The Best Place to See Axolotls in Maryland

Easy Little Plants is a cozy little plant shop in Olney, Maryland. Here, you can meet axolotls, build your own terrarium, and fall in love with your next favorite houseplant. We’re known for our warm, welcoming atmosphere and fun, hands-on workshops for kids and adults alike. Whether you’re booking a birthday party, planning a creative girls’ night, or just popping in to say hi, there’s always something interesting going on.

Come Say Hi to Benny the Axolotl 🦎

You're always welcome to visit our resident black axolotl, Benny! He loves kids and isn't bothered by noise or enthusiasm. He's just as curious about you as you are about him. To get the best chance of seeing him while he's awake and active, drop by (or better yet, schedule a fun activity) between 5 PM and 7 PM.

What Is an Axolotl?

Axolotls (pronounced ACK-suh-lot-uls) are a type of salamander, but unlike most amphibians, they never grow out of their “tadpole” stage. They keep their gills and stay underwater their whole lives! Axolotls are native to two lakes in Mexico. Due to pollution and invasive species, there aren't many wild axolotls left. The good news is that there are a whole lot of axolotls in captivity.

Axolotls come in a few different colors, but most people are familiar with the pink kind (technically called leucistic). Benny, however, is a wild type axolotl, which means he’s dark-colored with black speckles and shiny highlights. The design of the main dragon in How to Train Your Dragon is actually based on black axolotls like Benny!

Fun Facts About Axolotls

• They can regrow limbs, tails, and even parts of their heart or brain!

• Baby axolotls start out without any legs

• After being added to Minecraft, axolotls exploded in popularity, especially with kids!

• Pet axolotls live 10-15 years

Axolotls in Maryland: Meet Our Baby Axolotls!

We often have baby axolotls at the shop too! Right now we’re raising a batch from a breeder in Alaska. Most of them will be copper or wild type like Benny, and they’ll be available for adoption in early August. You can come by any time to say hi—and if you're lucky, you might catch Ponyo (Benny's very dramatic pink son) doing his signature “feed me” dance from across the room.

Axolotls are a huge hit with kids, and we include time to meet them during our workshops and birthday parties. If your kid is obsessed with axolotls (or you are), just let us know when you book. We’re always happy to introduce people to our weird little water babies.