Botanical Gardens at University of Michigan

Because tropical climates have such a wide variety of plants, many of the foods that we enjoy come from this climate, even if we live in a different part of the world. Some examples are bananas, pineapples, and the pods on the tree pictured here.

Do you see the nickname for this tree? The pods on this tree contain cacao, the main ingredient in chocolate! The cacao tree grows in very specific areas, but people all over the world want cacao to make chocolate. Because there is such high demand for cacao, it is important to protect these plants from overharvesting by humans. Cacao trees are also very important to the cultures of the people who live near them and are at risk of being lost due to climate change. Botanical Gardens like this one offer an opportunity to study these plants to learn how to protect them. 

One of the most unusual plants in this house is the Pitcher Plant! You may find these hanging from other plants, as they often use tendrils to climb. Pitcher plants are carnivorous, meaning that they eat animals! Their "pitcher" is a specialized leaf that is used to trap insects and drown them in nectar for the plant to eat. 

One of the most brightly colored plants to look out for is the Bromeliad. "Bromeliad" actually refers to a whole family of plants, including the pineapple plant! Some types of Bromeliads are very small, and others are very large. Most Bromeliads grow in a rosette shape, like the one pictured here.  Their tightly overlapping leaves collect small pools of water. These pools form habitats for many types of small animals, from tiny insects to small frogs!