Posts Tagged ‘plants’

Apr
24

An Oasis in the City

Posted by in Horticulture

Everyone that visits the Houston Zoo surely has an animal that they prefer over any other. People pick their favorite primate, favorite reptile, favorite underwater creature. But how about a favorite plant? The Houston Zoo is home to a lush and diverse array of tropical and native plants, flowers, trees, and various ground coverings.

Our team of horticulture professionals spends over 20,000 hours each year planting, pruning and working tirelessly to keep the landscape healthy, vibrant, and colorful for our animals and guests. The horticulture team at the Zoo is just one group of the many unsung heroes that help us operate on a daily basis. Considerable thought is put into the plant life here, focusing on native Texas species and their place at the Zoo. Our animal enclosures also feature plants that the various animals are accustomed to, highlighting the importance of regional plant life.

On your walk through the Zoo, you’ll be able to see various palms, cycads, and bamboos abound, along with flowers of every color, shape and size. This gorgeous array of vegetation provides some amazing photo opportunities and we certainly encourage you to point your camera at both animals AND plants. The morning light provides for some incredible shots, and there are certainly a plethora of plants to shoot(with your camera!).

While walking through the Zoo, it is very easy to get caught up in rushing to which animal you are going to see next. You should slow down! Grab a seat on a bench, take a deep breath, and enjoy this amazing oasis in the middle of Houston’s metropolis.

Oh yeah, and next time you’re at the Zoo and see one of our horticulture professionals working away, give them a friendly smile and wave!

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Sep
30

Plant’s Role in Animal Enrichment (or, Boy Grapevines Look Pretty on His Head)

Posted by in Enrichment,Events,Horticulture

So, when people find out that I work at the zoo, they get all excited and ask what animal I work with.  That’s usually quickly followed by confusion, disappointment, or surprise when they find out that I’m part of the horticulture crew. 

Our Horticulture crew

I realize that plants aren’t the first thing you think of when you think of the zoo, but it’s really an important part of the experience.  We provide the animals with plants that are like their native habitats, while giving them perches and shade.  And we create a lush background for the animals and a nice focal point for zoo visitors to enjoy while taking advantage of the shade that we’ve provided (so that no one melts into a puddle during the middle of the summer!).

It’s not always the easiest thing to do year-round, but we do get to see some cool stuff while we are out there.  For example, one of our jobs is to provide browse for the animals, which means that we cut and deliver selected plants for the keepers to set out for the animals to eat, play with, or just investigate, as part of their enrichment.  The type and size of what gets cut varies a lot depending on time of year, size of the plant, etc. 

Anyway, a few months ago we had to cut a really big tangled mass of grapevine out of a tree that it was trying to smother.  It was near the primate section, so we wrestled it onto our cart and took it over to see who wanted it.  We found a couple of keepers, and they very quickly pounced on our leafy goods — the next thing I knew it had been whisked away into the orangutan area…

Rudi, our male Orangutan, wearing a grapevine

Soon after that, we passed back by the exhibit.  The orangs were back outside, and I saw Rudi, one of our males, sitting on top of his climbing structure, sucking on a frozen treat with a small chunk of the grapevine draped over his head.  I’m not sure if he was keeping it safe for a snack later or if he just thought it looked pretty.  Either way, he was having grand time. 

The close- up!

Enrichment like that happens on a daily basis, and seeing it is usually about being in the right place at the right time.  But if you have a chance, you should come out to Enrichment Day on October 2, from 9:00a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; we’ll have lots of enrichment activities to watch, as well as some to participate in. 

And if you stop by my table, I’ll tell you how to make a giraffe drool.

Written by Anna Land, Horticulture Supervisor

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Jul
28

How Do We Keep 55 Acres Watered, Especially Now (Part 3)?

Posted by in Featured,Horticulture

Houston Zoo Horticulture Team Member

Houston Zoo Horticulture Team Member

Efficient, intelligent watering is one of the most important factors in gardening.  Rain is, of course, the most effective method of providing water and normally, we receive close to the perfect amount here in Houston.  This year we haven’t seen near enough rain.  When it comes to providing additional water to your plants, there are a number of things to consider.  The most important thing is to provide less frequent, deep watering.  This promotes healthy root and plant growth and ensures that the plant doesn’t stay saturated. 

We always want to ensure that we aren’t wasting water either, there is only so much available.  Currently there may not even be enough water, anybody that is dealing with water restrictions will agree.  Sidewalks don’t need to be watered; those of us that have irrigation it’s important that we make sure that all of our sprinkler heads are hitting the correct areas.  This also goes for when we are watering from a hose as well; shut-off valves are effective and easy to use. It isn’t necessary to water your porch when you are watering your potted plants.   There are a number of watering wands available also, which have diffuser heads that provide a soft shower of water rather than a jet or stream of water.  When the water pressure is too high, the soil doesn’t take in the water as readily and we displace the soil, which impacts the roots and root hairs limiting the plants ability to take in nutrients and water. 

The most effective time to water is during the early morning hours.  When we water during the heat of the day, most water is lost to evaporation and some plants can actually get burnt.  When we water late at night the plants may not be taking in water as readily and there is the possibility of the plants sitting in water, providing opportunity for infection or damage.  This being said, any time that you see a plant needs water, water it.  If a plant dies, there is no amount of care that you can do to bring it back.  Irrigation with a clock timer is a great way to make certain that you are watering at the proper time and that you don’t accidentally leave the water on wasting vast quantities of water. There is always going to be a degree of adjustment, both initially and seasonally, but irrigation on a clock eliminates a number of problem areas.   Also those of you that have irrigation, will be having irrigation installed or that use a hose and are interested, adding a dechlorinator of some type will be very beneficial.  The chlorine and chloramines in our water wreak havoc with the beneficial micro-organisms in our soils, but we will discuss soils a little later.  

There are number of other things I can discuss about irrigation and hand watering, but I could go on forever.  There is no cut and dry water plan that will be effect for everyone.  Each plant requires different amounts of water, even virtually identical plants.  We need to observe the conditions in our gardens.  There’s a pretty big difference between a wilted and an over-watered plant.  Check your soil.  If the soil feels like it is damp, it probably doesn’t need water.  If it feels dry, then it probably needs water.  If when you water the water just runs off, you may need water a little, let the water absorb and then come back later, when the ground is ready to receive water. 

Hopefully this is effective information.  We’ve kept our 55 acres here at the zoo, with 12 horticulturists pretty well watered using them.  Next time, I’ll be discussing soils and how healthy soils can help in keeping our plants watered and happy.

Article written by: Joe Williams, Manager of Horticulture at the Houston Zoo

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Jul
22

How Do We Keep 55 Acres Watered, Especially Now (Part 2)?

Posted by in Featured,Horticulture

One of many big oak trees at the Houston Zoo

One of many big oak trees at the Houston Zoo

In the my last entry, I wrote about our dense canopy.  Shade is another important means of keeping plants happy during extreme weather.  It not only keeps the air cooler by preventing the intense sun from getting through, but it also helps the soil retain more water.  If it isn’t as hot, will the water evaporate as quickly?  Unfortunately even big trees that provide the shade also require additional water.  Especially when the temperatures are high and a fair number of trees throughout Texas haven’t been hand watered or irrigated because they haven’t needed it until now.  When we experience temperatures near 100 degrees and haven’t had rain, there just isn’t available ground water.  Another drawback to assessing the water requirements of large trees is that by the time they are showing that they need water it can be too late. 

Most plants appear to appreciate shade of whatever type recently.  We have a number of plants that desire full sun, planted in a fair amount of shade.  With the frequency and the intensity of the sun here, most plants will meet their required light needs.   A negative of planting where the light requirements aren’t met is that plants will become “leggy”, stretching towards the sun with a decrease in the amount of foliage.  We haven’t had a big problem with this.  

 Those of us that have attempted vegetable gardens this summer have seen signs of what the heat and sun can do.  Even when the garden is prepared and planted exactly as it’s recommended, our yield is greatly reduced and normally not as appealing.  There are a few vegetables like squash, corn and okra that don’t miss a beat, but plants such as tomatoes and peppers tend not to even set fruit when the temperature is near 100 degrees.  A method that can be utilized is putting some type of shade structure above your plants, so they are protect during the heat of the day.  This could be as simple as tarp on some type of post such as bamboo, 2×2 lumber or anything that keeps the tarp high enough that it doesn’t actually touch the plants.  Tarps are usable, but there are quite a few, very affordable, shade cloth options, which are available at most home improvement stores or garden centers. 

 In summation, when temperatures are this high, plants need shade.  Providing some means of protection from intense sun and heat for your plants could be just enough help to keep them alive and thriving.  Look for my next post, where I discuss irrigation and hand watering.

Article written by: Joe Williams, Manager of Horticulture at the Houston Zoo

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Jul
16

How Do We Keep 55 Acres Watered, Especially Now? (Part 1)

Posted by in Featured,Horticulture

Texas Star Hibiscus at the Houston Zoo

Texas Star Hibiscus at the Houston Zoo

Most gardens, and people for that matter, in Texas are being severely impacted by the utter lack of rain and the consistent 100 degree temperatures, we here at the zoo are no different.  There aren’t many plants that are happy when we have temperatures this high and most actually stop growing when the temperature is too hot.  Our plants, animals and horticulture department are quite lucky that we have such a dense canopy covering most of the zoo, but when we don’t get rain and have high temperatures, even our mature canopy is at risk.

 One of the most important things to do, to ensure your plants and garden remain viable during periods like this, is to select plant material that is either native to this area or tolerant of the conditions that can be presented.  Native plants are acclimated and have adapted to the local environment.  This being said, our being a zoo, it is all but mandated that we use non-native plants and trees in our various exhibits and gardens.  How often do you see Grizzly Bears and a Texas Sabal Palm?  Their native ranges don’t overlap, but we have Grizzlies and need to present them in a naturalistic exhibit, with plant material that’s either from their range or equivalent.  This is both for the well-being of the bears and for the education of our visitors.  We strive to use suitable native representatives when we are able, but there are understandable constraints.

 Even though plants are native, it doesn’t mean that they are anywhere near prepared for 100 degree temperatures and no rain.  We normally receive close to 6 inches of rain in June and have temperatures, at least, 5 degrees cooler.  Even natives aren’t prepared for this.  There are a few other things that we do to give our plants every advantage possible.  Look forward for my next blog, when I discuss this further.

Article written by: Joe Williams, Manager of Horticulture at the Houston Zoo

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