WSU SBS Abelson Greenhouse

09/18/2026

We are back with another Today we are highlighting the Orchidaceae family. Orchids belong to the second largest plant family in the world with over 25,000 species and are found on every continent except Antarctica. Well known and collected for their exotic flowers, these plants have the smallest seed of any plant and rely on a symbiotic relationship with fungi in order to survive. Many orchid flowers use mimicry in order trick their pollinators into visiting them. The bee orchid actually looks and smells like a female bee. Some orchids live underground (subterranean), some grow on rocks (lithophytes) and some grow in the soil (terrestrial), but most are epiphytes growing on other plants. Did you know the vanilla bean is produced by an orchid?

09/11/2026

Happy While walking through the greenhouse, trying to decide which family to highlight this week, I noticed the Begonias were putting on quite a show. The Begoniaceae family has over 2000 species in just two genera. The genus Begonia with origins from Africa and the genus Hillebrandia from the Hawaiian islands. Known best for their striking asymmetrical foliage, and monoecious flowers (separate male and female flowers on the same plant). They also exhibit a little bit of trickery in the form of floral mimicry, also known as psuedoanthry. You see the female flowers do not produce any nectar, or reward for their pollinators ( mainly bees) so to entice them they have developed their stigmas to resemble pollen filled anthers. This mimicry attracts bees looking for pollen to visit the female flowers and in doing so pollen is transferred from male to female flowers. Pollination success!

09/04/2026

Happy Plant Family Friday! This year we will be exploring all 145 families we currently have in our collection. We are kicking it off with the Araceae family. With 143 genera this family is known as the Aroid family. Most identifiable by its unique inflorescence called a spadix that is usually surrounded by a spathe. This family of plants also produce calcium oxalate crystals in its tissues that make it toxic to ingest unless properly prepared. It is also host to the smallest flower (duckweeds) and largest flower structure ( Amorphophallus titanum) in the world.

08/22/2026

Due to scheduling conflict with the Lentil Festival we are cancelling our plant sale fundraiser today. Enjoy your lentil chili and check back with us for Family Weekend in October for our next sale. Actually dates and time are still to be determined.

08/20/2026

08/19/2026

Don’t forget to stop by the Abelson Greenhouse the 20th - 22nd from 10-3!

08/10/2026

Welcome back students! Come check us out at the Abelson Greenhouse and pick up a few oxygenators for your apartments on the 20-22 from 10-3. We have lots of easy care plants for the first timers as well as some for those that like a challenge. Supplies are limited so don’t wait to the last minute.

04/13/2026

It’s that time again, We have house plants a-plenty, all proceeds from our plant sales help fund the collection up in Abelson for everyone to enjoy! So if you have some time come swing by and grab a plant or just enjoy our greenhouse 😊

01/16/2026

Paphiopedilum or “Lady’s slipper orchids” have a unique floral pouch. This feature has made them a prized collectible among orchid enthusiasts and has led to the cultivation of many hybrids. In nature they grow on the forest floors in rich humus layers. Unfortunately due to their popularity they are extremely threatened in the wild due to poachers and habitat destruction.

10/14/2025