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 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.

Featured on 5/29/24: The genus Opuntia encompasses at least 300 species and hybrids of prickly pear cactus, an iconic symbol of the desert. The shallow roots of easily capture rain water, and excess water is stored in the pads of the plant. Nutritionally, raw opuntia leaves are 88% water. These adaptations help the prickly pear survive during long periods of heat and drought, but they are also the most cold-tolerant of the lowland cacti, extending up into western and southern Canada. Most true cactus are native only to the Americas, but human action has introduced them to many other areas of the world where they have thrived or even been named invasive. The prickly pear is the official plant of the state of Texas, and is found in emblems and symbols for many other countries and cultures around the world. Both the fruit and the pads are often prepared and used to make appetizers, soups, salads, entrees, vegetable dishes, breads, desserts, beverages, candy, jelly, and drinks. In addition to providing a food source for humans and other desert animals, they are also important pollinator plants that support habitat connectivity for migrating pollinators. Cactus makes a great natural fence that keeps in livestock and marks the boundaries of family lands.

Prickly pear cacti naturally thrive in neutral to slightly acidic well-draining soil that is somewhat sandy or gravelly (whether planted outside or in a container), but they can grow in other types of soil if there is ample drainage. Clay or slow-draining soil can be problematic in cool regions where prickly pear will sit in moist soil during winter. They need very little water and in many areas they can survive on rainwater alone, which makes them excellent for xeriscaping. Water them only when the soil is completely dry and be careful not to over-saturate. The fleshy pads of the cactus may shrivel or droop in the winter, but cacti go through cellular changes to protect themselves from frigid temperatures and the pads should plump up again as the temperature rises. The flowers emerge as early as May, then fruit emerges and is ripe in late summer to early winter.

Pictured below is a Comanche Pricklypear in the Lava Flow, named because it is widespread throughout the ancestral lands of the Comanche tribal nation. Follow the trails from the Southwest Desert Conservatory to see many varieties of flowering cactus throughout our New Mexico habitats!

Featured on 5/15/24: The High Desert Rose Garden is officially in bloom! The smell of roses draws you in even before you reach the breezeway, and there's a variety of colors and other flowers on display.

Roses are arguably one of the most famous flowers on Earth. The genus Rosa has over three hundred species and tens of thousands of hybrids or cultivars, something humans have been working on for around 5,000 years! There are three main categories that a species or cultivar will fall into: Old Garden Roses, Wild Roses and Modern Roses. Modern roses are among the most commonly seen, and they were developed to have larger blooms continuously; Old Garden varieties predate 1950. In addition to a rainbow of colors, there are also variations in growth habits including erect shrubs, climbing, or trailing.

In general, roses do best in sunny locations where they are sheltered from strong winds. They thrive best in well-drained, fertile loam soils. Research the best pH for your chosen cultivar, as some roses have adapted to tolerate soil ranging from moderately acidic to moderately alkaline. Though ramblers and other species aren’t responsive to heavy pruning and it can damage the rose, hybrid climbing roses can be pruned to develop new, vigorous canes and to adjust their size to the trellis, pergola, fence, or place where they are being grown. Climbing cultivar Rosa 'Devoniensis', pictured, is a repeat bloomer from spring until autumn.