No matter what the weather is outside, there is one place on campus that is lush, green and teeming with life. The Biological Sciences (BioSci) Greenhouse, 332 W. 12th Ave., is a living library of plants representing more than 120 plant families from a diverse range of habitats.

Five facts:

1. You might have heard, or smelled, some buzz last summer about Woody 2 and Maudine—two Titan Arums that bloomed, causing excitement and a foul odor. The Titan Arum, or “Corpse Flower,”—is a rare plant that gives off a smell similar to rotting meat when it blooms. They are hard to grow and even more difficult to bloom, but Joan Leonard, BioSci Greenhouse program manager has coaxed the blooms along three times this past year. The most recent Titan, Scarlet, bloomed in August 2013. “It’s all about patience and timing,” said Leonard. Although it can take several years for a Titan to gain enough energy to bloom, it is worth the wait.
2. The BioSci Greenhouse is one of the greenest buildings on campus. Not only does it house 1,200 species of plants, but it also has several sustainable practices in place to reduce, reuse and recycle energy, waste and materials. All plant and soil waste is sent to the campus compost facility and rain water is collected to use to water plants. The greenhouse also uses beneficial insects for pest control, lowering the amount of pesticides used on the plants.
3. At the BioSci Greenhouse, the vibrant and leafy foliage of the rain forest live just a few steps away from prickly cacti, succulents and other desert plants. These habitats each live in their own independently controlled room where their environment is regulated. There is always something growing in the greenhouse. “It’s the only place in Ohio where you’ll find corn growing in January!” said Leonard.
4. Many Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology professors schedule visits to the greenhouse when teaching about plant topics. “It’s a lot of fun for students to see what they’re being taught in lectures come to life,” said Leonard.
5. Although it is required for visitors to request a guided tour, self-guided tours are offered on an “as-available” basis during greenhouse visiting hours. If you don’t have time for a tour, you can still experience the greenhouse just by walking through the Jennings Courtyard and Aronoff Bioswale, located right outside the facility. Maintained by the greenhouse staff, this outdoor collection includes a wide variety of plants native to Ohio.

(Part of an ongoing series, FIVE FACTS look at some of the hidden gems in the College of Arts and Sciences)

By Marissa Pacheco, editorial intern at ASC Communications