Welcome to Sheffield Winter Gardens
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- Abyssinian Banana (Musa ensete)
- Norfolk Island Pine (Araucaria heterophylla)
- New Zealand Flax (Phormium tenax)
- Chusan Palm (Trachycarpus fortunei)
- Australian Tree Fern (Dicksonia antarctica)
- Century Plant (Agave americana Variegata)
- Black Bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra) and Green Bamboo (Phyllostachys viridis)
- Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus spp)
Plants with a tale to tell…
A selection of eight out of the hundreds of plant stories to be discovered in the Winter Garden - a collection of living educational material to delight, inspire and educate future generations.
Abyssinian Banana (Musa ensete)
The banana is one of the world's oldest cultivated plants and the Abyssinian Banana is one of the hardiest varieties. It is farmed in tropical and warm temperate zones for its fruit, fibre and fodder. The banana was first commercially shipped to these islands in 1888 and now we consume a staggering 105 million every week in the UK alone. Have you eaten your two this week?
Norfolk Island Pine (Araucaria heterophylla)
This variety is related to the South American 'Monkey Puzzle' tree. A native of Norfolk Island in the South Pacific this tree was the subject of a 17th Century attempt by the British Government to provide new sources of materials for its sailing fleet. It was hoped that the Norfolk Island Pine would prove to be a prime source of timber for the ships' masts and spars. Unfortunately the resulting timber proved to be too brittle, snapping under the strain and as a result the project was abandoned.
New Zealand Flax (Phormium tenax)
This plant was also part of the 'Norfolk Island Pine Project' by the British Government. The fibres of the plant are some of the finest naturally produced but required highly skilled weavers to turn them into fabric. It proved too slow a process to produce sufficient quantities for replacement sails for the ships. The plant was first introduced into Britain in 1789 by the eminent naturalist Sir Joseph Banks and remains a popular ornamental garden plant to this day.
Chusan Palm (Trachycarpus fortunei)
Originating from China, the fibres found on the trunk of this hardy palm are used to make rough rope and fabric. It has also been a favourite garden plant for the last 150 years due to its hardiness in sheltered locations. Perhaps the most impressive horticultural feature of the Winter Garden - apart from sheer diversity - will be the line of 10 six metre tall Chusan Palms.
Australian Tree Fern (Dicksonia antarctica)
This is one of the oldest plant forms on earth, unchanged for millions of years, it would have been a familiar sight to the dinosaurs. Its stem consists of a mass of roots and in its native habitat the fern grows under a canopy of evergreen trees which protect it from frost.
Century Plant (Agave americana Variegata)
This resilient plant is able to survive the arid deserts of central America. Its sweet sugary sap is used to make the Mexican national drink - Tequila. A closely related species, Agave sisalana - produces tough fibres which are used to make sisal rope, string and carpets.
Black Bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra) and Green Bamboo (Phyllostachys viridis)
Pandas are famous for their love of bamboo. This humble plant is perhaps the most versatile and useful plant known to humanity. In many places bamboo is used as wood for buildings, furniture, utensils, paper and fuel. In some parts of Asia it is even used as scaffolding. 2.2 billion people world wide daily eat bamboo shoots as a vegetable. Some varieties can grow up to a height of 30 metres - taller than the Winter Garden!
Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus spp)
There are over 700 species of this evergreen tree whose leaves are the sole food source of the Koala. Sometimes known as gum trees, because some species exude a sticky, gum-like substance from the trunk, or ironbarks, because of their hard bark. Eucalyptus trees are valued for their timber and the oil found in their leaves, as it is has anti-catarrh, anti-fungal, antibiotic and antiseptic properties. Some eucalyptus species are among the tallest trees in the world.
