On dark winter mornings it’s especially pleasant to start the day with a stroll through the glasshouses. The true spiny desert of Madagascar knows no winter equinox, away on the far side of the planet. The Madagascar plants in the E.A.Smith glasshouse do slow down during Cleveland’s winter, aided by an artifical “dry season” created when the Garden reduces watering for a few months. Some plants, like this Aloe deltoideodonta (above), are still in bloom. Although ice and sleet coat the glass a few inches away, bright-colored birds chirp and dart through the air, warm, dry and well-fed.

At the grocery store where I frequently shop, I’ve noticed quite a few new tropical fruits being sold. One of them- Monstera deliciosa is just that- delicious! We grow it here at the Garden in the Costa Rica Rainforest glasshouse. You can see it clinging to the side of our large re-created Fig tree. It’s a tropical vine that grows in Central America. You may also have seen it grown as a house plant. Its leaves have oblong holes, giving them their common name, swiss cheese plant. If kept as a house plant, it’s unlikely it will bloom and produce fruit. They need a significantly large climbing area, good light and high humidity to produce the sweet, yummy fruit that reminds me of a combination of mango/banana/kiwi. Be sure to wait until the scales pop off on their own. If you eat the fruit unripe, your mouth will feel an unpleasant tingly feeling that comes from the oxalic acids in it. Impress your friends, buy this cool fruit and let them try it at your next party!

Posted by Cynthia Druckenbrod