Plant Biology Teaching Conservatory and Collection

05/29/2026

Good thing I just had an eye exam because I cannot believe what I am seeing. This Welwitschia is TEN MONTHS old and made a little baby cone 🤩

It's also one of our "MSU Special" plants, with bonus leaf material, and the cone is right in the middle of a third leaf??? Is it four leaves!?

All I know is that I used to call any Welwitschia that still retained its cotyledons a seedling, but I guess I'll need to revisit that idea.

Weird!

05/29/2026

05/22/2026

Didn't get a chance to stop into the Conservatory this week? You're in luck; here are a few snaps from today so you don't entirely miss out.

Next week we're closed Monday, then full of kids the rest of the week, but we still hope to see you drop in.

Have a good long weekend.

05/08/2026

Scouting in the Evolution House and found some lovely surprises 💚

05/06/2026

Every time this one blooms I smell it before I see it. The flies find it before we do. 🤢

04/29/2026

Visit our Cacao and see it up close! Such a cool tree.

04/22/2026

Can you think of any other plants that have rhizomes? 🧐

04/16/2026

This is really good practice! How many Cryptolaemus do you see in this photo? I got 4 but there might be more.

04/15/2026

Figs are beautiful and tasty! Visit our collection to see them in person. You may even decide to grow them at home (yes, there are some varieties you can grow here!)