Fabulous 50: Phytotron

May 10th marks the 50th anniversary of the dedication of the Phytotron, originally called the Southeastern Plant Environment Laboratory.  A few months before the dedication, the facility's first director (Robert Jack Downs) gave this description in the Technician:

A phytotron is a system of environments.  Physically it is a shell with a lot of machinery to provide environment control for rooms like at a hotel.  One room might be Raleigh; another could be a summer day or a desert or a rainforest.

Architectural rendering of the Phytotron before it was constructed, ca. 1968The 15 May 1968 Technician gave additional information on the Phytotron's early purpose.  At the time it opened in 1968, the Phytotron was one of only 5 similar facilities in the world.

For more historic photos and other information on the Phytotron, please visit our Historical State site.