Arizona Cactus Garden, Historic botanical garden at Stanford University, California.
Arizona Cactus Garden is a botanical garden on Stanford University's campus featuring more than 500 species of cacti and succulents. The specimens are divided into sections representing plant collections from the Eastern and Western hemispheres.
The garden was created between 1880 and 1883 by landscape architect Rudolph Ulrich as part of the Stanford family estate. A restoration project in 1997 brought it back to life while maintaining its original design.
The garden's layout reflects the geography of its plants, grouping specimens by their origins in the Eastern and Western hemispheres. Walking through, you notice how the arrangement tells the story of where these species naturally grow.
The garden is located on Stanford University's campus and open daily with free admission. Many specimens lack identification labels, so you may want to research plant names beforehand or simply enjoy exploring the grounds at your own pace.
A portion of the current collection consists of plants from the original 1880s installation, revealing how well desert specimens can endure across generations. These surviving plants offer a direct connection to the garden's earliest years.
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