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This program highlights classic and emerging information about the way plants reproduce. The talk is presented from an evolutionary perspective, but particular emphasis is placed on the unusual adaptations that plants have evolved to make more plants. From plants that imprison their pollinators to flowers that remember–yes, remember–when a bee last paid them a visit, the talk challenges the audience to re-think the distinctions between plants and animals, especially when it comes to sex.

Registration Required.

Cory Christopher is Director of Conservation at the Cincinnati Nature Center. Cory earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in ecology from the University of Georgia and a PhD in plant ecology from the University of Cincinnati. After completing postdoctoral work at Washington University in St. Louis, he returned to Cincinnati to serve as Graduate and School Programs manager for the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. Before coming to the Cincinnati Nature Center, Cory worked for the University of Cincinnati as Director of UC Forward, facilitating collaborative community action projects. He also served as the university’s Director of Undergraduate Research.

Discover the sweeter side of winter with us at Cincinnati Nature Center! On this naturalist-led hike, we’ll find native maple trees, check sap buckets, and look for signs of how native animals use sap as well. Then, we’ll head back to the evaporator to see the sap boiling and to sample warm maple syrup. Along the way, you’ll learn all about what it takes to make maple syrup, including how to find sugar maple trees, why Cincinnati Nature Center calls their maple syrup “liquid sunshine”, how maple sugaring has changed through time, and more.

$10 Non-Members, Free for Members
Registration required.

Join us for an evening that explores the evolving culture of alcohol-free, plant-based beverages through stories, aromas, and tastes. This interactive talk and tasting invites guests to discover how herbs, roots, and flowers have shaped our drinking traditions—from ancient tonics to today’s innovative elixirs. Experience firsthand how botanicals can engage the senses, inspirecreativity, and transform the way we gather and celebrate.

$5 Non-Members, Free for Members
Registration Required

Christain Perry-Watt is an entrepreneur and founder of Kentucky Botanical Co. and The Green Door, two ventures rooted in the modern botanical movement. After nearly two decades in the corporate world, she turned her focus toward natural wellness, inspired by her own commitment to approaching life through a more natural path. Her work explores the intersection of ritual, relaxation, and herbalism–reimagining how we gather, unwind, and connect through plants rather than alcohol.

This program delves into the origin of coffee and the specific varietals used, providing a transparent look at the distribution channels from farm to cup and the pricing that supports ethical sourcing. It also addresses challenges at coffee farms, including labor shortages and the impact of climate change along with Alejandra’s mission to foster community and cultural exchange.

Registration required.

Born in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Alejandra Flores is the founder of Unataza Coffee in Dayton, Kentucky, where she shares the flavors and culture of her homeland. Inspired by her family’s coffee-farming roots, she opened Unataza in 2019 to promote ethical sourcing, community connection, and cultural exchange—fulfilling her mission to “connect two homes, one cup at a time.”

Celebrate the opening of The Botany of Beverages with us!
Guests are invited to enjoy light refreshments and be
among the first to experience this engaging exhibition that
toasts the plants behind our favorite drinks. Raise a glass
with fellow visitors and examine how we have cultivated
and ritualized these palatable plants across centuries and
continents.

Free and open to the public. Light refreshments.

Stop by to see The Botany of Beverages and enjoy hot chocolate and cookies!

Plants have been used to treat medical conditions in humans for thousands of years. Drugs used to treat malaria, HIV/AIDS, and even cancer have been derived from plants found growing in many different parts of the world. Today there is a resurgence of pharmaceutical interest in plants and the chemical compounds they produce. In this presentation, we will learn about the history of medical botany, why plants produce these chemicals, the traditional use of plants in cultures around the world, and how plants continue to have the power to heal us today.

Theresa Culley is a professor of plant biology at the University of Cincinnati, where she has taught a course in Medical Botany for over 20 years. Now team-taught with Dr. Eric Tepe, this undergraduate course has become one of the most popular upper-level elective classes for students within the biology department. In this course, Theresa indulges her interest in medicine, intertwined with her fascination for botany and history. Theresa’s botanical research at UC focuses on the conservation biology of endangered plant species (mainly in the Hawaiian Islands) as well as the genetic identity and reproductive biology of invasive ornamental plant species. 

Registration required.Sold out, join the waitlist.