Author: Max ColemanPage 5 of 10

Unlocking the power of poo

A short video by Dr Linda Neaves about the challenges of finding giant panda poo in the mountains of China, and how poo samples can unlock the mystery…

Thought for Food: Personal stories

People are, by their nature, storytellers. As food is a rich topic for conversation it makes sense to try to gather people’s thoughts about food through the medium…

What’s that whiff?

If you smell a nasty whiff in the air at the Botanics over the next few days it’s not the drains. It will either be the flower of…

Ravenea glauca

Threatened plants of the world Red List status: VULNERABLE You may have already encountered this rare palm on your last holiday to a warm and sunny destination. You…

Arbutus canariensis

Threatened plants of the world Red List status: VULNERABLE The orange/red fruits of this tree, and its close relatives, have given rise to the name strawberry tree. There,…

Rhododendron taxifolium

Threatened plants of the world Red List status: NOT LISTED Even if you know your rhododendrons I bet you’d never guess this was one. The thin leaves are…

Dracaena cinnabari

Threatened plants of the world Red List status: VULNERABLE Imagine yourself standing on a tropical island surrounded by a turquoise sea. The sun is high and its searing…

Hatiora gaertneri

Threatened plants of the world Red List status: VULNERABLE Does this little plant look familiar to you? Perhaps you have seen it on granny’s windowsill or in a…

Thyrsopteris elegans

Threatened plants of the world Red List status: NOT LISTED Doesn’t the base of this fern look like a furry animal! Try to resist the temptation to stroke…

Hibiscus clayi

Threatened plants of the world Red List status: CRITICALLY ENDANGERED Ah, the Hawaiian Islands. Volcanic islands with steeple-like mountains clothed in rich green vegetation ringed with beautiful beaches,…

Lodoicea maldivica

Threatened plants of the world Red List status: ENDANGERED Far off the coast of east Africa the Seychelles are tiny specks of green in the vast Indian Ocean….

Encephalartos lebomboensis

Threatened plants of the world Red List status: ENDANGERED Take a look at the odd plant with a scaly trunk and a crown full of stiff fronds. Is…

Nesocodon mauritianus

Threatened plants of the world Red List status: VULNERABLE Take yourself to the island of Mauritius located far off the coast of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. Now…

Strange fruit offer lifeline to rare elms

If you are visiting the Botanics in 2017 you might see some curious objects hanging in the elm trees. This is not an art installation, but in fact…

Thought for Food: Broadening your horizons

Blog by Andy Crofts of the Big Picnic project I think I am an adventurous eater but I’ve always understood that some plants are poisonous and that applies…

Thought for Food: Robin Gourlay

Blog by Cristina Romero Rios, Fanni Barocsi and Georgina Hill, University of Edinburgh students We met Robin on a rainy afternoon at the Government offices in Saughton House….

Thought for Food: Chelsea Marshall

Blog by Cristina Romero Rios, Fanni Barocsi and Georgina Hill, University of Edinburgh students We met Chelsea Marshall on a sun filled morning at the Summerhall Café to…

Thought for Food: Eating local and seasonal

Blog by Cristina Romero Rios, University of Edinburgh student Some weeks ago, we wrote about the Permanent Global Summertime and the impression that supermarkets give us that all…

Thought for Food: A dive into academia

Blog by Cristina Romero Rios, Fanni Barocsi and Georgina Hill, University of Edinburgh students Dr. Wendy Wrieden is a member of the Food Security Advisory Group working on…

Thought for Food: Storytelling

On Thursday 2nd March the Thought for Food participants gathered at the Botanic Cottage for lunch and to discuss the next steps of the project. Soup was made…