San Diego Botanic Garden

The San Diego Botanic Garden is a botanical garden in Encinitas, California. The garden includes rare bamboo groves (said to be the largest bamboo collection in the United States), desert gardens, a tropical rainforest, California native plants, Mediterranean climate landscapes, and a subtropical fruit garden. The garden sits on 37 acres (150,000 m2) of land.

Until 1957 the gardens were the private estate of Ruth Baird Larabee, at which time she donated her house and grounds to the County of San Diego. The Quail Botanical Gardens Foundation was established in 1961. In March 1970, the Quail Botanic Garden opened as a public botanic garden. The name was changed in 2009 to San Diego Botanic Garden. Today the gardens include over 5,000 varieties of plants from around the world, including tropical, subtropical, and California native plants. The botanical garden also house geographically organized areas for Africa, Australia, Arid Madagascar Garden, Arid South America, the Canary Islands, Cape South Africa, Central America, the Himalayas, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and New Zealand.

Selected plants
Plant varieties include fuchsias, hibiscus, bamboos, proteas, cacti and succulents, as well as other drought-resistant plants including Australian shrubs. Herbs, water plants, wildflowers, perennials, brugmansias, cork oaks, and palms are also featured.

One such plant is the corpse flower, which bloomed in July 2023, for the first time in a couple years. The plant stands at around 4 feet tall, and in order to see it, guests must reserve a viewing time in advance, as it is only in bloom for a few days. One identifying feature of a corpse flower is it's strong smell, which has been compared to rotting flesh. The flowers are classified as endangered, and botanic gardens around the United States, are working to preserve them.

Of particular interest is the maturing Cork Oak (Quercus suber) forest. Paths wind through a cluster of twisted and majestic Cork Oaks. Cork Oaks groves in other parts of the world are still harvested for their cork (bark) that is used in for corks placed in wine bottles, as well as for purses, jewelry and wallets.