Visit to UC Davis Botanical Conservatory in Northern California

[Hillizard]

After handing over my Amherstia seedling to their care and collection, I took a few pictures today at the Botanical Conservatory of the University of California, Davis: https://theaggie.org/2016/11/30/the-uc-davis-botanical-conservatory/ & http://www.succulentsandmore.com/2013/02/uc-davis-botanical-conservatory.html .

With the current heatwave we're enduring here in NorCal, their greenhouses seemed cool by comparison! While they have a very impressive variety of plant species growing in multiple greenhouses, the only palm I saw was a sprouted coconut. Below are some pictures I took.  More information (and better images) are available via the links above. Enjoy! 

[XYZ]

Very nicely-grown pair of old Welwitschia there!These plants, together with Amorphophallus titanum, have been a "must-have" for large public gardens for some time now. They have also had a rather low-profile following among some dedicated private xerophyte growers, particularly in the desert southwest. Gene Joseph at Living Stones in Tucson, AZ used to sell young ones, but not sure who carries them commercially these days. I assume that they are available at the high-end succulent nurseries around Vista, CA.

Here is a nice, decent-sized one I saw planted out in a fully-exposed bed by the parking lot at a commercial nursery in Chandler, AZ last week.

These plants are amazing, to say the least.

[Cindy Adair]

Thanks so much for the photos and links. Clearly this place needs to go on my list of places to visit in CA! Fun to be able to click on any links on my laptop (without consideration for data) at home for the first time in nearly 2 years.

That Amorphophallus has been among many on my wish list for at least a decade.

[Hillizard]

3 hours ago, stone jaguar said:

Very nicely-grown pair of old Welwitschia there!These plants, together with Amorphophallus titanum, have been a "must-have" for large public gardens for some time now. They have also had a rather low-profile following among some dedicated private xerophyte growers, particularly in the desert southwest. Gene Joseph at Living Stones in Tucson, AZ used to sell young ones, but not sure who carries them commercially these days. I assume that they are available at the high-end succulent nurseries around Vista, CA.

Here is a nice, decent-sized one I saw planted out in a fully-exposed bed by the parking lot at a commercial nursery in Chandler, AZ last week.

These plants are amazing, to say the least.

Yes, apparently Living Stones (aka Lithops.net) still offers them in their catalog: http://www.lithops.net/welwitschia_mirabilis_detail.htm  Not sure I have the patience to grow one!

[GeneAZ]

8 hours ago, stone jaguar said:

Very nicely-grown pair of old Welwitschia there!These plants, together with Amorphophallus titanum, have been a "must-have" for large public gardens for some time now. They have also had a rather low-profile following among some dedicated private xerophyte growers, particularly in the desert southwest. Gene Joseph at Living Stones in Tucson, AZ used to sell young ones, but not sure who carries them commercially these days. I assume that they are available at the high-end succulent nurseries around Vista, CA.

Here is a nice, decent-sized one I saw planted out in a fully-exposed bed by the parking lot at a commercial nursery in Chandler, AZ last week.

These plants are amazing, to say the least.

I wonder how it looks now after our recent super hot three days?  Otherwise it looks perfect!

[XYZ]

Gene:

Can't imagine that 115 F would faze this plant. Surface temps where they occur regularly approach this in summer, and the plant has obviously acclimated to its current home.

I am old enough to remember when welwitschias were considered as scarce as albino unicorns and impossible to cultivate.

Confirmed this afternoon that Living Stones still has seedlings in 2" rocket pots for USD 20.00. A steal...even more so if you're under 40 years old!