The Desert Room contains about 300 species of cacti and succulent plants from all over the world. (There actually are about 28,000 species in total!) Although not all of them originate in year-round arid environments, they have in common the ability to store water in their leaves, stems, and/or roots and limit their evaporative loss. These properties enable them to survive and even thrive despite prolonged periods of drought and heat.
The 17,000 cacti (in the botanic family Cactaceae) all originate in the Western Hemisphere. The other 11,000 succulents (from 24 other botanic families) come from a variety of habitats in all continents except Antarctica. In all of them, evolutionary adaptations have resulted in plants and flowers with unusual shapes and appearances which most admirers find to be fascinating, beautiful, and “cool.”
Our intent is to organize the room in rough taxonomic groupings but not to be a “museum.” The center island mostly has hardier and older plants, especially cacti, euphorbias, sansevierias, agaves, and gasterias. The north side, which gets the most sun. has a variety of aloes, potted cacti, and succulents in hanging baskets. The south side has a wide variety of succulents, including a dozen potted “Christmas cacti” (Schlumbergera). They will put on a show during the Holiday season! Something is usually budding or blooming in the Desert Room when you visit. Don’t forget to look up as well as down–often those flowers are up at the top! This room can take you (in your imagination) to Arizona, Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, and Madagascar. Before you move on, don’t forget to take a look at the little adjoining “Bog Room.” Those carnivorous plants grow in swampy environments, but they’re unusual and worth learning about.
Century Plant
Sp. Maguey
(Agave americana)
Native to Mexico, this huge desert succulent is the largest of its genus. Its common name is a bit of an exaggeration since it flowers every 20 to 40 years rather than every 100! Its stunning size and appearance have made it an ornamental plant with worldwide distribution.
Our plant has literally “gone through the roof” of the Conservatory at least twice, in 1987 and 2013. Most recently, its massive asparagus-like flower stalk grew at a rate of nearly a foot per day and drew press coverage from both the Wednesday Journal and Chicago Tribune. Several panes of glass were removed to accommodate its nearly 30 foot height (see picture) and a crane was required to remove it after its flowers faded. Several new plants emerged when its massive leaves shriveled. The largest was selected and this “pup” obviously has been thriving for the past decade.
Agaves are a part of Mexican indigenous culture dating back to the Mayas and Aztecs. Several smaller species are extensively cultivated to produce tequila and mezcal. You will find a number of other (smaller) species in this section of the Center Island.
Golden Barrel Cactus
Sp. Barril de oro
(Echinocactus grusonii)
The Conservatory has several of these spectacular spherical cacti of varying size and age. The largest two are at least 40 years old. They are endangered in the wild although widespread in nursery cultivation and desert gardens. Their native habitat in the canyons of the Rio Moctezuma in central Mexico was mostly lost with the construction of the giant Zimapan hydroelectric project in the 1990s.
This is a “monotypic” cactus–the only species in its genus. Usually a solitary plant, occasional specimens offset at the base (we have a smaller one.) Flowers appear only in plants that are at least 20 years old. They occur in rings around the apex of the plant in late spring/early summer. They look like “Mallo Cups” with a yellow (rather than a chocolate) center, then ripen into brown seed pods.
Small plants frequently appear in the Conservatory’s annual cactus and succulent sale, but you’ll have to be patient if you’re hoping to get them to flower! Their spines are sharp and they’re tough to handle. They need to be wrapped in folded newspapers (or an old bedspread) in order to pot or move them!
Prickly Pear
Sp. Nopal
(Opuntia tomentosa)
This hefty tree prickly pear cactus has been in the Conservatory for at least 50 years. It’s one of the largest species in its genus, of which there are at least 200. All originated in the Western Hemisphere but have now been introduced to many other parts of the world. There is even a species (Opuntia humifusa) that is native to Illinois!
Prickly pears are so-named because their pads and also their fruits have tiny needles called glochids that, when touched, get into your fingertips, itch, and are hard to remove (nail polish does it.) Our O. tomentosa is covered with pink-orange flowers every April to June, which mature into spherical fruits in the late summer. The fruits (also called tunas) of this and other species are edible and can be pressed into a syrup used in mixed drinks.
Opuntias propagate themselves in nature by rooting pads that have fallen off the plant. There are several examples nearby. Several other species of Opuntia are also in this corner of the Center Island.
Dragon Bones
Sp. Candelero
(Euphorbia lactea)
Also known as “Candelabra Cactus” and “Coat Rack Cactus,” this tree-like succulent is native to tropical Asia. It is easily propagated and has now become widespread in Florida and the West Indies. Escapees can form dense thickets in favorable habitats. It may look like one, but this plant is not a true cactus.
Like most other members of the Euphorbia genus, its stems contain sticky latex milk (hence the species name lactea.) It’s irritating and, to a degree, poisonous. The stems are typically triangular in cross-section and have a tough outer skin, which helps to store water during dry periods. Although it’s unusual in a greenhouse environment, our mature plant occasionally gets small yellow flowers (known as cyathia) at the top of its branches in late summer.
There are a number of other varieties of E lactea with unusual forms. We have several in pots along the south wall. One cultivar with mostly-white marbled coloration is known as “White Ghost.” Another with “crested” morphology has acquired the common name “Coral Cactus.” (We have two of them.) In the center island are a number of other Euphorbia species.
Gollum Jade
Sp. Dedos de Gollum
(Crassula ovata 'Gollum')
This compact bush is a cultivar of the common “Jade Tree,” a plant that is native to South Africa. It is a “nursery variant” that unexpectedly appeared at the Abbey Gardens in California in the 1970s. Its name derives from its finger-like leaves, which look like those of the creepy underground character in JRR Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings.”
Jade trees and their various cultivars are considered in Japan to bring good fortune. The Gollum variety is popular with bonsai growers because it develops a thick gnarly trunk (we have a small potted one along the south wall) and can be trained into classic shapes.
We also have several of the more typical Jade Trees in the conservatory, some as old as 50 years. These mature specimens reliably produce small fragrant white flowers in the late winter/early spring. Another Jade variant is located around the corner from ‘Gollum.’ It has variegated (white/green) leaves and is known as Crassula ovata ‘Lemon and Lime.’
Phone: (708) 725-2460
615 Garfield
PO Box 1096
Oak Park, IL 60304
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The Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to promote community interest in the Oak Park Conservatory,
offer educational and recreational opportunities and support projects that benefit the Oak Park Conservatory.
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