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CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The days are numbered for Maya, the century plant that outgrew the ceiling of the desert house at the Garfield Park Conservatory.
Officials want to keep her largely intact, and they're asking for help.
WBBM's Steve Miller reports.
More than 12 feet of Maya is above the roof. In April, they removed a pane of glass to let her bloom.
An agave plant like Maya isn't used to the cold.
"She's likely shivering, with a shroud of snow on her,” said Ray Jorgensen, floriculturist at Garfield Park Conservatory.
He said the plan is to bring her down before Thanksgiving. They’d like to preserve the top 25 feet of Maya.
Jorgensen says that involves lifting her from the top. He said that would require a large crane.
"So we're kind of hoping that someone, in the spirit of the holiday, finds altruism in them to come to our rescue, maybe,” Jorgensen said.
So, Garfield Park Conservatory is asking for someone to donate the use of a large crane, for Maya.