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Display Houses
Fern Room
Flourishing in the Fern Room is one of the most ancient plant families, the Ferns, and the most modern plant family, the Orchids. They are joined by other exotic plant families and our colorful seasonal flower displays.
Large Australian tree ferns tower over the central mound, surrounded by other fern species from the tropic and sub-tropic areas of the world.
The highly specialized flower structure of the Orchids displays the end product of thousands of years of evolution. Flowers are attractively blotched, striped, and colored for the singular purpose of attracting a pollinator.
A Ponderosa Lemon tree, Sea-Grape tree and a Rose Apple tree create a leafy canopy for the orchids and ferns. On the southern wall, Birds of Paradise, begonias and Kafir lilies can be found.
Tropical Room
Humidity is high, light is filtered, and the air is filled with sounds of falling water and tropical birds. Cross over a central pond filled with Koi, goldfish, and turtles. Look around and experience three levels of vegetation.
Large fig trees provide the upper canopy with fruit-bearing banana and papaya trees that reach up to the sun. A giant anthurium, a white bird of paradise and dracaenas inhabit the second story while ferns, pilea, spider plants, and peperomia cover the ground.
Find the large-leaved aroid, Monstera deliciosa, climbing through the limbs of the Fiddle-leaf Fig tree. Cycads, a plant species older than the dinosaurs, also flourish in this room along with members of the Palm family...the Lady, Fishtail, Fan, and Canary Island Date palm.
A room lush in sounds, textures, shapes and shadows; a trip through the tropics right here in Oak Park.
Desert Room
The desert environment, unfamiliar to the Midwest, provides
a counterpoint to the humidity of the Tropic room. Extremely
dry air and wide temperature shifts push plant adaptation
to its limits.
Search out plants whose leaves have evolved into thorns and
plants whose thick green stems carry out photosynthesis. Our
exhibits of three main groups of cacti—cereus,
optunia and pereskia—fascinate children and adults alike.
Our distinctive collection of desert plants also features
a fine display of other succulents including haworthia, kalanchoe,
gasteria, crassula and succulent euphorbias.
Don’t leave this room before seeing the Agaves or “Century
Plants” which grow for 25 to 30 years before sending
up their tall flower stalk. Look for the secluded oasis pond
on the edge of the desert surrounded by olive, Etrog, fig,
date palm, bay, and pomegranate.
And, meet the plants that EAT... insects. Visit our Curiosity
Corner with its Venus Fly Traps, Pitcher Plants and Sun Dews.
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