Chomp!

The Conservatory of Flowers has banners around the city with the name of its new exhibit on carnivorous plants in large print: Chomp! Last week I finally had a chance to see this display of exotic plants.

I always find the Conservatory a peaceful respite from the hustle of the city. It's nice to walk around the Victorian-era greenhouse and see what flowers are in bloom and to view the many unusual plants.

As for "Chomp," I found it disappointing. The exhibit is much smaller than I expected. I also imagined that I would see plants devouring bugs as I walked by, but this was not to be.

The lighthearted displays describe how the plants attract and digest bugs and small animals and make the plants seem almost ferocious. However, the plants are quite tame. Most do not move. Rather, they attract the insects into a tube where the bugs get stuck and are then dissolved by enzymes secreted by the plant. Then the plant absorbs the nutrients from the remains of the insect. The only exception is the Venus Fly Trap, but no bug landed on any of these plants as I strolled by.

A visit to the Conservatory is always worthwhile if you enjoy flowers and plants. Just don't make a special trip just to see Chomp! The Conservatory is located on John F. Kennedy Drive in the eastern end of Golden Gate Park. It is open Tuesday - Sunday from 9:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

If you would like to take a private tour of San Francisco that includes a visit to the Conservatory of Flowers and perhaps the nearby Japanese Tea Garden and/or the Arboretum, please call me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.