Temperate House

Once the largest plant house in the world and now the world's largest surviving Victorian glass structure, the Temperate House is another of Decimus Burton's iconic designs.

Temperate House plants in detail

Tender woody plants from the world's temperate regions have always been a major part of the collection at Kew. In Victorian times, the intensity of collecting meant that the Orangery and many other houses quickly became vastly overcrowded so, in 1859, it was decided to build another major glasshouse to complement the Palm House.

The main centre block and the octagons at each end were built between 1859 and 1862 and the end blocks were added between 1860 and 1899. At 4,880 square metres, it is the largest public glasshouse at Kew, twice the size of the Palm House.

Today, the planting is in geographical zones as intended in Burton's original design. The scheme now represents many more regions than there were originally. The plant collection includes many spectacularly beautiful specimens that are deservedly admired, but it represents much more than that. Among the plants on display here are endangered island species being propagated for reintroduction to their native lands, such as Hibiscus liliiflorus from Rodrigues Island and Trochetiopsis erthroxylon from St. Helena.

There are also many plants of significant economic importance such as the date palm, tea (Camellia sinensis), quinine (Cinchona) and a comprehensive citrus collection.

The Temperate House holds an extensive collection of temperate American plants, including fuchsias, salvias and brugmansias. Also in the central section of the Temperate House is the Australian collection, with grass trees; the delightful 'kangaroo's paws' (so called for the shape of its flowers), and a fine array of banksias, named after Joseph Banks, who collected them and who is so intimately connected with Kew.

Plant profile: Chilean wine palm

The world's largest indoor plant is the Chilean wine-palm (Jubaea chilensis) in the centre of the Temperate House, which is 16 m (52 ft) high - and still growing! It was grown from seed and there is a replacement nearby, ready for the time when this huge wine palm no longer fits into the roof space.

Flowers after 160 years
This king protea (Protea cynaroides) from the Cape seems to have relished the conditions after the 1982 restoration, as it bloomed in 1986 after a gap of exactly 160 years and can be seen growing in the south end of the House.

The rarest plant at Kew
A cycad, Encephalartos woodii, was presented to Kew by the Natal National Park and is not only the rarest plant in the Gardens, but one of the last surviving specimens in the world. The Kew tree is a lone male and it remains an extraordinary challenge to encourage a seed cone from this plant.

Continue the tour

Back up to: Pagoda Vista Zone

Carry on to: Pavilion

See also

Kew's History & Heritage: Temperate House