Step into the Garden’s most colorful season! With recent rains as spring approaches, the desert wakes up in a burst of colors and the trails come alive with the first bloom of the season. Cactus flowers, wildflowers and fresh spring growth transform the...
In summer 2015, the land that is now Spaces of Opportunity looked nothing like the thriving urban farm it is today. The field in south Phoenix was empty, scattered with trash and full of possibility. That same summer, Maria Valenzuela (current Spaces Executive...
Some plants don’t just grow, they wait. And when they bloom, they do so quietly at night. The botanical name Peniocereus marianus was formally described in 1962 by Mexican botanist Hernando Sanchez Mejorada. However, the species had previously been classified as...
Desert Botanical Garden offers a variety of romantic ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day weekend. From stargazing under desert skies to strolling through a one-of-a-kind light experience, you’ll find plenty of unforgettable moments to share. Along the trails, discover...
New open-access book authored by Garden researcher Senior Research Scientist Dr. Joe McAuliffe is the principal author of a new, web-based, open access book on arid and semi-arid environments of western South Africa, including the Succulent Karoo. The book focuses on...
Keeping a nature journal is one of the best ways to develop a long-lasting and deep connection to the natural world. What is a nature journal, you may ask? It’s exactly what it sounds like, a journal documenting your observations and interactions with nature! Nature...
Love is in the air, and perfectly shaped on the cactus at Desert Botanical Garden. Along the trails, you will find several pads of prickly pear cactus species in the shape of hearts. This is often due to animals nibbling at pads that create little hearts, or cold...
Enjoy a Queen of the Night cocktail, a Vodka martini with lychee syrup and fresh lime and yellow chartreuse. This cocktail is inspired by night-blooming cactus, and served with glowing ice cubes emulate the moonlight filtering through the Garden. Get yours today at...
Lab members Ali Schuessler and Brad Posch were recently featured on the popular podcast: In Defense of Plants. You can listen to Ali’s feature titled “Soil Microbes and Desert Plant Restoration” here. And you can listen to Brad’s feature here. You can...
Physiological acclimation to temperature fluctuations has been recognized for decades as a critically important coping mechanism for heat stress in plants. Yet there remains a limited understanding of the patterns of thermal acclimation in the most fundamental and...
