Though few members of the SPU community will find time in their days to visit the SPU greenhouse and experience the great variety of its beautiful flora, there are a few species that stand out as “stars” behind its 3rd-story windows. I sat down with greenhouse lead Dr. Derek Wood and greenhouse manager Ava Liebendorfer to learn a bit more about three species prominent enough to see from the building’s paths below or halls within.
Norfolk Island Pine
In the heart of Seattle Pacific University’s lush greenhouse stands a relative giant. The Araucaria heterophylla, commonly known as the “Norfolk Island Pine,” is a towering specimen that captures the imagination and ushers the gaze upward. Endemic to Australia’s remote Norfolk Island in the South Pacific, this particular Norfolk Island pine finds itself reaching not towards the open Australian sea air but for a glass ceiling.
With its stately form, the tree commands attention, reaching impressive heights. Its spindling branches are covered with what looks like somewhat typical evergreen needles, but they are actually small and sharp leaves. This Norfolk pine has a unique shape and structure compared to its wild or ground-planted counterparts, seemingly due to the greenhouse’s unique conditions.
I asked four-year SPU ecology student and greenhouse keeper Ava Liebendorfer what she thinks makes this gangly guy so special and was surprised to hear, essentially, not much. She told me that, while the university’s is large for growing indoors its whole life, Norfolk Island pines are easily found in just about any houseplant store. And with the Holiday Season now upon us, here’s an intriguing tidbit for those who have experienced the special bit of hell that is strapping a 7-foot tree to the roof of your sedan: even your local grocery store probably offers baby Norfolks “around Christmas time as little Christmas trees.” Who knows, maybe that foot-tall Norfolk you pick up on a whim can become your new annual Christmas companion.
Crown of Thorns
Those who have passed the greenhouse’s glass door may recognize this prickly succulent as the only greenhouse resident boasting its very own window label. It’s formally known as Euphorbia milii var. milii. The greenhouse’s Crown of Thorns variety originates from Madagascar. However, it lives warm and comfortably in its third-story Seattle flat throughout the winter months as another testament to the Garden of Eaton’s dedication to preservation and research.
Ava told me that this prickly plant is native to Arizona. Though not currently blooming, the crown of thorns has small pink flowers. The plant has a unique adaptation that gives it “big showy bracts” to make its small flowers look larger and more impressive.
SPU biology professor and head of the greenhouse, Dr. Derek Wood told me about the toxicity of the thorned succulent. Though he told a story of a fellow professor accidentally touching the plant’s toxic exterior, he reassured me that the plant’s toxicity level is not high enough to cause serious concern about limited contact with the skin.
Musa nagensium
The only specimen that can rival the grandeur of the greenhouse’s central Norfolk pine is its giant Musa nagensium. This species doesn’t have its own particular common name, but it falls under the broad category of “banana plant.” Its leaves stretch to lengths upwards of 4 feet and are sometimes so heavy that they bend their own stems and bow down. Though still shorter than the Norfolk, this plant shoots from its 30-inch pot some 20 feet into the greenhouse’s regulated air.
Its size is not all that shocks greenhouse guests, however. This banana plant predates the iPhone and the births of most current SPU undergraduates. It first took up residency in the SPU greenhouse in 2002, making it over 21 years old.
