Desert Botanical Garden

Phoenix, the capital of Arizona is home to the Desert Botanical Garden. The garden is a feature of Papago Park which is home to various tourist sites and different pieces of Phoenix history. It is also of note that the garden has been designated as a Phoenix Point of Pride.

About the Garden

The Arizona Cactus and Native Flora Society established the Desert Botanical Garden in 1937. The garden, which spans 55 acres, is home to thousands of species of cactus, trees, and flowers from all over the world.

The Desert Botanical Garden contains over 50,000 plants from over 4,000 taxa, one-third of which are indigenous to the area. These taxa include 379 rare species, that are threatened or endangered.

Features of the garden

In a unique outdoor setting, the Desert Botanical Garden houses the world’s finest collection of arid plants from deserts around the world. The desert plants are displayed in the garden along five thematic trails that cover topics such as conservation, desert living, plants and people of the Sonoran Desert, and desert wildflowers.

These trails include;

– Sonoran Desert Nature Loop Trail

– Center for Desert Living Trail

– Desert Discovery Loop Trail

– Harriet K. Maxwell Desert Wildflower Loop Trail.

Visitors can stroll through these trails to explore the fascinating beauty of the desert, from towering cacti and alluring succulents to brilliant wildflowers.

Collections of plants in the garden include; Agave (4,026 plants in 248 taxa) and

Cacti (13,973 plants in 1,320 taxa) especially of the Opuntia sub-family, plants adapted to

desert conditions which include an Australian collection, a Baja California collection, and a

South American collection. Several ecosystems are also represented, they include a mesquite bosque, a semidesert grassland, and upland chaparral.

The garden also presents Spring and Fall open-air acoustic concert series, art exhibitions, and Las Noches de las Luminarias since 1978. The Luminarias Festival has become a Southwestern Holiday tradition that features live music by the flickering lights of 8000 hand-lit luminaria.

Location of The Desert Botanical Garden

The Desert Botanical Garden is located in Papago Park at 1201 N Galvin Parkway, Phoenix, AZ 85008, United States.

Opening hours are from 8:00 a.m-8:00 p.m daily. For more information on events and exhibitions, kindly visit the Garden’s website. At the Desert Botanical Garden, soak in desert vibes and iconic sunsets while enjoying music by local deejays and musicians.