Botanic Garden

Opened in 1996, the Botanic Garden has grown to 32 acres of exhibits, and showcases plants from the American Southwest and around the world.

The Botanic Garden’s BUGarium is one of the most elaborate exhibits dedicated to bugs and arthropods in the country.

The Travel Channel cites ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden as one of the top 12 in the country!

Seasonal Update:

Learn more about featured seasonal plants!

Featured on 7/10/24: The lily is one of the oldest flowers known, with origins rooted in Europe and Asia. There are references to them dating back to 16th Century B.C., frequent mentions in Greek mythology, and paintings of them in the Egyptian pyramids! Though there are many species that include the word 'lily' in their common name, true lilies are only found in the genus Lilium.

111 species and various hybrids and cultivars are separated into taxonomic sections (a ranking between genus and species). The Asiatic lily division is considered the easiest to grow and have the widest range of colors, although usually unscented, and grow between two to six feet tall depending on the hybrid. Their single bloom for the season opens earlier than other types; starting in May, June, or July and staying for about a month. Their foliage then dies down in the fall and they regrow the next summer.

Although Asiatic lilies love six hours of good sun at the top of the stalk, their roots need to stay cooler so it's recommended to add ground cover plants or a layer of mulch around the base. Choose a spot with loose, well-draining soil. To prevent root rot the soil surface needs to be allowed dry between watering, but they need a regular one to two inches of water per week especially in hotter weather. You can see many different cultivars of Lilium throughout the Botanic Garden, including the Lilium cv. pictured below in the Children’s Fantasy Garden.

Featured on 7/3/24: Eryngium planum, commonly known as the blue eryngo or flat sea holly, is one of about 250 species in the genus Eryngium. Members of the genus are found all over the world, but E. planum originates in a range from central and southeastern Europe and central Asia. In floriography, the language of flowers, they represent admiration. The blue eryngo provide eye-catching ornamental value to gardens with their unique color and texture, as well as a long and prolific blooming season from June to September. They are highly attractive to bees and butterflies; this addition to your xeric landscape can make your garden a pollinator haven!

Blue eryngo are a taprooted plant that don't relocate easily, so pick a good spot in dry, sandy, well-drained soil where they can enjoy at least 6 hours of full sun. Drainage and avoiding overwatering are important to prevent root rot, and once established they are low maintenance and drought tolerant. It blooms its first year from seed and comes back every spring, soon forming a nice clump, but doesn't overtake its neighbors. So set aside a nice patch in your garden, you won't be disappointed!

Featured on 6/19/24: Punica granatum produces the eye-catching pomegranate fruit, which is highly sought after for it's many nutrition benefits. In fact, it's one of the oldest fruits in cultivation! It's rich in symbolic and mythological associations in many cultures, but is believed to have originated from Afghanistan and Iran before being introduced and exported to other parts of Asia, Africa, Europe, and eventually the Americas. P. granatum has more than 500 named cultivars and characteristics between genotypes vary in fruit size, exterior fruit colors from yellow to purple (though pink and red are the most common), seed-coat colors ranging from white to red, the hardness of seed, maturity, juice content and its acidity, sweetness, and astringency.

P. granatum is a deciduous shrub or small tree that grows between 16 and 33 ft tall. They are easy-to-grow and low-maintenance fruit trees that require about the same care you’d expect from any other fruiting tree or shrub! Plants fruit best in areas with long, hot and dry summers (90°F+) and cooler winters, with at least 6 hours of full sun. They need average, but consistent, moisture on a regular schedule until the roots are well established. Once mature, their deep root system makes pomegranates drought-tolerant and long-lived, with some specimens in France surviving for 200 years. They can thrive in a wide variety of soil conditions and any well-drained soil type. The bright fruit is typically in season in the Northern Hemisphere from September to February, in addition to the vibrant orange-red summer flowers and brilliant yellow leaves in the fall.

Featured on 6/5/24: Reactions to Dracunculus vulgaris range from "Wow!" and "Stunning!!" to "What is that awful smell?!" The rotting meat smell they emanate has also earned the dragon lily quite a few other descriptive nicknames, among them stink lily and carrion flower (although this is widely used for many plants in the family Araceae and some other genera). These blooms will take your breath away in more ways than one: the spathes (a petal-like specialized leaf) can be up to 20" long and 8" wide, cradling the deep blackish-purple spadix (fleshy stem) which is actually the true flower. The smell is used to attract flies and some beetles as their pollinators, and the spathe will even close around them temporarily to make sure they are clothed in pollen before releasing them. In addition to enticing flies with their scent, many species in this family are capable of self-heating to provide a warm & cozy place for their insects. The dragon lily can reach about 64.4°F, but other species can go up to 113°F!

This exotic-looking conversation starter is quite resilient and easy to grow with consistent water and plenty of sun, requiring little maintenance otherwise. They grow wild by rivers, ponds, and forest edges in their native habitat on the Balkan Peninsula and surrounding areas. They need partial shade here under our intense southwestern sun, and be conscious that more sun requires more water. However, they are a tuber and can rot if sitting soaked so you will need to find that balance to keep it damp but not soggy. Gloves are recommended for handling due to skin irritants, and it is toxic if ingested but most animals steer clear. Although the smell only last a few days, most gardeners avoid planting it near windows, doors, or the edges of heavily trafficked pathways.