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As one of the longest-living plants in the world, the Welwitschia mirabilis can live over 2,000 years old in the wild. They are native to the harsh, arid conditions of the Namib desert, and has remained relatively unchanged ALL THE WAY from the Cretaceous period - thats over 100 million years ago! To give you some perspective, the T-rex, triceratops, and velociraptors existed at the same time as this plant.
The Welwitschia - typically has only two leaves that grow continuously from its base throughout its lifespan. While the new leaf material grow outward from a thick, woody, short trunk, these leaves fray and split over time, giving the plant a ragged, tattered appearance.
Looking at the dead center of this plant, most of us would mistakenly assume - that all Welwitschias are female. But they are dioecious, meaning male and female cones appear on separate plants. Male cones produce pollen, while female cones produce seeds.
All of the welwitschias shown here were grown from seeds decades ago, in an undisclosed nursery location in Thailand. Learn more from the full episode - link is in the description
#onlyplants #Welwitschia #Welwitschiamirabilis #desertplants #desertplant #cacti #succulent
