An unexpected cold snap in late April forced staff at the Zaporizhzhia City Botanical Garden in Ukraine to heat their tropical greenhouse overnight using wood stoves to protect rare plants.

The sudden snowfall covered blooming magnolias, sakura trees, and tulips in the park, damaging delicate flowers that had already begun to open. Only coniferous trees remained unaffected by the return of winter weather.

Particular concern was raised for the tropical plants inside the "Tropicana" greenhouse, a 910-square-meter facility over 15 meters high, which opened to visitors in autumn 2024. It houses around 1,500 tropical and subtropical plants from around the world.

"The cold affected not only the plants in the open garden but also those inside the tropical greenhouse. We kept wood stoves burning all night to maintain the air temperature at least 15–16°C. Without that, the temperature would have dropped to 1–3°C," said Tamara Yeriomina, director of the garden.

She added that the cold slowed down blooming and caused flowers to fall off. Buds that had not yet opened may still survive, though their development could be delayed.

"The sudden cold is hard on both plants and people — many have already put away their winter clothes. But we made it through winter, and we'll make it through this brief return to it, too. Spring warmth will come," Yeriomina said.

Source: www.floraldaily.com