THE GIVE AND TAKE OF PLANT COLLECTING

by Dylan P. Hannon

Rare tropical trees and exotic palms framing magnificent vistas. An elaborate tapestry of orchids, bromeliads, and ferns perched on mossy branches. Carnivorous pitcher plants on display, up close and personal. These are just a few of the sights that greet visitors to the Rose Hills Foundation Conservatory for Botanical Science at The Huntington.

The Rain Forest on view in the Rose Hills Foundation Conservatory for Botanical Science. Photo by Lisa Blackburn.

Such splendor is perhaps enough for most people, but something else is at play in these scenes. Signs of a hidden realm appear in the form of small placards denoting the scientific names and geographical origins of the plants, together with seemingly random, cryptic numbers. These signposts are actually threads that lead to a much larger story of the people and organizations responsible for bringing such a wide variety of specimens to The Huntington.

Just like a museum or library, a botanical garden relies on new acquisitions to develop a rich and relevant collection. When construction of the Conservatory began, much thought was given to the role and function the new building would play in education. What plants would assist in that effort? One of the most outstanding palms in the rotunda is armed with formidable, barbed “whips” at the ends of the leaves, which consist of broad and pleated fishtail-like leaflets. This specimen of Korthalsia laciniosa, from Southeast Asia, generates a host of questions for visitors: Why are the leaves so fiercely protected? If the “claws” are for climbing, what role does this palm play in the local ecology? Why are the leaflets pleated?

Our early wish list for the Conservatory included cacao (Theobroma cacao), the giant Victoria amazonica water lily, and coconut (Cocos nucifera), since these are some of the more familiar and thrilling “wow” plants that visitors might expect to see. Other criteria included plants that can’t live outdoors in Southern California, as hospitable as it might seem to be, and unusual plants that people don’t have the chance to see every day. The new tropical and temperate bog collections would need to provide a diverse living resource for current and future activities. Where could we find the most suitable plants?

While commercial nurseries can be a good source of plants, an important role is played by fellow institutions, such as the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Under the leadership of Ron Determann, conservation and conservatory director, this rather young garden, founded in 1976, has built up a rich and extensive assortment of tropical plants. Through a collaborative relationship with The Huntington, Atlanta has provided a number of notable plants since 2003. Examples include unusual cloud forest blueberries in the genera Psammisia, Anthopterus, and Cavendishia. Determann worked previously at another outstanding collections-based institution, the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota, Fla. This link is evident in the scope of tropical collections grown in both places and carries on to other gardens such as those at The Huntington.

The flow of living material among gardens is vital, but individual collectors can also be invaluable partners. Donald Hodel donated the aforementioned Korthalsia. He is a local botanist and horticulturist who collected the plant in Thailand. It is perhaps the only example of its kind growing in the United States. Hodel, a specialist in palms and ferns, belongs to a diverse pool of collectors who have contributed many plants to The Huntington’s tropical collections. Such collectors stand out through their dedication to sharing valuable information, as well as plants, including documentation on the exact origin of specimens and tips on cultivation practices.

Plant collecting may begin as a personal interest —an obsession, perhaps. First, there was Henry E. Huntington himself, spurred on by his garden superintendent, William Hertrich, collecting exotics and creating exquisite garden areas for his rambling estate. Today botanical curators look to expand and refine those collections with plant material from stewards of a complex store of knowledge—seemingly random, yet meticulously well planned.

Dylan P. Hannon is Curator of the Conservatory and Tropical Collections at The Huntington.

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