Established 200 years ago, the Meise Botanical Garden (near Brussels, Belgium) spans 92 hectares and is one of the largest and oldest botanical gardens in Europe.
Visitors are excited to learn about the giant Titan Arum flower.
With over 10,000 rare plant species, many of which are at risk of extinction, this garden serves not only as a living museum chronicling the evolution of plant life but also as a scientific research center contributing to the preservation of the planet’s biodiversity.
At the heart of the Meise Botanical Garden, the Green Arch stands out as an architectural masterpiece, harmoniously blending aesthetic beauty with scientific functionality. Inaugurated this past May, it is not just a greenhouse but a miniature ecosystem designed to replicate the natural habitats of tropical plant species.
Equipped with a modern air conditioning system, automatic irrigation, and controlled lighting, the Green Arch provides all the necessary conditions for plants to thrive and flourish.
Conservation and Research Center
A type of stone orchid.
Guiding us through the Green Arch, Marc Reynders, a biologist who has been associated with the botanical garden for over 10 years, described the Green Arch as the “heart” of the collection of frost-sensitive plants, providing all the space and techniques necessary for the optimal care and conservation of rare plant species.
The orchid area impresses with its vibrant blooms resembling precious jewels, shining amid the lush greenery. Orchids are among the most beloved and collected plant families worldwide. At the Green Arch, visitors can admire numerous rare orchid species with unique shapes and colors, such as lady’s slipper orchids, Phalaenopsis orchids, and jewel orchids.
The area for preserving and propagating stone orchids.
Notably, visitors can find famous carnivorous plants such as the Venus flytrap, pitcher plants, and sundews. The Venus flytrap snaps its trap shut when an insect lands on it. This special group of plants has the ability to catch and digest insects to supplement their nutrients.
In the cactus and succulent area, many plants feature bizarre shapes and vibrant colors. Some cacti rise high against the sun and wind, embodying the wild beauty of the desert.
Several ancient trees, hundreds of years old, are also preserved at the Meise Botanical Garden. These ancient trees hold biological value and also carry historical and cultural significance.
Various cactus species.
The Green Arch is equipped with the latest technologies for water and climate control, creating an ideal living environment for plant species. Rainwater collection systems, shading panels, and thermal barriers not only save energy but also ensure a stable water supply for plants, even during prolonged droughts.
Marc Reynders shared, “With the construction of the Green Arch, we have made significant progress towards becoming a climate-neutral botanical garden by 2045. Moreover, the Green Arch serves as a prime example of how the combination of nature conservation and modern technology is entirely feasible.”
In addition to the Green Arch, the botanical garden also boasts a modern seed bank, housing millions of seeds from rare plant species. This seed bank serves as a valuable genetic repository, helping to protect plant species from extinction. Together with the Green Arch, the seed bank forms a comprehensive conservation system, ensuring the survival of biodiversity and providing solutions to food security challenges.
The area for conserving and developing Arabica coffee plants.
Scientists at the botanical garden are actively researching to discover new crop varieties that are disease-resistant, drought-tolerant, and adaptable to climate change. For instance, by studying wild relatives of coffee and bananas, scientists hope to create new high-yield and better-quality crop varieties, helping farmers cope with climate change and diseases.
Propagation of the Giant Titan Arum Flower
Propagation of the Titan Arum flower.
What makes the Meise Botanical Garden special is its comprehensive conservation program for the giant Titan Arum flower (Amorphophallus titanum). The Titan Arum originates from the humid tropical forests of Sumatra, Indonesia. However, these forests are disappearing at an alarming rate. By 2023, the world lost 3.7 million hectares of primary rainforest, equivalent to the area of 10 football fields every minute.
As a result, the Titan Arum is at high risk of extinction in the wild. Its forest habitat is being cleared for timber and to make way for palm oil plantations. Therefore, the Meise Botanical Garden plays a crucial role in conserving this plant species from extinction.
The Titan Arum flower is also known as the “corpse flower” and is one of the largest flowering plants in the world. This flower possesses unique characteristics that make it famous and attract much attention. When it blooms, the Titan Arum can reach heights of up to 3 meters or more, with a large deep purple flower surrounding a pale yellow spadix in the center.
The seed bank at the Meise Botanical Garden.
The most distinctive feature of this flower is its extremely unpleasant odor, reminiscent of rotting flesh. This smell attracts insects to pollinate the flower and is an ingenious survival mechanism of this plant. The foul odor lures insects such as flies and beetles to pollinate. When these insects are drawn in by the smell and fly to the flower, they inadvertently carry pollen from other flowers, facilitating fertilization and seed production.
With its gigantic size and vibrant colors, the Titan Arum flower is a highly unique flower that piques the curiosity of many. The Titan Arum blooms only for 48-72 hours before wilting and the plant returns to a dormant state. This special event also serves as an opportunity to raise awareness about the threats facing this rare plant species.
Scientists here continually research the biological and ecological characteristics of this flower, developing the most suitable care methods. By applying advanced propagation techniques, scientists have successfully propagated and produced many generations of healthy seedlings.
One notable achievement of the conservation program is the successful artificial pollination of the Titan Arum flower. This meticulous and precise process has yielded new hope for conserving this rare flower species. As a result, the botanical garden has been able to increase the number of Titan Arum individuals in its collection and share them with other botanical gardens around the world.
The area for various orchid species.
As the photographer for the Meise Botanical Garden, Maarten Strack van Schijndel has had a rare privilege: exploring every corner of the Green Arch. In this special space, he captured invaluable moments, particularly when the Titan Arum flower bloomed. These photographs not only hold scientific value but also constitute unique works of art, allowing people worldwide to admire the miraculous beauty of nature.
The Meise Botanical Garden is not only a scientific research center but also an ideal educational venue. Through guided tours, presentations, and hands-on activities, the garden has contributed to raising community awareness about the importance of biodiversity conservation.
