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Conservatories

Cacti and succulent plants in front of a beige Mediterranean wall

The Shoenberg Arid House constitutes one of the Garden's most botanically diverse displays in a small area, inviting visitors to explore specimens from the Garden's vast collection of cacti, succulents, and other arid plants all under one roof.  

Opened in 2024 following a landscaping renovation, the Arid House is located in the space formerly known as the Shoenberg Temperate House, just north of the Climatron®. The glass conservatory is connected to the Climatron ® through the Brookings Exploration Center. 

The Garden's arid plant collection dates back more than 150 years and currently includes around 1,500 taxa—many of which have not been displayed at the Garden for decades.

Learn More About Cacti at the Garden

Arid and semi-arid regions—hot and dry environments where rainfall quickly evaporates—account for over a third of the earth’s surface. Plants that thrive in these harsh conditions develop an array of fascinating adaptations and form plant communities containing some of the world's most important biodiversity hotspots.

Plants in the Arid House are arranged by ecoregions, areas of land or water characterized by distinct climate and ecological features, such as geology, soils, flora, and fauna. Specimens on display in the Arid House reflect various landscapes in Africa, West Asia, and the Americas, and include many rare and endangered species. 

 

Karomia gigas flower

Karomia gigas

On display for the first time anywhere in the world, Karomia gigas is one of the world’s rarest trees. 

The Garden has been working to save this tree—a member of the mint family that can grow up to 80 feet tall—from extinction, as fewer than 50 are left in the wild.
 

Back from the Brink: Saving a Species from the Edge of Extinction

The 8,900-square foot structure that houses the Shoenberg Arid House originally opened as the Shoenberg Temperate House in March 1990 following a two-year construction period. The facility was designed by the Christner Partnership, Inc. of St. Louis and gifted to the Garden by the Trustees of the Shoenberg Foundation, Inc. 

The Arid House is glazed with the same low-emissivity, energy-efficient glass used in the Climatron, and its southward roof slope allows maximum penetration of solar rays. A computerized climate control system maintains year-round temperatures akin to those found in the arid regions reflected by the plants displayed in the Arid House.

At the center of the Arid House is a Moorish walled garden reflecting major elements in the history of formal design. An antique portico overlooks the Moorish garden, once the facade of St. Leo’s School in St. Louis. This portico was the work of the sons of George I. Barnett, a local 19th century architect who designed several historical buildings on the Garden's grounds.