Featured Plant

In Guatemala and north to the neighboring province of Chiapas in Mexico, are tropical forests on 3000-5000-foot mountain tops, where elevation, high humidity, long days of daylight and mild temperatures combine to create a unique ecosystem. There, certain plants in their struggle for sunlight are transformed from small herbs to tree-like specimens, developing huge leaves, large flowers and woody trunks.

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Giant Groundsel, in the Mesoamerican Cloud Forest at the southern edge of the great meadow, is an example of the effects of this environment. The dinner-plate-sized golden flower clusters, 15 inch oval–shaped leaves, and 12–foot trunks are a remarkable alteration of a familiar if inconspicuous wildflower. The common groundsel (Senecio vulgaris) is found in sunny meadows worldwide, and grows 12 inches high at the most, with yellow flower heads and small leaves.