Krohn Conservatory Manager Mark House said fossilized records show plants have been around for the last 500 million years. He noted they learned to flower 130 million years ago during the Cretaceous Period.
“There were still dinosaurs around. Interestingly during that evolutionary period the dinosaurs did not adapt to these flowering plants, so not only did the plants learn how to flower, they learned how to fruit. The dinosaurs never ate the fruit, but the mammals did, and it was at that point and time when the flowering plants and the mammals started to take over from the dinosaurs and gymnosperms that had been here for millions of years prior,” House said.
The dinosaurs are made out of pieces of tree and bark. House noted they were created by botanical architects who live in Northern Kentucky.
He said the conservatory has never done this exhibit. House added they researched Paleobotany, the scientific study of ancient plants, using plant fossils found in sedimentary rocks, for a year, so they could create an educational and entertaining exhibit.
“Living examples of these ancient plants that are relatives of of the ones that first learned how to flower, I mean we have about 15 different specimens that are closely related to the plants that began flowering as angiosperms 130 million years, so there’s signage all around the room to express that so people can learn,” he said.
The exhibit runs through Oct. 22. House noted they will have a number of events related to the exhibit.
How to go
What: First Flowers featuring Dinosaurs
Where: Krohn Conservatory, 1501 Eden Park Drive, Cincinnati
When: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays and 3-8 p.m. Mondays, through Oct. 22
Online: cincinnati-oh.gov/cincyparks
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