Finch Greenhouse

  • Aristolochia in Finch Greenhouse.

    Aristolochia

    The inner part of the flower acts as a flytrap, then releases the fly covered with pollen.

  • Encyclia growing in the greenhouse.

    Encyclia

    A specimen from the Ed and Donna Schumann Orchid Collection.

  • Flowering vine.

    Bougainvillea

    This woody-stemmed, evergreen, tropical, twining climber can grow 15 to 30 feet long.

  • Milkweed used in Dr. Stephen Malcolm's research.

    Milkweed Asclepias curassavica

    Plants used in Dr. Stephen Malcolm's research program.

  • Cactus in Finch Greenhouse.

    Cactus

    The word "cactus" is a name originally used for a spiny plant whose identity is not certain.

The greenhouse facility in the Department of Biological Sciences at Western Michigan University was made possible by the generous gift of Francis and Geraldine Finch of Schoolcraft, Michigan.

Manufactured by Rough Brothers and completed on the WMU campus at Wood Hall in the summer of 1997, this state-of-the-art greenhouse facility provides faculty, staff, graduate and undergraduate students the opportunity to conduct plant, plant-insected and related research in a controlled environment.

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Greenhouse scope and direction

Traditionally and still today the greenhouse is devoted to:

  • Providing quality plants for laboratory instruction.
  • Maintaining a permanent conservatory collection.
  • Providing quality state-of-the-art space and services to the faculty, graduate and undergraduate students in the Department of Biological Sciences conducting plant related research. Priority for space and services are given to the faculty and students in the Department of Biological Sciences.

Since 2010 the Finch greenhouse has partnered with WMU's:

  • Landscape Services by providing annuals such as petunia and moss rose; cool fall crops such as kale, cabbage and hardy mums; and a collection of large tropical plants that decorate campus during the summer and fall and are overwintered in the Finch Greenhouse.
  • Natural Areas Program by starting nearly 20,000 Michigan native perennial seedlings which have been planted on the main campus, Kleinstuck Preserve and at Gibbs House.
  • Office for Sustainability by providing space and services early in the year to grow high-quality plants and start hundreds of vegetable seedlings that are planted at the Gibbs House and the WMU Community Garden.

Financial needs

The Biological Sciences Finch Greenhouse is a thriving facility with quality state-of-the-art space. There is always a need to fund supplies and plant purchases to support the faculty and students conducting plant related research. The link below takes you to a donation page. Replace the $0.00 with the dollar amount you will contribute.  Complete the rest of the form and submit your gift. We appreciate your ongoing generosity. 

Make a Donation

 

Contacts

For additional information, contact:

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