First opening its gates in 1859, the Missouri Botanical Backyard has a wealthy historical past of connecting St. Louis with crops. However do you know St. Louis’ ties to crops additionally embody a number of cultivars bearing its identify? The next are tales of three cultivars linked to the Gateway to the West.
Nymphaea ‘St. Louis’
Nymphaea ‘St. Louis’ is a yellow-flowering tropical waterlily patented by George H. Pring in 1933. Pring was a famend English horticulturist who made St. Louis his residence after becoming a member of the workers of the Missouri Botanical Backyard in 1906. He traveled the world accumulating tropical plant specimens for the Backyard, however is most well-known for his work breeding orchids and tropical water lilies. Earlier than Pring’s breeding work, yellow-flowering tropical water lilies weren’t identified in cultivation.
Be taught extra about George Pring’s impression on water lily cultivation on the Backyard
In 1952, a number of seedlings of daybreak redwood have been planted close to the John S. Lehmann Constructing on the Missouri Botanical Backyard. As these bushes matured, one stood out from the remaining. It encompasses a dense, uniform, pyramidal development behavior with evenly spaced branches and good resistance to leaf ailments. In 2010, this plant was patented below the identify ‘Raven,’ in honor of retiring Backyard president Dr. Peter Raven. You’ll find this cultivar offered within the commerce below the identify SHAW’S LEGACY.
This cultivar of Indian grass was found by Brent Horvath of Intrinsic Perennial Gardens, Inc. whereas touring to St. Louis for a gathering of the Perennial Plant Affiliation. Simply earlier than the Arch got here into view, a brilliant crimson grass rising on the roadside caught his eye. At first Mr. Horvath thought this plant was an enormous bluestem given its brilliant orange-red shade. However after accumulating a specimen and seeing the flower, it grew to become clear it was Indian grass. The cultivar identify ‘St. Louis’ was chosen to honor this opportunity encounter.
Catherine Martin
Public Data Officer