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Another routine spectacular day in the greenhouse

It has been a sincere pleasure for me to volunteer a few hours a week at the University of Minnesota Botanical Conservatory. After many visits over the last few years, exactly none of those days have felt ordinary or repetitive. If there is a routine, it is that the botanic diversity of the collection - with over 3000 species - is displayed in a spectacular way each day. The Conservatory is located on the St. Paul campus, and is free of charge and open to the public during typical weekday hours.

For instance, today most of my allotted time was spent in just one of eight rooms, the room that houses the tropical collection. The chores included pruning, re-potting, spraying, sweeping, etc. As I moved through the room, in every direction, there seemed to be a stunning plant pleading to be admired. 

After the chores were complete, I had the opportunity to go back and photograph some of the beauties that surrounded me while working. 

Dendrobium tangerinum, Papua New Guinea
Dendrobium orchids are a major genus in the family of orchids, with more than a thousand different dendrobium species. They're native to most parts of the Asian continent and Pacific Islands. Like many familiar orchids, the dendrobium genus is largely epiphytic, growing up in the trees. A minority are terrestrial, the plants grow in the ground.
 
Tillandsia cacticola

Tillandsia species
Tillandsia is a genus of over 600 species in the family of bromeliads. Tillandsias are commonly referred to as air plants for their ability to grow without needing roots. They're able to absorb moisture and nutrients through their leaves, another example of epiphytic (grow up in the tree canopy) and lithophytic plants (grow on rocks). Under the conditions in this greenhouse, they grow well attached to cork bark and seem to respond well to daily sprays of fertilized water, and lots of direct sunlight.

Pseudorhipsalis amazonica, in the cactus family. Flowers emerge from these colorful bracts.

Phalaenopsis hybrid
When most people think of orchids, they probably imagine the moth-like shape of Phalaenopsis orchids. There are 70 different species in this genus of orchids. The overall family of orchids consists of over 800 genera and 26,000 species. Orchids are one of the most diverse plants on the planet, and found on every continent except Antarctica. When an orchid of two different species are crossed, the offspring is simply listed as hybrid, and the official name should ideally include the two parent species.

Alsobia dianthiflora "lace flower"; popular succulent houseplant native to Central America

Begonia pustulata, happy to be growing on a lower shelf, away from direct sunlight.
With over 2000 different species the family of begonias is one of the largest flowering plant families. They are widely distributed across South America, Asia, and Africa. This particular species, B. pustulata, is a popular houseplant for its beautiful leaves and tolerance of low-light conditions.

Phragmipedium besseae "Memoria Dick Clements"; a hybrid of two other species
Phragmipedium orchids are another genus in the large orchid family. These are terrestrial orchids that grow in the ground rather than up in the trees. Other terrestrial orchids include Cymbidiums, some of the Dendrobiums (see above), Ludisia (jewel orchid), and Cypripedium (lady slipper).

Kohleria tubiflora, the tube-flowered Kohleria, native to Central America.

Bulbophyllum echinolabium
Bulbophyllum is the largest genus in the orchid family, with over 2000 species. They are mostly epiphytic and lithophytic, living on trees and rocks. They're native to tropical regions around the world.

Vanilla vine orchid (Vanilla paniforlia)
Vanilla orchids can grow either in the ground, or on trees (epiphytic or terrestrial). They're native to Mexico and Central America. They're endangered in the wild due to habitat loss and loss of their native pollinator bees. But, cultivation for the vanilla bean pods has kept the plant from extinction. This particular blossom I was allowed to hand-pollinate. We'll see if we get a vanilla bean! 

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