François André Michaux, “Cotton Wood,” from The North America Sylva, 1817–19.

Plant of the Month: Poplar

Poplar—ubiquitous in timber, landscape design, and Indigenous medicines—holds new promise in recuperating damaged ecosystems.
Arachis hypogaea, Warren Delano collection of Chinese export paintings of fruits, flowers, and vegetables, ca. 1794–1852, Botany Libraries.

Plant of the Month: Peanut

The peanut, a natural hybrid of two species, originated in Bolivia. It now plays a critical role in food cultures around the world.
Plate 66 of Birds of America by John James Audubon depicting Ivory-billed Woodpecker

Is the Ivory-billed Woodpecker Still Around?

With the US government poised to declare the Ivory-billed Woodpecker extinct, scientists work to determine what counts as evidence of existence.
An illustration of a man holding tomatoes

Choose the Correct Cover Crop

Organic tomato farmers know that cover crops are key for ensuring adequate nitrogen supply in the soil each year. But not all covers are equal.
Natural Lace from the Lace Bark Tree

Lacebark as a Symbol of Resilience

For the enslaved people of Jamaica, the lacebark tree was a valuable natural resource and a means of asserting one's dignity.
Illustration of Drosera arcturi

Plant of the Month: Sundew

Beautiful but deadly, the carnivorous sundew has long fascinated amateur and expert botanists alike—and may possess untapped medicinal value.
Trawler Fishing Off The Coast Of Shetland

When Too Many Fish Causes a Conservation Problem

Marine reserves may solve a common but challenging bycatch problem in fisheries.
A group of great tits (Parus major) on a branch

Angry Birds: Climate Change and Avian Migration

Temperature fluctuations throughout the years are affecting bird migration and mating, with sometimes violent results.
Hyacinthus orientalis

Plant of the Month: Hyacinth

A 2021 shortage of hyacinth bulbs brings to mind the long and storied history of its botanical and economic import.
Site of Thoreau's Hut, Concord, Mass

Using Thoreau’s Notebooks to Understand Climate Change

Thoreau's time at Walden Pond has provided substantial data for scientists monitoring the effects of a warming climate on the area's plant life.