Kent State’s greenhouse

Few students are aware that near the center of campus, there sits a lush green oasis — even in the middle of January.

Kent State’s greenhouse, officially known as the Herrick Conservatory, is attached to the back of Cunningham Hall. The 7,500 square foot greenhouse was built in 1960. It is primarily used to supply biology and botany classes with plants or to provide plants to researchers at Kent State, greenhouse manager Chris Rizzo says.

The greenhouse, which welcomes visitors with its warm, earthy aroma, is divided into several rooms based on the type of plants within. Cacti and succulents, for example, prefer dry warmth, while ferns need humidity to thrive. Orchids are notoriously difficult to grow, yet the greenhouse has nearly 200 different varieties of them.

“They need constant wind movement and fairly low light,” Rizzo says over the soft whirr of a fan in that room.

With the delicate blooms of so many varieties of orchids available year-round, it’s easy to see why they are one of the most popular attractions in the building.

“Most people are attracted to the orchids and the carnivorous plants,” Rizzo says. “The kids always like these,” he says, proudly holding a Venus’ Fly-trap.

Even though the Herrick Conservatory is warm and lush throughout the year, Rizzo admits that some plants can tell that it’s winter outside.

“Ohio has pretty cloudy winters, which means there can be a shortage of light,” he says, indicating a row of plants under lamps. “If I keep a light on them, they don’t know.”