Paris, France — Iridescent undergrowth, a rainbow of colors, secret jewel orchids, the ground-dwelling, healing, potentially cancer curing periwinkle, the peaceful passiflora, and of course the beguiling begonias all await to be discovered in Paris during the annual Tropical Autumn show inside the tropical forest greenhouses found within the grounds of France’s national natural history museum, the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle. From white to violet to reds and greens, the focus is on four famous families: the arums, the flowering arrowroots, the waxy begonias and the bromeliads of which pineapples are family members. The show offers a journey into both plants found in nature and those created by man through selective breeding. There are rare plants on view, a world beneath one’s feet and above one’s eyes as multi-colored multi-design plants emerge into view. The very rare « jewels » are presented in miniature greenhouses that pepper the path leading the visitor through this lush universe. The show reveals the almost magical ability of plants to adapt to their at times hostile environments. 

The show continues into the desert plant greenhouse where the cacti and succulent plants explode into an autumnal riot of greys, pinks and violets. The four majestic 19th century greenhouses of France’s National Botanical Gardens offer a wonder-filled world of plants and flora from the tropics, to the deserts, the telling of the tale of the history of plants and the unique treasures found in New Caledonia. The Tropical Autumn show is on until November 27th but the exotic plant adventure is on the agenda throughout the year. ©Trish Valicenti for The Gourmet Gazette. https://www.mnhn.fr/en 57 Rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France, +33 (0)1 40 79 56 01