28
TIL some orchids can live for over 100 years
I was reading an old botany journal from the 1920s I found at a library sale. It mentioned a specific orchid specimen in a London greenhouse that was documented in 1890 and still thriving. I always thought houseplants had much shorter lifespans, lol. Has anyone else come across a plant with a surprisingly long life?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
daniel_wood2mo ago
That's a great find in that old journal. I had a similar moment with a jade plant my grandmother left me. It was already mature when I got it, and it's easily sixty years old now. They just keep going if you give them enough light and don't overwater them. It really changes how you see plants as temporary things.
6
the_brian2mo ago
That jade plant story from daniel_wood is wild. It makes me think of this giant ficus I saw once at a hotel lobby. The thing was basically a tree growing indoors, and the manager told me it was planted when the place opened in the 70s. You don't really think about a potted plant just... staying there for decades like a piece of furniture.
4