Myriad Botanical Gardens and Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory

There are more than 1,000 species of plants in the Crystal Bridge, representing plants from every continent except Antarctica. They are located in two habitat regions in the conservatory.

The Tropical Rain Forest Zone, called the Wet Mountain, is located on the south end of the Conservatory. Plants here come from Amazonia, Central Africa, Southeast Asia and the South Pacific Islands where rain falls year-round. These plants are watered every day.

The Dry Tropical Zone, called the Dry Mountain, is on the north end of the Conservatory. These plants are put through a drought from November to March, followed by regular watering during the summer months to simulate the weather patterns in their native areas. Most of these specimens come from South Africa, Madagascar and Mexico.

While the plant collection in the Crystal Bridge rivals most botanical gardens across the country, several elements are outstanding:

Palms Cycads Gingers Bromeliads Orchids Euphorbias Begonias

Palms
There are over 100 species of palms represented in the Crystal Bridge. Palms are the epitome of tropical trees. Found throughout the southern United States, palms only grow in tropical and sub-tropical climates and are often found close to water. There are many unique species growing in the Crystal Bridge. The Old Man’s Palm, Washingtonia filifera, is a slow growing palm that has long, pale brown “hair” covering the trunk. The Foxtail Palm, Wodyetia bifurcata, has unique leaflets radiating from the stalk giving it a foxtail appearance. On the northeast corner, the young Bismarckia nobilis palm, with perhaps the world’s largest palm leaves, at a spectacular 10 feet wide, can be viewed.

Cycads
Many people mistake these pre-historic plants for palms. But these “living fossils” have their own unique identity. Cycads flourished in primeval forests during the time of the dinosaurs. In fact, the Jurassic Period is often dubbed the “Age of the Cycads.” At that time, cycads made up 20 percent of the world’s flora. They still exist today, in much the same form as their ancestors have existed for the past 300 million years, although only about 200 species remain. Many species can be found in Mexico, the Caribbean and South Africa. Genera to look for in the Crystal Bridge collection include Cycas, Dioon, Zamia, Bowenia, Stangeria and Encephalartos.

Back to top

Gingers
Most people are familiar with the culinary variety of ginger. However, many members of this “spicy” plant family are also quite beautiful and are normally seen only in expensive floral bouquets. The stepladder ginger (Costus malortieanus) next to the wooden bridge has furry leaves arranged spirally along the stem. Many of the Conservatory’s Alpinias have flower bracts resembling bright red plastic pinecones, which last for months.

Bromeliads
Bromeliads are typically brightly colored, funnel-shaped plants that hold a surprise for curious guests — in the center of the funnel is a pool of water! This is because most bromeliads are epiphytes, meaning that they attach themselves to trees instead of rooting in soil, so this is how they get their moisture. Of course, not all bromeliads are epiphytes, some are terrestrial like our Cryptanthus species (Earth stars), or the most familiar of the family, the Pineapple (Ananas comosus). On both mountains, guests can see bromeliads “planted” on the rock slopes, these are clusters of small, green or grey-leafed “air plants,” or Tillandsias.

Orchids
Orchids adorn nearly every corner of the Wet Mountain and are easily the most popular plants in our collection. At any time of the year, dozens of varieties of orchids can be seen blooming. With their delicate petal and distinctive look, most orchids are grown for their beauty alone, however, the agriculturally important vanilla orchid, from which vanilla can be extracted, is also featured in the Crystal Bridge. One of the highlights of the orchid collection is the Dendrobium superbum var. alba which explodes with over 300 blooms each February. So impressive is its show of color that the Orchid Society of America awarded this plant the “Culture of Merit” award and named the variety in honor of the Crystal Bridge.

In February 2002, the Myriad Botanical Gardens received more than 1,200 orchids bequeathed to the Gardens by long-time orchid collector Mr. Fred Strothmann. From his Edmond, Oklahoma greenhouses, Mr. Strothmann cultivated some of the most exotic orchids in the world. He traveled around the world, collecting orchids in such exotic places as Kenya, Uganda, Burma, Indonesia, the Philippines, Australia, Mexico and parts of South America. The Strothmann collection is an important part of the Crystal Bridge’s year-round orchid display.

Back to top

Euphorbias
Visitors to the Crystal Bridge are always surprised to hear that a majority of the spiny plants growing on the Dry Mountain are not cacti, but euphorbias. These varied plants can range in size from mini grass-like plants to huge trees. The difference between the cactus and a euphorbia species is slight, the major difference being that cacti only grow in the New World (Western Hemisphere) while euphorbias are native to the Old World (Eastern Hemisphere). Many euphorbias found in Africa and Madagascar survive in much the same way cacti do in the deserts of Central and North America. Thick, succulent stems filled with milky sap and protected by pairs of sharp spines characterize this bizarre group of plants. There are over 40 species of euphorbias in the plant collection.

Back to top

Begonias
While most gardeners are familiar with begonias as one of the more attractive annuals for a summer garden, few realize there are over 900 different species found throughout the world. Begonias are a plant of the tropics, there are no indigenous species in the United States. These plants come in a variety of succulent herbs, shrubs and vines, all of which bloom. However, it’s the color and texture, not the flower that makes begonias so popular. With over 100 varieties of begonias, the Crystal Bridge provides the best opportunity for our visitors to experience the tremendous beauty of this group of plants.