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 9/18/24: Collectively, goldenrods make up 100-120 species in the genus Solidago. Most of those species are herbaceous perennials native to open areas like meadows, prairies, and savannas in North America. The numerous species, hybrids, and cultivars can be difficult to distinguish from one another as they all share similar bright, yellow flowers. They are also often blamed for causing hay fever, which is an allergic reaction to wind-borne pollen from other plants. Goldenrod is actually considered a keystone species, even called the single most important plant for North American pollinator diversity. As many as 104 species of butterflies and moths use it to host their larvae, and 42 species of bees feed on goldenrod exclusively.

The Botanic Garden is home to species and hybrids of Solidago canadensis throughout, including the Curandera garden for its medicinal uses, and the ornamental cultivar Solidago 'Fireworks' borders the High Desert Rose Garden (pictured). This award-winning cultivar is a relatively low-maintenance addition that provides bright color in late summer to early fall and can be mixed with other perennials without fear of it becoming invasive. Give them full sun and keep them medium to wet, but well-drained, and Fireworks goldenrod can even tolerate clay soil. Once established it can also do well in medium to dry soil. This beautiful plant with its arching cascades of flower panicles that resemble fireworks will bloom for weeks and bring late interest to your cottage-, prairie-, meadow-style gardens and more!

Featured on 9/4/24: Hawthorn trees are typically smaller-sized flowering trees that typically have red berries in the fall and are perfect for attracting and hosting year-round wildlife in the garden. The genus Crataegus includes several hundred species of shrubs and trees which are native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere in Europe, Asia, North Africa and North America. The leaves and berries are medicinal and strengthen the heart. Russian hawthorn, Crataegus ambigua, is native to Western Asia and Eastern Europe which includes Armenia, Iran, Russia, and Turkey. This species can grow to just under 40 feet tall, and is known for being attractive throughout the year. It blossoms with clusters of bright white flowers in the spring, then vibrant red fruit in late summer (said to be the brightest and glossiest of all hawthorn species), followed by beautiful yellow leaves in fall. Finally, in winter the gnarled and irregular thorny branches make a pleasing silhouette.

Many hawthorn trees and their hybrids are used as ornamental and street trees, or hedge plants; they can make excellent bonsai trees, too! Hawthorn need a minimum of 6 hours of sunlight per day; full sun is better, but they can tolerate partial shade. They are not too fussy on soil types, although they need enough drainage to not be waterlogged, and can handle slightly alkaline to acidic pH. You can prune when the plant is young to acheive your desired shape when it matures. Give them room to thrive (and watch out for those thorns too close to walkways!) and overall, hawthorns are an excellent drought tolerant selection for arid climates and small garden spaces.

Featured on 8/28/24: Rosemary by any other name would still smell delicious! In 2017, Rosmarinus officinalis was reclassified into a different genus and is now known as Salvia rosmarinus, but the two scientific names are still considered synonymous. This fragrant and evergreen shrub is originally native to the Mediterranean region, Portugal, and northwestern Spain. The first mention of it is found on Egyptian stone tablets from 5000 BCE, and by introduction throughout history it achieved global distribution in the 17th century when introduced to the Americas. While you may not be familiar with the look of their flowers, rosemary is well known as a cooking herb and essential oil, as well as many other uses.

Rosemary is at home in many types of landscapes and gardens including butterfly/pollinator, children's gardens, rock/xeric, winter, cutting, and edible. Because it has natural pest-repelling properties, it can be used as a companion to other plants in the garden to reduce the need for chemical insecticides while simultaneously still attracting bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators which in turn increases pollination of those nearby plants and benefits the overall ecosystem. Established rosemary is drought tolerant, and should be watered deeply but infrequently in well-draining soil, to allow the soil to dry out on the surface and avoid root rot. It can tolerate most soil types except clay, and can thrive with partial shade but prefers full sun for at least 6 hours. Harvesting the leaves for cooking should wait until it is 2-3 years old and should be limited to 20% of the growth.

Featured on 8/21/24: Dazzling flowers in the genus Dahlia hail primarily from Mexico and Central America, but some species are found as far south as northern South America. What image comes to mind when you hear the word? There are 49 species that come in almost every hue except blue, and there are now over 57,000 cultivars registered with the Royal Horticulture Society. These species, cultivars, and hybrids can range from micro dahlias with flowers under 2 inches to dinnerplate dahlias over 10 inches across! They are classified into 14 groups organized by flower types that span a wide visual variety such as single round-petaled flowers, flowers that resemble waterlilies, ball-shaped flowers, orchid-type, double-bloomed decorative flowers such as Dahlia 'Café au Lait' (pictured), and more! Dahlia 'Café au Lait' is an extremely popular cultivar, even called "the undisputed queen" of dahlias by some. Its blush hues ranging from rosy pink to champagne are sought after for floral work, including centerpieces and wedding bouquets.

Given their native climate, dahlias will thrive in full sun and usually more sun produces bigger flowers, although they will need some protection from high wind and large varieties may require support as they can grow 3-4 feet tall and the blooms are heavy. The catch for our wide range of annual weather in New Mexico is that they are sensitive to frost. Tubers should be planted in Spring after the threat of frost has passed. Burying them a little deeper can help protect them, or lifting them from the ground and storing in cool but frost-free conditions over winter. Dinnerplate dahlias are known to have a long blooming period starting mid-to-late summer and lasting through fall until the first frost. Young dahlia plants don't need excessive water as you can rot the tuber, so make sure your soil is well-draining and then water thoroughly two to three times a week once sprouts have appeared. With so many options for color and shape, choosing a Dahlia that suits your taste can make a spectacular addition to your garden border or large containers!

Featured on 8/7/24: The large, vibrant flowers in the genus Hibiscus are easily recognizable by many. This genus has the largest number of species (434) in the family Malvaceae which it shares with many other well-known plants like okra, cotton, cacao, and marshmallow! The numerous Hibiscus species are found in various temperate, tropical, and subtropical regions across the world. The tropical Hibiscus rosa-sinensis has many showy hybrids and is one of the most popular, often used in landscaping, containers, and indoors. Although it's sometimes called Chinese hibiscus and the species name can be translated to "rose of China", it is not closely related to roses nor is it from China. Cultivars and hybrids have flowers in a variety of colors as well as red, including: white, pink, orange, peach, yellow, blue, and purple. Some plants also have double flowers.

Tropical hibiscus typically blooms in summer and autumn. Each flower only lasts for one day, but the plant has a long flowering season. The tropical hibiscus prefers daytime temperatures around 65º to 75º F, and no cooler than 55º F. In our hot, dry climate they will prefer partial shade and need a site sheltered from strong winds. Plants grown in containers may be placed outside during the summer months and moved into shelter during the winter months. Since it can grow 4 to 10 feet high and 5 to 8 feet wide, individual plants should be 12 to 24 feet apart. As a tropical plant, humidity is preferred and moist soil is important but not to the point of soggy soil or standing water. Make sure it grows in a spot or container with excellent drainage, and keep the soil moist at all times in their blooming stage. Once the weather cools, you can reduce to watering only when the soil is dry to the touch. Roots should never be allowed to dry out. For those unwilling or unable to move tropical hibiscus indoors and outdoors seasonally, you can also try planting dinner plate hibiscus in moist areas and rose of Sharon in more marginally-dry soils. Dinner plate hibiscus (flowers 10-12 inches across) is herbaceous and will die to the ground each year; rose of Sharon is a hardy woody shrub which can reach up to 6’ or more in height. Any of these flamboyant flowering shrubs will add color and excitement to landscapes, patios, and decks.