We are renovating the Palm House
2024 marked the 150th anniversary of the completion of the Palm House complex, built in the heart of the newly established Botanical Garden in 1874. After many years exposed to the elements, the Palm House is now undergoing a major renovation to ensure that the listed glasshouse will endure for generations to come.
Every year, the Palm House attracts thousands of visitors from Denmark and abroad, who come to experience the tropics in the centre of the city. The renovation is essential to ensure that the house meets the standard of visitor experience we aim to offer – particularly ahead of the opening of the new museum building in spring 2027.
At the same time, the Palm House must continue to accommodate a large part of the Botanical Garden’s living collection, which requires very specific environmental conditions to thrive. During the renovation, many of the plants will be moved or covered to protect them from damage. For this reason, the renovation is being carried out in stages, with one section closed to the public at a time.
The renovation involves both exterior and interior improvements. We will repaint the iron framework, replace the sunshades, repair the masonry, and clean the glass. In addition, a number of technical upgrades will be carried out to optimise light, temperature, and humidity for the many tropical and subtropical plants – while also improving energy efficiency and resource use.
The Palm House section with warm subtropics is currently closed to the public due to renovation works. The rest of the Palm House, the Butterfly House and the Succulent House remain open as normal.
Palm House in the Botanical Garden
Entrance to the Palm House
Exit
This is where your experience in the Palm House ends.
Aquatic Plants and Mangrove
This section of the Palm House holds aquatic plants and swamp plants, mostly from tropical areas. All have in common that they live submerged in water or at the water’s surface. Notable species are the mangrove trees whose characteristic stilt roots make them adapted to living in areas with a heavy tide.
The smell it omits while in bloom imitates – very successfully – the stench of a rotting carcass, which attracts pollinating insects.
Warm Subtropics
This house reproduces the fertile conditions of warm subtropical areas and tropical mountain ranges.
Many plants that are of world-wide economic importance grow here, such as the date palm, coffee, cinnamon, avocado, and a number of citrus species.
Tropical Rainforest
The large dome at the center of the Palm House complex contains an unusually large and scientifically significant collection of cycads. One of them dates back to 1824 and is among the tallest under glass in Europe.
The fig trees (Ficus) are another valuable collection, with the oldest specimen dating back to the 1860s.
Giant bamboo (Dendrocalamus giganteus) grows in the southeastern part of the greenhouse. With a growth rate of up to 40 cm per day, it requires pruning several times a year, and once, it even grew through the glass roof!
The small sculpture Mask (1977) by Danish sculptor Sonia Ferlow Mancoba is hidden among the plants.
Dry Tropical Regions
Many of the plants in this house such as Saintpaulias, or African violets, are popular houseplants, but the house also holds several plants that are very nasty to touch, so beware! Some species are relatives of the common nettle but have a much stronger poison. They can hurt several months after touching.
The northern side of the greenhouse holds a collection of ferns, including large specimens of staghorn ferns hanging from the ceiling.
Mediterranean House
The Mediterranean House has an important collection of subtropical zone plants, mostly from areas with winter rain and summer draught such as the Mediterranean areas in Europe, South Africa, and Southwestern Australia.
Here you can find common trees such as olive, eucalyptus, and strawberry tree, but also rare and unique species from Australia. One of these, Wollemia nobilis, was believed to be extinct until a small group of these coniferous trees were discovered in a inaccessible gorge in Wollemi National Park in 1994.
On the southern side of the greenhouse you will find an interesting collection of carnivorous plants kept safely within their own small vitrine.
Succulent House
The house reproduces the dry environment that favours succulents, although other plant groups also thrive here.
Highlights here include examples of the world’s largest cactus, the edible prickly pears, and the golden barrel cactus from Mexico that grows in lava at 1400 meters altitude.
This house is part of the Palm House complex and requires a ticket.
Butterfly House
In the Butterfly House, colorful butterflies flutter among passion flowers and pineapple plants. Experience the life and transformation of butterflies up close.
This house is part of the Palm House complex and requires a ticket.
Ticket Sale
Buy your tickets her for the Palm House (incl. the Butterfly House ) and the museum.
Coffee Cart Mundfryd
Serves refreshments under the open sky during the summer season. Open depending on the weather.
Toilets
These Stairs are Closed
Access is through the ticket sales at the end of the Palm House.
These Stairs are Closed
Access is through the ticket sales at the end of the Palm House.
