Latest Plant Stories

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 21, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has designated a new Wild Plant Sanctuary in Bloom Township, Clearfield County. Bilger's Rocks, a property managed by the Bilger's Rocks Association, has been accepted into the DCNR Wild Plant Sanctuary Program, recognizing the commitment of association staff to preserve the site. "The Wild Plant Sanctuary Program promotes conservation of natural areas and...

Brett Smith for redOrbit.com - Your Universe Online Forest fires are a major cause of plant death and destruction, but they can also be a source of life as some dormant seeds begin to germinate in the aftermath of a raging inferno. Previous research has shown chemicals in the smoke of burning trees called karrikins are responsible for this phoenix-like rebirth. Now, a new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has described new details on the mechanism behind...

GUANGZHOU, China, April 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Guangzhou Shengjie Artificial Plant Co., Ltd. is entering its 15(th) year in the simulation plant industry and is adjusting its developing strategy in order to put more attention on overseas markets. The popularity of artificial flowers, artificial plants, artificial trees, artificial potted plants, and simulation plants is increasing every year. The advance of simulation technology and improvements in the level of plant simulation...

National Science Foundation In one drop of water are found all the secrets of all the oceans. --- Kahlil Gibran What do a pond or a lake and a carnivorous pitcher plant have in common? The water-filled pool within a pitcher plant, it turns out, is a tiny ecosystem whose inner workings are similar to those of a full-scale water body. Whether small carnivorous plant or huge lake, both are subject to the same ecological "tipping points," of concern on Earth Day--and every day, say...

LONDON, April 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- We've had our first glimpse of warmer weather, so it won't be long before we're dining alfresco, holding family BBQs and having outdoor parties. If you're planning on entertaining in your garden this year, now's the time to get your gardening gloves on and start making your outdoor space the perfect spot for relaxing with friends. Online garden centre Plant Me Now has put together their top 10 tips to get your garden summer-ready:...

PERTH, Australia, March 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Algae.Tec (ASX: AEB, OTCQX: ALGXY), ranked by Lux Research as the leading algae biofuels business for 2013, today advised that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been formed between Algae.Tec and WorleyParsons. A number of Algae.Tec projects, including those in the EU, USA, Australia and Brazil, are already in the final stages of technical feasibility studies. This MOU establishes the framework by which WorleyParsons can...

Fat worms confirm that researchers from Michigan State University have successfully engineered a plant with oily leaves -- a feat that could enhance biofuel production as well as lead to improved animal feeds. The results, published in the current issue of The Plant Cell, the journal of the American Society of Plant Biologists, show that researchers could use an algae gene involved in oil production to engineer a plant that stores lipids or vegetable oil in its leaves – an uncommon...

System Will Be Available as Smartphone or Tablet App PITTSBURGH, Feb. 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Carnegie Mellon University researchers and a botany expert from Carnegie Museum of Natural History are developing a digital system for identifying poisonous plants. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20020422/CMULOGO) "These plants are in our backyards and often wind up on our patios and even in our living rooms to add color during drab winter weather, so we really need to be aware...

University of Gothenburg Alpine cushion plants help other plants in harsh mountain environments to survive. This is shown by new research involving researchers from the University of Gothenburg, the results of which are now being publishing in the highly respected journal Ecology Letters. Cushion plants are a type of plant found in areas such as Arctic environments, and are characterized by their distinctive, round, cushion-like shape. A new study highlights the strong interaction...

Peter Suciu for redOrbit.com – Your Universe Online German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche famously said “that which does kill us makes us stronger,” but apparently he didn’t understand the complexities of biodiversity. If he had, he might have noted that extinction could influence biodiversity as much as evolution. This is what researchers at the University of Melbourne and the University of Tasmania have discovered while examining plant diversity in South East Australia. Their...