At the east entrance of the gallery, we reached out gingerly to touch the intriguingly vicious spines studding the swollen trunk of the Peruvian silk floss tree.

The silk floss tree (Ceiba speciosa, formerly Chorisia speciosa), is a species of deciduous tree native to the tropical and subtropical forests of South America.

The collections include: amorphophallus, balsa, bamboo, baobab, bromeliads, cycads, Everglades palms, heliconias, leather ferns, Lignum vitae, Paradise trees, platycerium, Pond Apple, Silk Floss trees, a Triangle fig tree, Vireyas, and water lilies.