#njbg

[thetarotman]

New Jersey Botanical Garden

[nncastle]

Perfect day for enjoying the fall foliage.

[nncastle]

We spent the day at the NJ Botanical Gardens and Skyland Manor.

[chroniccopperdeficiency-blog]

Experimental Farm Network - Monkey Puzzle Tree Proliferation Project

Aimed at younger growers with permanent tenure on their land, this project aims to increase the availability of Monkey Puzzle Tree (Araucaria araucana) nuts/seeds in the United States. These endangered Chilean nut trees take decades to produce (30 years is normal), but once they start they can make tons of huge, delicious, nutritious nuts each year, for a thousand years. Select volunteers will be provided with young trees and/or seeds in order to establish research plantations at select sites around the country.

[chroniccopperdeficiency-blog]

A fuzzy green magnolia bud, wrapped up for winter. I’ve been told that these are edible when they bloom, but rather than eat them raw, you can successfully use them for pickling.

[chroniccopperdeficiency-blog]

A big red berry bush at Skylands, along the side of the road to the manor. I’m sure many of the people who volunteer at or visit New Jersey’s Botanical Garden are aware of what this bush is called. Sadly, I am not among them, a deeply embarrassing situation that I hope soon to remedy.

[chroniccopperdeficiency-blog]

Red berries at Skylands, NJBG. Not sure what these are. Therefore inedible.

[chroniccopperdeficiency-blog]

The bald cypress has spread beyond its swampy native regions in the Southeastern United States. It is valued as a decorative tree, in part due to its lovely fall color, though it functions also as a source of food for many birds and squirrels. As South Jersey starts to flood as the climate warms, this tree may become much more abundant, and its role in water management and habitat will be essential to New Jersey’s future.