SEATTLE — Gardening expert Ciscoe Morris has a great way to beat this chilly winter weather - visit the Volunteer Park Conservatory:
"It was built in 1912 [and ]was the greatest thing that ever happened to Seattle. I'm in the cactus and succulent house right now. I got some really cool plants to show you! Look at this little odd ball right here. This is a Pachypodium. These come from Africa and Madagascar. And they have this little fat bottom there, that's where they store nutrients and water to get them through the really tough droughts that they go through where they live." Ciscoe pointed out varieties of Pachypodium that were flowering, and one that towered almost to the greenhouse ceiling.
Then he moved on to a gnarled succulent with a strange shape.
"This is a Euphorbia. And normally when you see a Euphorbia, they just grow straight up. But these have a genetic problem. For some reason they mutated and you get this fantastic growth. This has got to be the coolest plant I've ever seen in my whole life. But wait till I show you the queen of the whole bunch," Ciscoe said, moving over to one that was taller than him. "So, we call these Crested Euphorbias. It could happen to cactus too, nobody knows what makes them mutate like this. But oh my gosh, this plant is probably 100 years old."
Also here, barrel cacti, a saguaro cactus, and dozens of other cool plants that love heat.
"So ,come to the Volunteer Park greenhouse. Enjoy a desert experience in the middle of winter and check out some of these incredibly cool plants!"
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