Succulents

Succulents grow in the world's hottest regions. They can be seen in a dedicated section on the second floor of the greenhouse which has a dry and hot micro-climate. Around 300 taxa and varieties are arranged geographically in a relatively small area of around 100 m².

From Africa, Madagascar and the Canary Islands, the genera Euphorbiaceae and Aloaceae are the most abundant, as well as the genera Asphodelaceae and Crassulaceae.

South and Central American species are represented notably by cacti, agaves, and species of the genus Echeveria. The section's pride are its golden barrel cacti (Echinocactus grusonit), which are more than 70-year-old.

Cacti usually flower in spring – from March to May. The flowers are very beautiful and colourful in contrast to the usual thorny, self-contained state of cacti.

Queen of the night or large-flowered night-blooming cereus (Selenicereus grandiflorus) is a legend among cacti. Its bloom, however, is of short duration. The plant blooms only on a few late May evenings – the wonderful large flower that exudes a vanilla-like scent will have withered by the next morning. It is widely believed that queen of the night only blooms once a year. Although any one flower will only remain open for a single night, there will be other flowers in the following nights.

The succulents section also includes a collection of large Sansevieria. The Sansevieria (S. kirkii var pulchra), with its beautiful foliage and flowers, is a must. Also, among the succulents is a very special plant, the Welwitschia mirabilis from the Namib Desert, which is one of the 'living fossils'.