CACTUS HOUSE

The founder of the Palm Centre Dr. Ragip Esener, has been collecting succulents in Turkiye and abroad worldwide since 1990  ies, and started cultivation of succulents from seeds in 1995 at the Centre. It was then decided to exhibit also cacti and succulents within the Botanical Garden. In line with this decision the Cactus House, the construction of which was started in June 2004, was completed in February 2005.

The area in which the Palm Centre is situated is not suitable for the cultivation of cacti and succulents. The high ground water level, intensive winter rains and simultaneous low temperatures reduce the survival rates of these plants. To avoid these unsuitable constraints, the Cactus House has been built. The Cactus House has been built with an elevation of 1,5–2,5 metres, to protect the plants against high ground water levels and the risk of floods. It is 22 m by 12 m in length and width. To ensure sufficient air circulation, a factor critical for cacti and succulents, the center height of this greenhouse is 7m. Cactus house has 140 m2 (1.506ft²) of cultivation area in its total roofed area of 240 m2  (2.583ft²).  Adjacent to its outside wall  there is a terraced 170 m2 (1.830ft²) open air cultivation area with a rock garden.

The collection has some 300 species and subspecies of succulents included cactii. About 100 of these are situated in open air (exterior), the more sensitive remainders in the greenhouse. The collection mainly consists of Opuntia, Mammillaria, Sedum, Euphorbia, Agave and Aloes. There are more than 1000 plants in the greehouse.

Our thanks are due to the contributions by Mec. Eng Turan Baykal, Cactus Grower Taner Angay and Landcape Architect Nurcan Yeter from VSP Cicekcilik Antalya branch, for the enrichment of the collection.

Amber resting area: This is a lawn area with our endemic Sweet Gum (Liquid amber orientalis) trees, at the south side of the cactus House. There are stone and wooden seating groups and shade loving plants.