MSU conservatory -- seriously picture heavy!

[pavel]

Actually took these pictures back in September. It is the same location that had the bonsai I posted in http://www.rv-orchidworks.com/orchid...51-bonsai.html back in October. I was going to post these other pics from the Conservatory then, but decided to hold off until later when a break from the winter doldrums might be needed. I have decided that "later" is "now" Hope ya'll enjoy them



The grounds:







This is my dad (he's about 5'10" or 178 cm tall) standing next to a Colocasia whose leaves I found to be quite impressively large.



These were even larger (Not counting the stem, each leaf was about 4 ft long)



The arid house



I had never seen a cork oak before so found this rather cool (thisis btw, the source for our cork mounts and cork for wine bottles, etc)



and while I have seen 'bottle ponytail palms' in stores, I've only seen them as little plants in 6" pots -- never as a mature plant a good 3' (about 1 m) in diameter



Nor had even heard of climbing aloes -- here's one climbing up a cactus



Now the tropical house:















This one I really thought was a beauty! (The flower color came out surprisingly accurate -- they really were a vibrant 'screaming' red.)