Six of the Weirdest, Most Wonderful Plants at Lotusland
When I first put fingers to keyboard to write this blog article, the title that came to mind was Beam Me Up Scotty, Mutant Plants Have Taken Over Lotusland. But to be fair, the plants at Lotusland aren’t mutant. Some are really weird looking, others grow in unusual ways, some have blood-red coloured sap, while others are more ordinary, but that’s what makes this botanical garden in Montecito, California, so unique, so wonderful, and so worth a visit!
Sadly, however, many of the weirdest plants at Lotusland are also facing extinction. Botanical gardens play an increasingly important role in preserving these plants. In fact, Lotusland is home to over 950 species whose native populations are faced with habitat loss or over-collecting and are now restricted from collection and international trade.
Weeping Euphorbia ingens
Weeping Euphorbia ingens and Echinocactus grusonii flank the front door to Ganna Walska’s house.
The weeping form of Euphorbia ingens has been described as a droopy, giant wet pasta-like plant. This is because it grows vertically and then, as if unable to bear its own weight, it doubles over and often grows into curls on the ground.
Ganna Walska, the Polish opera singer and plant enthusiast who created Lotusland, was fascinated with desert plants. Cactus, Euphorbia and other succulents feature prominently in Lotusland. For instance, Madame Walska added the weeping Euphorbia ingens and Echinocactus grusonii (barrel cactus) pictured above to the beds that flank the front door of the house after purchasing the property in 1941.
Euphorbia ingens has a milky latex that can cause blindness, severe skin irritation and, when ingested, is poisonous to humans and animals. It’s an unusual choice to flank the front door to one’s house, don’t you think?
Stenocereus eruca
Stenocereus eruca creeping across the grounds of Lotusland.
Creeping Devil cactus (Stenocereus eruca), which is native to the Pacific coast of Baja California Sur, Mexico, is a member of the family Cactaceae. I think it is one of the most unique cacti. The surreal creeping form looks as if it’s crawling over the ground to attack an unsuspecting intruder. It’s easy to understand how it got its common name!
Stenocereus alamosensis
The octopus-like Stenocereus alamosensis.
The octopus-like Stenocereus alamosensis (Octopus Cactus) is native to Sonora and Sinaloa, Mexico. It is viviparous. In other words, its seeds germinate before leaving the parent plant.
Stenocereus alamosensis is categorised as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which means it is very likely to become extinct. For more information on the IUCN and its Red List of Threatened Species, see the IUCN Website.
Dracaena draco
The Dracaena draco in all its dragoness.
Opposite the motor court of the house is the Dracaena Circle garden whose centre is punctuated with a Dracaena draco (Dragon Tree). The dense branching of the Dracaena draco creates a beautiful umbrella-like canopy.
A rather slow-growing tree, the Dracaena draco gets its name from the red sap (“dragon’s blood”) that is released when the trunk is cut. The sap has medicinal uses.
Dracaena draco, which is Native to the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Madeira, and western Morocco, is also categorised as a vulnerable species by the IUCN.
Beaucarnea recurvata
Beaucarnea recurvata (Dr. Seuss Tree).
Beaucarnea recurvata, has several common names including Elephant’s Foot, Ponytail Palm, and my favourite, Dr Seuss tree. The signature large base of the plant’s stem is for storing water.
Beaucarnea is a species in the Asparagaceae family and is native to the states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz, and San Luis Potosí in eastern Mexico. Numerous organisations, including SEMARNAT, the Mexican environmental agency, consider Beaucarnea recurvata a threatened species.
Jubaea chilensis
The thick-trunked Jubaea chilensis.
Jubaea chilensis (Chilean Wine Palm or Chilean Cocopalm) is endemic to Central Chile. It is also categorised as a vulnerable species by the IUCN.
Like most palm trees, the Jubaea chilensis grows very slowly. In fact, it takes upwards of 20 years for the Chilean Wine Palm to reach the height of a medium tree. At maturity it can reach a height of more than 80 feet (25 metres) with a trunk up to 4.3 feet in diameter (1.3 metres) at the base – interestingly its trunk is often thicker higher up the tree.
Judaea chilensis has pinnate leaves roughly 10 to 16.5 feet long (3 to 5 metres). Of the more than 2,600 known species of palms, Jubaea chilensis is the second most massive. It’s BIG, especially its thick trunk.
The common name refers to the past use of the sap from the trunk of this palm to produce a wine-like beverage. Its sap is also boiled down into a syrup and sold in Chile as miel de palma (palm honey).
Lotusland: It’s Not All Weird
Don’t get me wrong, this post may have focused on a handful of the more unusual and odd looking plants at Lotusland. Truth be told, Lotusland has many absolutely beautiful specimen plants and trees that are probably more recognisable than these six wonderfully weird plants. However, to me many are a bit … well, a bit conventional. For me, the weird and wonderful plants will continue to draw me to Lotusland like a magnet to steel.
I’m not the only one who finds Lotusland one of the most exciting botanical gardens I’ve ever seen. The UK’s Telegraph newspaper recently named Lotusland one of the 10 most beautiful gardens in the world. 10 Beautiful Gardens You Must Visit in Your Lifetime.
PLAN A VISIT
Lotusland
Cold Springs Road
Montecito, California 93108, USA
Telephone: (805) 969-9990
Lotusland Opening Hours:
All guests are lead on docent-guided tours of the gardens, which are offered at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday (16th February through 15th November).
Consult the Lotusland website for additional information.
Tickets (to make a reservation and purchase tour tickets call 805-969-9990):
Adults: $48
Children ages 3 to 17: $24
Children ages 2 and under: Free
Reservations are required.
Getting There:
Lotusland is located in Montecito near Santa Barbara, California, about a two-hour drive northwest of downtown Los Angeles via US-101 North. Ample parking is available.
Interested in other botanical gardens in the Los Angeles area? Check out The Lab’s review of the Huntington Botanical Gardens.
Interested in Global Garden Lab’s other inspiration gardens? Check out our Map of Inspiration Gardens.
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