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May 11, 2026
What Rhododendrons Know About Their Environment
By Anna Funk, PhD, Science Communications Specialist
As our world begins to warm, scientists are looking for early detection systems that will tell us what’s already being affected and help us predict what’s to come. Plants have... more
May 4, 2026
How Much Sun Is Too Much Sun?
By Anna Funk, PhD, Science Communications Specialist
Have you ever noticed a plant whose leaves were turning red or purple, especially in a particularly sunny spot? The plant may be making the red pigment you see to... more
May 1, 2026
It’s Poppin’: May 1
By Alexandra Faidiga, Assistant Curator
It’s May, and it’s definitely Poppin’! The exceptionally warm March we experienced this year has resulted in earlier bloom times than usual for many plants in our collections, including rhododendrons.... more
April 23, 2026
It’s Poppin’: April 23
It’s Poppin’ out there! The warm weather we have been having the past couple of weeks (minus the two nights where we hovered around freezing) have caused the gardens to... more
Evolutionary ecology See all
The changes in species based on their environment
August 11, 2023
Fulbright Scholar Dr. Shweta Basnett to speak on Rhododendron pollinators
By Juliana S. Medeiros, PhD, Plant Biologist
Visiting Fulbright Scholar Dr. Shweta Basnett will hold lecture to highlight global diversity of Rhododendron pollinators and sensitivity to climate change. Dr. Shweta Basnett, Fulbright Scholar, University of Maryland, will... more
July 28, 2023
Analyzing Wildflower Phenology Across Botanical Gardens
By Chelsea Miller, PhD, Ecologist
In addition to being beautiful public greenspaces, botanical gardens and arboreta house valuable biological information. These living museums present a unique opportunity for scientists in the form of ready-made experimental... more
July 26, 2023
Holden Researcher Will Study How Microbes Alter How Plants Respond to Climate Change with Prestigious Award from the NSF
By Anna Funk, Science Communications Specialist
There’s an entire universe of microscopic life, living in us, on us, and all around us, too small for the naked eye to see. The more researchers learn about these... more
Living collections See all
Exploring our plants and trees
May 1, 2026
It’s Poppin’: May 1
By Alexandra Faidiga, Assistant Curator
It’s May, and it’s definitely Poppin’! The exceptionally warm March we experienced this year has resulted in earlier bloom times than usual for many plants in our collections, including rhododendrons.... more
April 23, 2026
It’s Poppin’: April 23
It’s Poppin’ out there! The warm weather we have been having the past couple of weeks (minus the two nights where we hovered around freezing) have caused the gardens to... more
April 10, 2026
It’s Poppin’ April 10
By Alexandra Faidiga, Assistant Curator
Welcome to It’s Poppin’ 2026! Check in every week to discover the seasonal highlights in our living collections selected by curatorial staff at the Holden Arboretum and Cleveland Botanical Garden. We’ll... more
Plant communities See all
Groups of plants that share a common environment
March 5, 2025
How Nonnative Plants Respond to Climate Change: Holden Arboretum Researchers Report
By Anna Funk, PhD, Science Communications Specialist
Scientists agree: Global warming is real, and it’s happening today. Here in northeast Ohio, we can most clearly see the signs during spells of too-warm-too-early weather in the spring or... more
January 16, 2025
Seedling Scramble: How Warming Changes Plant Communities
By Anna Funk, PhD, Science Communications Specialist
Kirtland, OH — Our world is warming, and how exactly that will affect our ecosystems is a critical question. As the climate shifts, plants and animals are already responding in... more
January 8, 2025
Holden’s Wildflower Garden Is a Living Laboratory for Climate Change Research—Here’s What Our Researchers Have Learned
Public gardens like the Holden Arboretum and the Cleveland Botanical Garden are great places to visit. But patrons exploring the latest Frost event might miss that behind the scenes, these... more
Plant physiology See all
The internal functions of plants
May 11, 2026
What Rhododendrons Know About Their Environment
By Anna Funk, PhD, Science Communications Specialist
As our world begins to warm, scientists are looking for early detection systems that will tell us what’s already being affected and help us predict what’s to come. Plants have... more
May 4, 2026
How Much Sun Is Too Much Sun?
By Anna Funk, PhD, Science Communications Specialist
Have you ever noticed a plant whose leaves were turning red or purple, especially in a particularly sunny spot? The plant may be making the red pigment you see to... more
May 24, 2024
Meet the Future of Rhododendron Research
By Juliana S. Medeiros, PhD, Plant Biologist
Members of the Medeiros Lab in the Holden research department organized an Early Career Researcher Mini-Conference and research poster session at the American Rhododendron Society Annual Convention which took place... more
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