Resilience - Go With The Flow.

Plants thrive when they are placed in an environment that suits them best.

Plant Science Concept:

Plants from around the world have undergone thousands of years of evolution in response to the unique challenges presented by their environment. Plants native to the desert, over time, became increasingly better at growing in dry soils, while plants from the tropics have become better equipped to grow in moist soils and high humidity. As such, plants that are well suited to their environment will be healthier and more resilient. A healthy plant will grow better, be less vulnerable to diseases, and also be better able to provide ecosystem services that underpin environmental and human resilience. As such, the environmental conditions of a potential landscape site should be the primary consideration driving plant selection decisions. If the inherent differences between plant species are matched to site conditions, plants will perform well. 

Horticultural Applications:

Follow the golden rule of horticulture which encourages the “Right plant, in the right place”! Plants correctly matched to their environment will be healthy and thrive, with greater capacity to give back to the other members of the ecosystem. A “low maintenance” landscape is so much more than a low water use palette. It starts with a thorough site assessment (soil test, evaluation of heat and light conditions, and a solid knowledge of the plant materials best suited to the site with that array of conditions. To filter plant options based on their ability to deal with environmental conditions, try using the Campus Arboretum species search tool found here. https://apps.cals.arizona.edu/arboretum/search.aspx Alternatively, try the Campus Arboretum’s Desert Landscaping site plant search tool found here: https://desertlandscaping.arizona.edu/#/

Related Student Views, Cultural Associations and Folklore: 

"Native American folklore references flowing streams, relating to them as a metaphor for life. The flowing stream represents a philosophy that discourages fight and struggle against reality, and encourages human embrace of what is. This is especially usesful to consider when experiencing circumstances beyond our control. Buddhist philosophy also encourages alignment of spirit with our life purpose, allowing ourselves to offer a measure of acceptance for life's circumstances so that we can recieve what is available. When we don’t align ourselves in this way, we experience stress in our bodies and create disturbance in our surrounding environment. Plants thrive and make their best contributions when they are well aligned with (adapted to) their environment. In herbalism practices, there is a section of philosophical plant medicine that has been used in many cultures to align humans with the energy of nature. Flower essences, or Bach Flower Remedies directs the placement of fresh flowers in a bowl of water. The intent of this practice is to capture the energetic or vibrational imprint of the flower in the water so that it can be used to heal specific ailments within our body. The belief points to an interaction between the energy of the flower and the prevailing current in the human body (sometimes referred to as chakras). The use of the flower infused water is believed to realign the body's energy with that of the flower (referred to as "clearing the chakras")  bringing healing and peace." ~ Jack Stanis, B.S. Wildlife Conservation, Class of 2024.