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Walking through the Denver Botanic Gardens and saw the weirdest cactus display | Botany Lovers - Opinions Matter

Walking through the Denver Botanic Gardens and saw the weirdest cactus display

I was there last weekend and they had this whole section of cacti and succulents under these bright purple grow lights. It looked cool, like something from a sci-fi movie, but it got me thinking. The sign said the lights help them grow better inside. One side of me thinks, hey, if it keeps rare plants alive and lets people see them, that's a good thing. The other side feels a bit off, like we're forcing these plants to live in a fake world just for our show. It's not natural sunlight, you know? I stood there for a good ten minutes just looking at a big prickly pear under this purple glow. Where do you all stand on using fancy tech to grow plants in public gardens? Is it helping them or just making a spectacle?

3 comments

3 Comments

schmidt.eva6mo ago

Looks like a plant rave to me.

casey_lane736mo ago

My spider plant would definitely be the one trying to start the mosh pit... it's already got those wild, spiky leaves going everywhere. My peace lily just sits in the corner judging everyone, refusing to dance. And the cactus? Total wallflower, but you know it's got some hidden moves under all those spines.

nancy8203mo ago

Oh come on, it's not that deep. Those plants are getting exactly what they need to survive and thrive. Purple lights aren't some evil plot, it's literally just giving them the specific spectrum they'd get from the sun anyway, just more concentrated. They're not being tortured, they're being kept alive so people can actually learn about them instead of them just dying in a dark corner. I'm all for being skeptical about stuff but this feels like making a big deal out of nothing. If it works and the plants look healthy, who cares if it's "natural" or not? We drive cars, live in houses with roofs, and eat food from grocery stores, nobody calls that a spectacle. The gardens are probably just trying to show off some cool rare stuff that would never survive here without a little help.