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.
Learn about commonly found butterfly species and their host plants with a butterfly expert from Central Arizona Butterfly Association. Walks are subject to availability. Registration is first come, first serve. To register for a tour…
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…
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…
Boyce Thompson Arboretum’s Fall Plant Sale is the perfect time to pick up new trees, shrubs, perennials, and more for your garden or landscape. The plant sale features an array of plants from around the…
Don`t forget - Our Boo-tanical Bash is coming up! Join us for spooky crafts, good food, trick-or-treating, and more! Family-friendly costumes are welcome.
📅 October 30 🕔5 - 7 pm 🎟️Free with admission ⭐Free for members 🎃 No registration required
Thanks to Rebuild Superior, the first 20 families from Superior who arrive will receive a 🚨FREE🚨 one-year family membership. This means unlimited free admission for your family for an entire year! You must bring proof of residency to unlock this deal.
With Halloween fast approaching, it`s the perfect time to appreciate the spookier plants in nature! 🎃
One such plant is the stapelia, also known as a carrion flower. To attract pollinators like flies, it releases a scent similar to that of a rotting carcass, making it a flower you definitely want to avoid smelling!
What are some of your favorite spooky plants? Let us know in the comments!
These are Arizona poppies, also known as Kallstroemia grandiflora! They can be found all across the Sonoran Desert and have some amazing adaptations that help them grow in our dry climate.
Once planted, these seeds will only start germinating when the conditions are just right. Their dormancy can sometimes last two years! If it`s too hot or too dry, they`ll wait for better weather.
So if you`ve planted Arizona poppies in your garden, and they haven`t been growing, it`s not too late! Give them some extra care and time and you just might see them bloom when you least expect it.
🪴Prepare for our Fall Plant Sale by previewing our lineup of succulents, cacti, perennials, shrubs, and more! View the complete list by clicking the link in our bio.
All plants are in limited supply and available on a first-come, first-served basis, so if there`s a plant you`re eyeing, come get it before it`s gone!
Fall Plant Sale: 📅October 17 - November 1 ⭐October 16: Member`s Preview 🕗8:00 am - 5:00 pm
The Sonoran Desert is home to at least nine species of leopard frogs. Who knew something that depends so much on water could survive in a place like Arizona?
These frogs can be spotted in the Demonstration Garden pond and the Desert Legume Garden pond. They can be shy and will hide when you first approach, but if you give them time you`ll be rewarded with some cute froggy faces.
What better way to celebrate than showing some appreciation for our tarantula friends? Tarantulas are the biggest spiders in North America and are expert hunters. The hairs on their body help them sense movement, guiding them to their prey. They are known to eat beetles, grasshoppers, and sometimes even mice!
These unique spiders are timid and fragile, so always keep a safe distance when observing in the wild.
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