CMU home to exotic plants, flowers (Central Michigan Life)

Central Michigan University’s greenhouse is the solely place on campus and maybe on a level the world that an agave cactus, setcreasea, ponytail palm and paper-reed plant can exist at the same time.

The greenhouse’s six biomes, or climate controlled rooms, and conservatory act taken in the character of a hands-on classroom for biology, ecology and geology students.

“What we attempt to do is look at the structure of plants in different environments,” Associate Biology Professor Joanne Dannenhoffer said.

The six biomes include rooms containing ferns, orchids, aquatics, and cactuses with two research rooms.

Dannenhoffer said students study how leaves of a cactus are different from leaves of plants indigenous to Michigan.

“We glance at the structure, physiology and overall life form of the plant to see how they adapted to different environmental conditions,” Dannenhoffer said.

The greenhouse also includes the Mimosa pudica, or sensitive plant, which is indigenous to the rainforest. The plant’s leaves fold inward and droop when touched, and re-open within minutes.

“It’s collapsing as a herbivore lands on it to disturb it and make it fly away instead of chomping on a blade,” Dannenhoffer said. “The response is very similar to the way nerve responses work in the human body.”

Interim Greenhouse Manager Joel Schwartz, 2008 alumni, related not only CMU classes survey the greenhouse but community groups and summer camps be sufficient as well.

“We mostly provide plant material for labs,” Schwartz related.

Schwartz waters and cares for the plants, plus he controls the climates for the biomes, ensuring no stead gets likewise warm.

He said students use the greenhouse during the winter to warm up, study and even tolerate naps.

With the construction of the botanical gardens underway, Schwartz said the greenhouse will not be proper for obsolete.

“I put on’t think in that place are any plans to make different the conservatory,” Schwartz said.

Dannenhoffer said even though the botanical garden and greenhouse act the science departments, the garden can only be utilized for the time of warm seasons.

“I think the greenhouse be inclined stagnant be used as it has been used,” she said.

The greenhouse is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday- Friday beginning in the fall.

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