Cactus exhibition in Kalimpong

KALIMPONG - Hundreds of visitors thronged a nursery to see a cactus show displaying unique varieties of the thorny plant in West Bengal’s Kalimpong District.

The cactus nursery houses the largest collection of cacti in India and in Asia, with over 1,500 varieties.

Sara Paxter, a tourist from the USA, said the nursery has got the best collection of cacti.

“So far it has been wonderful. You have got a lot of diversities here. The blooms are absolutely beautiful,” said Paxter.

The nursery houses exotic and rare varieties of cactus from India, Africa, the Mediterranean, Jamaica, Cuba, North and South America.

S. Pradhan, nursery owner, has an unusual fascination for the plant, and started the nursery as a hobby.

“We are having over 1,500 varieties and they all have been imported. They all are from North, South and Central America,” said Pradhan.

The traditional desert plant, which grows best in temperate weather and dry land, was especially made to grow in the hills of West Bengal.

Special sheds have been constructed to gather maximum heat from the sun in the nursery. By Ajitha Menon (ANI)