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by Jill Berry, posted by Deb Shaw
Looking up into the canopy of Platanus racemosa, or Western Sycamore. Photo by Deborah Shaw, 2014.
Don’t forget Matt Ritter’s class on trees on Saturday, September 6 at 9:30 am at the LA Arboretum. Matt’s previous class in June, The Botany of Trees, was enthusiastically attended and filled with accolades at the completion! This will be the second of three workshops with Matt:
Tree Diversity and Natural History, with Dr. Matt Ritter
Workshops for Homeowners, Landscape Professionals and Plant Lovers at the Arboretum
Discussion will focus on the remarkable tree diversity in Southern California (including natives), how to identify trees, and how to appreciate them.
Saturday, September 6, 2014
9:30 am – 12:30 pm
301 North Baldwin Ave., Arcadia 91007
$25 Arboretum members per class; $30 non-members per class (includes Arboretum admission)
Please call the Class Registration Line at 626.821.4623 to register, or you may register at the door.
Be sure to save the date for Matt’s third (and final) lecture in the tree series:
Saturday, October 11: Trees for the 21st Century in Southern California
The focus in this class will be on the most appropriate trees for both small yards and for Southern California’s climate, in addition to undeservedly rare trees for this region and how to find them.
Matt Ritter has a bachelor’s degree in microbiology and a Ph.D. in plant biology. He has authored numerous scientific papers and botanical treatments, including the second edition of the Jepson Manual, the Flora of North America Project, and a natural history guide to San Luis Obispo plants. He is a professor in the Biology Department at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and director of the plant conservatory there. He holds a Kenan Fellowship at the National Tropical Botanical Gardens, is the chair of the City of San Luis Obispo Tree Committee, and editor-in-chief of Madroño, the journal of the California Botanical Society. http://www.baobabbotanical.com/Ritter
by Deb Shaw
Bud of the quickly-growing Amorphophallus titanum, (Titan Arum, or Corpse Flower). Courtesy of The Huntington.
The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens is hosting their fifth bloom of Amorphophallus titanum, the Titan Arum, or “Corpse Flower.” Renowned for its magnificent size and exceptionally foul odor, the Amorphophallus titanum flower can grow to be more than six feet tall, with a diameter of three to four feet.
The Huntington’s first “Big Stinky” bloomed in 1999; since then, they have had three more blooms, in 2002, 2009, and 2010. Native to Sumatra, the flowering of a Amorphophallas titanum is unpredictable and rare; the plant can go for years without blooming. Once the bud opens, the blossom is fleeting, lasting only one to three days.
Experts are now predicting the flower will open sometime around August 20 – 23. (The inflorescence grew 3.5 inches yesterday alone!)
Follow the flower’s progress and learn more about it on The Huntington’s website page, “Stinky 5: Return of the Corpse Flower,” or on The Huntington’s Instagram or Twitter. A video of the original blooming in 1999, narrated by Jim Folsom, is now on Tumblr and YouTube.
A prior bloom of Amorphophallus titanum. The inflorescence can grow to be more than 6 ft tall, with a diameter of 3 – 4 ft across. Photo courtesy of The Huntington.
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