craftybotanist-blog

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Please enjoy this video of me touching the Shameplant (Mimosa pudica) in our campus greenhouse. 

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My favorite native flower from this summer was Chamaecrista fasciculata (Partridge pea). A member of the legume family, this beautiful flower plays an important role in its native ecosystem. Partridge pea grows well in disturbed areas where it provides erosion control and fixes nitrogen. The flowers, which last from early summer until first frost, are a favorite of many pollinators and are a host for the Cloudless Sulfur butterfly (Phoebis sennae). 

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Baptisia alba, commonly called White False Indigo. 

Native to the southeastern United States, false indigo is favored for its seed pods which rattle when dried. While fun to rattle, false indigo is difficult to grow from seed due to weevils. A member of the legume family (Fabaceae), all species of Baptisia are toxic to humans but very attractive to butterflies and bees.

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Monarda fistulosa, commonly known as Bee Balm or Wild Bergamot. 

Native across the lower 48 states and Canada, Bee Balm has a unique, aromatic flower. It’s a member of the mint family (Lamiaceae) and has been used historically to treat respiratory ailments. Bees are particularly fond of these plants. 

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I took cuttings of tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) from the conservatory a few weeks ago, hopefully they’ll be ready to repot soon!

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One of my duties as the hort intern is weeding the beds outside. As you can see, it really makes a difference! We’re hoping to see more gold finches now that the coreopsis is accessible.  

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I’m a horticulture intern this summer! I’m going to attempt to update my blog with things from our weekly plant encounters, my daily duties, and maybe other interesting things that happen this summer. I’ve been working since the end of May so there’s going to be a mass posting, but I should start posting regularly soon!

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I Hate That Moment

When your brain gives you amazing answers for something that happened hours ago. I had an interview for a book about millennials and I thought of better examples to the questions she asked me.

It’s over and done, nothing more I can do >:p

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These are the cats I live with - Jackie, Lily, and Montana.

Jackie and Montana are older cats (13!) and Lily is less than a year. 

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Hey friends, I’m Rachel! This is going to be a personal blog for me to post pictures of my cats, plants, and crafting projects. This is the personal blog of CornflowerCrayon, if you want to know more about me just ask!