The mission of Boyce Thompson Arboretum is to inspire appreciation and stewardship of desert plants, wildlife, and ecosystems through education, research, and conservation.”
Every visit supports research, environmental education, and directly benefits the mission and success of Boyce Thompson Arboretum.
Explore the arboretum with our Docents on a golf cart tour! We invite you to join us for an hour long cart ride to some of our most scenic spots of the arboretum. Our knowledgeable…
Join us for BTA Photo Club’s beginner class, as we explore alternate approaches that have been shown to result in an elevated photo experience. Participants will have the opportunity to present photos during the October BTA Photo Club…
Boyce Thompson Arboretum has been named an Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society, serving as a habitat for numerous species of birds. Join our beginner-friendly guided walk to explore this unique landscape with…
Explore the arboretum with our Docents on a golf cart tour! We invite you to join us for an hour long cart ride to some of our most scenic spots of the arboretum. Our knowledgeable…
The Sonoran Desert is the most diverse desert in the world. It’s home to a lot of different kinds of animals. Families will learn all about the animals who call the Sonoran Desert home and how to identify them by looking at skulls, scats and tracks. Families will…
Seeing an Easter Lily Cactus bloom is a very special experience. The flowers are large and showy, a beautiful thing to observe, but are only open for a single night. They demonstrate that even if something is temporary, it doesn`t make it any less meaningful.
Our hours are changing! From October to April we will be open daily from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Last admission at 4:00 pm.
The cooler weather also means there`s more fun to be had at the Arboretum! Join us for: 🍃Family Workshops 🍃 Weekly walks and tours 🍃Outdoor Yoga and Forest Bathing 🍃 Watercolor and Photography classes 🍃And more!
Check out our events calendar to see all we have planned. See the link in our bio!
Want to see the coatis? They`ve been spotted every day this week, so now`s a great time to stop by!
While a coati sighting is never guaranteed, the best place to look for them is in the Canyon Region in the early mornings. They love climbing trees in search of a good snack, or snuffling on the ground for dropped fruit. Keep an eye out as you explore our trails, and maybe you`ll see one exploring right along with you.
If you get any good photos, tag us in your post! We can never get enough cute coati pics.
📅October 2026 – April 2027 🕤 Every Thursday | 9:30 – 10:30 am
Explore the Arboretum with our Docents on a hour long golf cart tour! Our knowledgeable Docents will give you insights into our collections and take you to the best photo ops the gardens have to offer.
Cart tours are limited to 5 guests per tour. Due to limited space pre-registration is highly recommended. Purchase your tickets at our Welcome Center Gift Shop or online at btarboretum.org/event
This is a juvenile Northern Cardinal, and you can see their adult plumage hasn`t quite come in yet. As they get older, their beaks will turn from dark gray to an orange-red. The female`s feathers stay brown, with hints of red in the wings, tails, and crests, but the males turn into the vibrant red we all know so well!
The cardinals love exploring the gardens. When you visit us next, keep an eye out for our feathery friends! And don`t forget to tag us in any photos you post.
Have you started your fall garden yet? While the weather is still hot, you can start by growing these seeds indoors:
🪴Napa Cabbage 🪴Texas Grano Onion 🪴Kale 🪴Broccoli
Once they`ve grown big enough, and the weather gets cooler, you can transport them to your outdoor garden.
In need of new plants? Stop by our plant sale happening October 17 - November 1st! Members get 20% off AND early access on October 16. Sign up to become a member today to save time in line! Link in bio.
Are you a local vendor looking to get involved in community events? We`d love to have you at Boyce Thompson Arboretum!
Join us for one of our upcoming events: 🎄Holiday Hangout | December 5 & 6 🐾Tails & Trails | February 20 🍷Flavor of Arizona | April 3 & 4
As a vendor, you`ll receive valuable exposure for your business, meet consumers who are interested in supporting local businesses, and network with vendors like yourself from all over the state.
Look at the long antennae on these bees! These are longhorn bees, and they`re key pollinators for sunflowers. 🌻We spotted this group hard at work in front of our Smith Greenhouse.
So... what do antennae actually do for bees? The answer is A LOT. Here are just some examples of what antennae do:
🐝 They act as scent receptors, helping bees find nectar sources. 🐝 They detect sound waves and wind vibrations, acting as a bee`s hearing source. 🐝 They pick up pheromones, allowing them to locate other bees when mating.
Their long antennae are not only adorable, they are essential to helping bees interact with the world around them.
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
