A collection of rare plants, with a name fit for spooky season, have been recognised as a nationally-important type of threatened species.
Chester Zoo’s Dracula orchids have been recognised by Plant Heritage which is a conservation charity for cultivated plants.
The recognition highlights the importance of protecting the group of plants which is threatened in the wild.
It is the sixth time the zoo in Cheshire has been named the official holder of a National Plant Collection.
Chester Zoo cares for more than half of the 147 scientifically-recognised species of Dracula orchid, which, despite their bloodsucking name, are harmless to humans.
They are among the rare plants horticulturists at the zoo are helping to safeguard from threats including habitat loss and illegal removal.
The orchids appear to have dressed up for Halloween, said Brie Langley, assistant team manager for the zoo’s plant nursery, although they are not scary – she added some have flowers that look more like monkeys’ faces than anything from a horror film.
“The name actually comes from the same root as the vampire Dracula’s: it means ‘little dragon’,” she explained.
“I don’t see it, to be honest – I think they look more like they are pretending to be monkeys
“Dracula roezlii, one of our star species, looks a bit spooky as we grow it in a calabash, a dried, hollow gourd that looks a bit like a skull.”
Dracula orchids come from the cloud forests of the Andes in Latin America, and are a very diverse group. As well as their colourful “costumes” they can also disguise their smell.
Some species give off a mushroom-like odour to attract fungus gnats which carry pollen from plant to plant, fertilising the orchids.
“It’s very rare to have cloud forest orchids available to study in the UK,” Langley added.
“We look after more than 75 of the 147 scientifically recognised species of Dracula orchids, and every one of the plants we look after is threatened by illegal extraction, habitat loss or illicit mining.
“They are difficult to display because they want to be in a cloud, so they quickly wilt if conditions are not right. But people can see ultra rare cacti and Nepenthes in the Plant Project.”
The Dracula orchids are not currently on public display, but plants from the zoo’s five other national collections are on show
These include tropical pitcher plants (Nepenthes), rare cactus species (Copiapoa, Matucana, Turbinicarpus) and South American orchids (Pleurothallidinae) are on show.
“If anyone is looking for something spooky to look at, Nepenthes plants are a good place to start,” advised Luke Bunn, the zoo’s lead horticulturist.
“They are quite alien looking, as they grow long, tube-shaped pitchers with open mouths.
“They are carnivorous plants and they tempt insects in through these mouths, where they fall into a liquid that slowly digests them.
“Like Dracula orchids, Nepenthes species face serious threats, but our conservation teams are helping survey and protect them in the wild, and our science and plants team are working together to propagate them in human care to make sure they have a future.”
Gwen Hines, CEO of Plant Heritage, said the organisation was thrilled to award Chester Zoo their sixth National Plant Collection.
“It’s a wonderful reminder of the amazing plant conservation work that is going on at the zoo and we’re excited to hear about their upcoming projects,” she said.
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