Arboretums and Botanic Gardens of Arizona
Flagstaff Arboretum and Phoenix Desert Botanical Gardens
Feb 14, 2009
An arboretum is an area of land which has been designated specifically for the cultivation of trees, herbaceous plants, shrubs and flowers for scientific and educational purposes; it is also possible to visit arboretums to view exhibits of these plants, trees and flowers.
A botanical, or botanic, garden is a garden which is used for the study of special plants, often grown in greenhouses; plants are also exhibited for public viewing. Some of the most comprehensive botanic collections are found at Kew Gardens in London, England, a result of many plant explorers' travels of the 18th century; Joseph Banks was one such plant explorer.
Low and High Desert Plants of Arizona
In Arizona, desert plants are the source of many arboretum and botanical garden studies and exhibitions of native desert plants; however, Arizona is often misunderstood when associated with the term desert. Not only does Arizona have traditional native desert plants such as the Saguaro (Carnegieca gigantea), commonly found in the low desert surrounding the cities of Phoenix and Scottsdale, but the northern part of the state is home to many other plant species found at high desert and forest/mountain elevations.
Northern Arizona elevations may be up to 12,633 feet at Humphreys Peak in the San Francisco Plateau. Other elevations of northern Arizona include the North Rim of the Grand Canyon (8,803 feet at Point Imperial) and Flagstaff (6,900 feet) where forests of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) are common.
About The Arboretum at Flagstaff
Flagstaff Arboretum is a non-profit research and educational facility; it is the highest arboretum in the USA, at an elevation of 7,150 feet, to carry out botanic research. It cultivates, conserves and publicly exhibits native plants of the Colorado Plateau which range from alpine tundra to pinyon-juniper forest.
Flagstaff Arboretum has over 200 acres of land and was originally the home of Frances McAllister; it was built in the late 1960s. In 1981, Frances McAllister donated her land, driven by her passion for gardening, to begin the project of creating today's arboretum. Not only does the arboretum educate the public about the native plants of the Colorado Plateau, but it also provides many jobs and garden internships for college students.
Visiting Flagstaff Arboretum
The Arboretum at Flagstaff:
- is closed throughout the winter months each year, due to its high elevation and snowfall (it will reopen in 2009 on April 1).
- has over 2,500 species of plants with guided tours daily
- holds workshops and classes to learn more about gardening and the natural history of the Colorado Plateau.
- is located four miles west of Flagstaff in the Coconino National Forest.
About Phoenix Desert Botanical Gardens
The Desert Botanical Gardens at Phoenix have a collection of over 20,000 desert plants, many of the Sonoran desert region, surrounding the city of Phoenix. The gardens educate the public on desert ecosystems and the diversity of plants found within deserts; they also provide scientists with access to local data of native plants. The research program includes conservation, ethnobotany, ecology and identification and documentation of arid region plants.
Phoenix Desert Botanical Gardens has a full educational program for both adults and children to create a greater understanding of the Sonoran desert, the associated plant life and the importance of native desert plants; the program includes workshops, hikes, trips and classes (such as the Botanical Art and Illustration School).
Visiting Phoenix Desert Botanical Gardens
The Desert Botanical Gardens at Phoenix:
- are open year round, due to their mild weather location in southern Arizona
- are one of 44 botanical gardens accredited by the American Association of Museums
- have 50 acres of outdoor exhibits (of a total 145 acres)
- have 139 rare and endangered plant species from around the world
- are located at Papago Park on North Galvin Parkway in Phoenix.
For Further Information:
Desert Botanical Gardens at Phoenix
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