Explore the Darwin Orchid
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A new orchid sculpture was recently installed as part of the orchid pollination exhibit in the Highlands Gallery. The Angraecum sesquipedale is also known as the Darwin orchid. Only A. sesquipedale has this common name. The other 200  Angraecum species are often called comet orchids. Symbiosis is a unique relationship between two species co-evolving alongside one another. This relationship is often beneficial for both species. It is not uncommon that the plant's pollination is aided in the process. This is the case with the
Angraecum sesquipedale. In 1862 Charles Darwin theorized that this orchid must have a symbiotic relationship with a moth pollinator whose proboscis was long enough to reach the nectar at the bottom of the flower's long spur. While feasting on the nectar reward, the pollinator would remove the pollinia and carry it from flower to flower. In 1903, after his death, Darwin's theory was confirmed thus earning Angraecum sesquipedale the common name of Darwin's orchid. Sesquipedale comes from the Latin sesquipedalis, meaning "one and a half feet", in reference to the long flower spur.
We would like to thank the David B. Gold Foundation for funding this educational exhibit. We are so very grateful to The Gold Foundation that has been supporting the Conservatory since the restoration project started in 1998. As they close their doors this year, we want to say thank you for your generosity!
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just waiting to welcome you! The holidays are a perfect time to visit the Conservatory of Flowers. Our Special Exhibit is sure to get everyone in the holiday spirit. G-gauge trains travel through a miniature Pan-Pacific Exposition (PPIE) filled with favorite pavilions including the Palace of Fine Arts, the Palace of Horticulture and the famed Tower of Jewels in a lushly landscaped garden. Sound engineered by local specialist, Andrew Roth, brings to life music and telephone conversations from the 1915 World's Fair. History, whimsy and the love of railway gardens all comes together in this spectacular salute to the PPIE centennial.
