Arboretum at the University of California, Santa Cruz

The Arboretum at the University of California Santa Cruz is a botanical garden housing collections of over 300 plant families from Mediterranean regions worldwide. The grounds display specimens from Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, demonstrating how plants have adapted to warm, dry climates.

The University of California Santa Cruz established this facility in 1964 to research and preserve plants from Mediterranean climates worldwide. The project grew from the university's commitment to combining scientific research with botanical conservation efforts.

The gardens function as a living classroom where students and researchers study plant adaptations and ecological relationships in real time. Visitors often encounter people taking notes or conducting observations among the collections.

The grounds are easy to navigate, with marked pathways and signage that explains the various plant collections. Visitors should wear comfortable shoes and bring water on sunny days, as shaded areas are limited throughout the property.

The collection includes hundreds of plant species rarely seen in other North American botanical gardens, particularly those from the Southern Hemisphere. These uncommon specimens form the core of ongoing research and make the collection exceptionally valuable for botanists and plant enthusiasts.