When we hear the term "tropics" we automatically think of humid and hot ecosystems. However, in the tropics there are numerous mountains in which plants grow that have adapted to the corresponding tropical-alpine/montane climatic conditions. A special feature are the tropical mountain cloud forests. These are characterized by cool temperatures and very high humidity. Tropical cloud forests are among the most species-rich ecosystems on earth, but are even more threatened by climate change than other tropical ecosystems.

With the new construction of the tropical greenhouses, a cloud forest house could also be constructed in the Botanical Garden. It is the only one of its kind in Europe. In the cloud forest house many rare tropical mountain plants are shown, the orchids, mosses, fuchsias and bromeliads, which can grow only in this special damp-cool tropical mountain climate.

On display at the Cloud Forest House are, among others:

• Andean alder (Alnus acuminata)
• Dracula orchid (Dracula vampira and many other Dracula species)
• Large-scaled fuchsia (Fuchsia macrostigma)