This holiday season we have plenty of interesting and festive plants in our biomes at The Leaf. In the Mediterranean Biome is our succulent tree, a Christmas tree made of soil, moss, and succulent plants.
The succulents in our tree are Sempervivum, a group of succulent plants in the Crassulaceae family that are commonly known as “hens and chicks” or “houseleeks.” These plants are recognized for their leaves that form a rosette, their drought tolerance, and their ability to thrive in challenging conditions, making them a popular choice for rock gardens, xeriscape, and other low-maintenance landscapes.
Assembling the succulent tree for the holiday display took several months and involved many steps for our horticulture team.
1) The horticulturalists created shelves in a tree form with mesh and zip-ties. They covered the outside of the tree with a sheet of mesh and made compartments to minimize soil from settling in the form.
2) Next, they stuffed each compartment with soilless mix and slow-release fertilizer, sealing each compartment with mesh.
3) The team plugged small holes in the mesh and inserted the roots. Each succulent was pinned in with florist wire to help them stay in place and root into the soil.
4) When it was closer to the tree being displayed, dyed moss was pinned to the mesh. Moss helps with water retention, and as succulents do not like much water, the horticulture team mists the tree sparingly.
5) Once the tree was ready, the horticulture team transported it from the Park’s greenhouse to The Leaf’s Mediterranean Biome. There they assembled the halves of the tree, wiring them together and touching it up with moss.
Next time you visit The Leaf wear your holiday sweater and stop by the succulent tree, it’s a great place for a family photo!
