Greenhouse Plants
Botanical Garden:
Greenhouse Plants:
Cactus
House
The Garden comprises a rich collection of succulents (Lat.
succus = juice). These unique plants grow in dry desert areas of both
Americas, southern Africa, Madagascar and the Canary Islands. They cope
with long-lasting drought by accumulating in tissues large amounts of
water for the future. Some of them have very fleshy stems and reduced
leaves (cacti, euphorbias, carrionflowers), whereas in others leaves are
the organs responsible for water storage (aloes, vygies , crassulas,
sedums). Those plants have developed different adaptations to prevent
themselves from losing water, e.g. spherical shape, thick cuticle, wax
coating or very dense hairs. Cacti, the most characteristic group of
succulent plants, come from America. Their fleshy stems are equipped with
thorns varying in colour. Many agave species, rosette succulents, bear
flowers merely once in their lifetime, and die afterwards. Live stones
from the group of south-African vygies are an example of mimicry in
plants, the phenomenon of simulating the underlying soil
Palm
House:
The luxuriant vegetation makes the
visitors acquainted with the exoticism of distant lands. In the first,
cooler, section plants of subtropical zones have been collected. The high
araucarias, Australian eucalyptus, splendid Laurel (Laurus nobilis) and
slender cypress attract notice. Here you can also admire the patulous
fig-tree, oleanders and the Chilean Angel s Trumpet with magnificent white
flowers. The semidarkness of tropical jungle reigns over the medial, hot
and damp, greenhouse, where bamboos, spreading palms (Phoenix, Livistona),
lianas, orchids and ferns grow, and banana plants flower and fruit. Window
sills hold hydroponic cultivation of philodendrons, radiator plants and
different exotic useful plants, such as the Cacao-tree, Papaya, Black
Pepper or Vanilla. Impressive Sago Palms with stiff, spreading leaves are
displayed in separate flower-pots. The pavillion with aquatic vegetation,
intended for cultivation of the Royal Water Lily, a plant of huge leaves
floating on the water surface, tropical Water-lilies and many other water
and marsh plants, is immensely attractive.
Theobroma cacao:
Theobroma cacao:
