One might research this concept genetically and a project might be initiated so groundwork for this idea becomes reality. It might take quite a while for an idea like this to grow and come to fruition.

The knowledge of plant genetics would need to be extensive. With time these Living Flora Buildings could hold the genetics of everytype of flora known. Specific genetic characteristics could be tailored to specific environmental pressures and/or an individual’s particular tastes. Living Flora Buildings could be grown rapidly using a kind of liquid nutrient scaffolding similar to sea water that allows kelp to grow two feet aday. Once a home or building was grown to the necessary specifications its growth could be stopped at the genetic level and the Living Flora Building could serve as a kind of assembly line producing more genetically engineered building seeds for anyone who wanted a Living Flora Building.

The walls and roof could be a composite of various evergreens and cacti to provide oxygen and a food source. A unified genetically pleached branch (see arborsmith.com for definition of pleaching) or large appropriately placed leaves might serve as roofing material depending on how much insulation was needed. The opaque portions of variegated leaves could form semidiaphanous windows that would allow light into the living dwelling. Big genetically engineered cotton pods stemming from the interior of thehome might be used as bedding. Tables and chairs could be grown directly from the walls and floor. Cork could also be used as a padding for floors or seats. Rain water could be collected from the roof and drain down through hollow drainage trunks similar to reeds that would allowed water to drain from the roof to the roots below (like bamboo without the internal structural segments). The roots might be oriented like upside down mushroom caps that might "cup" and collect liquid and dissolved soil nutrients to provide maximum absorption of said nutrients.

Guttation to a pitcherplant or rafflesia might be feasible. All the food producing plants known could be genetically engineered into the makeup of the living plant building to provide a nourishing liquid food source if one got was in need of nourishment. This liquid food source would be faster and easier to produce than seed or fruit as cellulose fibers and hard seed casings wouldn't need to be made. This liquid ambrosia formed from the grains, legumes,nuts, seeds, and fruits that sustain life on Earth today could form this organic cocktail which could be further improved using a genetic matrix specifically designed for the individual at the geneticlevel to provide the most efficient food possible.

Using the genetic material of all flora such as: baobab (for life span and girth),bristlecone pine (life span), and redwood (life span, height, insect resistance and fungal resistance), one could have a food and oxygen producing shelter thatcould live several thousand years and might grow to functionality rapidly using Kudzu DNA which grows a foot a day or seaweed and bamboo which can grow two feet a day (if the right environmental conditions and nutrient medium was used).

Bioluminescent fungi might be used at the cellular level in conjunction with chloroplast. This bioluminescence could be bright enough to sustain the photosynthetic process without need for sunlight or artificial light.