yellow-crowned Night Herons! These small waders have sturdy beaks to help them crack open the shells of crawfish, small crabs, and crunchy insects (like those giant flying cockroaches). They stride along bayous, ditches, and flooded woodlands, using their enormous red eyes to search for prey by moonlight. Keep an eye out for Yellow-crowned Night Herons anywhere there’s water…even a shallow puddle in the savanna! #BeakOfTheWeek #WildlifeWednesday

📸 Joe Liggio

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