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When choosing the best outdoor plants for your space, it’s important to consider the specific conditions of your environment so you can select plants that not only beautify your garden but also thrive there. Factors such as light exposure, soil type, space size and local weather conditions will guide you

“Indoor–outdoor plants” is a broad, non-scientific term used to describe plants that are adaptable enough to grow successfully in both indoor and outdoor environments. Their flexibility allows them to transition between spaces with differing growing conditions. These resilient plants can adjust to changes in light, humidity, and temperature, enabling them

Succulents are drought-tolerant plants with thick, fleshy leaves, stems, or roots that store water, allowing them to thrive with minimal care. Their unique appearance and low water needs make them popular houseplants and garden plants. Outdoor succulents come in a wide variety of shapes, colors, textures, and sizes across many

A common invasive in the Southeast and across the tropics, rosary pea (Abrus precatorius) has been a pest in Florida for some time. It particularly likes to invade our rare pine rocklands, but it seems to be able to grow almost anywhere around the region.

As published in The Miami Herald In the world of bugs, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish the good guys from the bad guys. Not all insects are horrible. In fact, most have some redeeming qualities (except maybe bed bugs). While a bee sting hurts, bees are the world's best pollinators. And even though roaches are extremely creepy in the house, they are fabulous decomposers. It all depends on perspective. And a plant's perspective is a very important one. These bugs can be the…

This plant’s many species range from houseplants to ground cover to shrubs

Edible gardening in South Florida is not really about tomatoes and peppers. Certainly, we have a few months where we can have an impact in the vegetable arena, but we are ultimately at the mercy of our tropical weather. Yet, we are pushed by the media and by our friends

No one has ever seen a non-cultivated Mangifera indica, the mango from which South Florida’s multitude of cultivars have been selected, according to Dr. Richard Campbell, Fairchild’s senior curator of tropical fruit. “There’s no record of it being collected,” he says. “Is there such a thing?” Mangi is the Indian

For years, mangos have been of great value in South Florida, grown with pride in the garden—a fruit to eat when ripe and at all stages of growth. Enjoying truly fresh mangos is a Floridian’s privilege, but there are also many ways to preserve the fruit. Since this is a

We think we know our mangos, but much of their origin is a mystery researchers are trying to unravel through exploration, DNA research and other methods. They’ve even begun to ask if all cultivars of this incredibly diverse fruit are truly the same species. In South Florida, we know our

Why the search for our cultivated foods’ wild origins is so important. Unlike previous years’ events, the 2017 Mango Festival at Fairchild did not feature mangos from any particular country. Instead, 2017’s festival celebrated “from wild to table.” But what does that mean? What’s wild about mangos? As with most

Orchid hunters have long known that where resurrection ferns are found, so are orchids. Student orchid hunters are looking for the reasons why—and they’ve started with shared mycorrhizae.

South Florida’s climate is friendly to growing vanilla orchids, and if you’re willing to hand-pollinate, practice patience and carefully cure and sweat the pods, you can even have home-grown vanilla.

Did you know that the vanilla orchid, Vanilla planifolia, is the only orchid with black seeds, and each vanilla bean (really the pod) contains thousands of seeds?

More orchids are killed by incorrect watering than by any other means. There are two separate components to proper watering: when and how.

Have you ever wondered how the names of orchid flowers originated? From “Drawings of Florida Orchids” come the etymologies of some of our orchids.  Don’t Miss Fairchild’s Orchids in Bloom Explore, learn, and revel in the splendor of orchids like never before! Tickets Available Now for March 9-10, 2024 Bletia:

For centuries, orchids have been among the most popular of plant families, with thousands of species and hybrids cultivated the world over for the diversity, beauty and intricacy of their flowers. Literary and artistic references to orchids can be traced back to the time of Confucius (about 500 B.C.). The

Phalaenopsis (fail-eh-NOP-siss), the moth orchid, is perhaps the best orchid for growing in the home, and is also a favorite with greenhouse growers. Well-grown plants can flower often, sometimes with a few flowers throughout the year, though the main season is late winter into spring. Average inside home temperatures and

The Tropical Garden, Fall 2018 By Jennifer Possley