UC Santa Cruz Arboretum

UC Santa Cruz Arboretum The UC Santa Cruz Arboretum is a conservation garden of rare, endangered and extraordinary plants from around the world. See our website for current Hours.

We are open daily, 9am to 5pm, with physical distancing guidelines in effect. The Arboretum at UC Santa Cruz is a public garden committed to plant conservation and serves both the university campus and the public. Its rich and diverse collection, containing representatives of more than 300 plant families, provides beginning students with a broad survey of the plant kingdom. The Arboretum maintains

collections of rare and threatened plants of unusual scientific interest. Particular specialties are world conifers, primitive angiosperms, and bulb-forming plant families. Most of the plants growing in the Arboretum's gardens come from regions with a climate similar to our own. Much of California, along with areas of Australia, Chile, South Africa, and the Mediterranean Basin have a mediterranean climate. Plants in this rare climate enjoy mild, wet winters, but have had to adapt to the unusual hardship of hot, dry summers with little or no rain. The Arboretum gardens and surrounding areas are an amazing place for birding and bird-watching. Though they did not evolve together, many of our local birds, bees and other wildlife thrive with plant species from across the globe. Norrie's Gift & Garden Shop is staffed by volunteers and all proceeds support the Arboretum.

☀️ Wild Yet Cultivated ~ The Magic of ThisShared Landscape By Katie Cordes, Administrative Manager🌲Over the years, I’ve ...
08/19/2026

☀️ Wild Yet Cultivated ~ The Magic of This
Shared Landscape

By Katie Cordes, Administrative Manager

🌲Over the years, I’ve continued to fall in love with this place more and more and I know that I’m not alone in this sentiment. The abundance of so many different and remarkable plants is most certainly part of the magic.

And yet, while the plant collections are the Arboretum’s raison d’etre, it’s the whole shared community – the land, animals, people, along with the plants – that makes the Arboretum so alive and alluring. Grasses, wildflowers, shrubs and trees create an attractive and beautiful space, sustained by the sunshine, fog, wind, and rain of our mediterranean climate. Even the land’s orientation to the sun and the ocean positively influence this place and our experience being in it.

Perhaps most special is the Arboretum’s ability to host both people and wildlife at the same time. Simultaneously as humans enjoy and work upon this land, there are animals who are born here, live their entire lives and die here, and others who make this land their seasonal home when food, shelter and or mating choices are most available.

😊 We invite you to visit the UCSC Arboretum and be a part of this rich and beautiful interconnected landscape!

⏰ UCSC Arboretum hours:
Daily, 9am - 5pm
⏰ Norrie’s Gift & Garden Shop:
Tues - Sunday, 10am - 4pm



-Tina, UCSC Arboretum volunteer

08/14/2026

☀️ UCSC Arboretum & Botanic Garden is a Santa Cruz gem for visitors of all ages to explore!

* Lizards ✔️
* Plant nursery ✔️
* Spirit tree ✔️
* California Native Garden ✔️
* And so much more ✔️

⏰ UCSC Arboretum hours:
Daily, 9am - 5pm
⏰ Norrie’s Gift & Garden Shop:
Tues - Sunday, 10am - 4pm

🎟️ Arboretum Admission: 
$13 adults
$10 seniors 65+
$7 youth 4-17
Kids under 4 free
Arboretum Members, FREE!

.nursery

-Tina, UCSC Arboretum volunteer

☀️ Come visit the UCSC Arboretum for a summer stroll, visit with friends, photography, birding, or a nature reset🌻Be sur...
08/11/2026

☀️ Come visit the UCSC Arboretum for a summer stroll, visit with friends, photography, birding, or a nature reset🌻

Be sure to stop by Norrie’s Gift and Garden Shop to check out our new inventory of Pelargoniums!

⏰ UCSC Arboretum hours:
Daily, 9am - 5pm
⏰ Norrie’s Gift & Garden Shop:
Tues - Sunday, 10am - 4pm

.nursery

-Tina, UCSC Arboretum volunteer

🌲 As a valued member of our Arboretum community, you know that our gardens are so much more than just a beautiful place ...
08/04/2026

🌲 As a valued member of our Arboretum community, you know that our gardens are so much more than just a beautiful place to walk. You’ve seen how our Native Plant Program serves as a lifeline for California’s unique ecology—acting as a hub for rare plant conservation, critical seed banking, and hands-on fieldwork.

⛰️ What you might not see, however, is just how far—and high—our team will go to protect these threatened species. Read about “A Hair-Raising Mission on Mount Lassen” in Linktree in bio or cut/paste into your browser:
https://bit.ly/4yYDFI3

🍃 Learn about the impact our Native Plant Program is having. In Linktree in bio, click on “Support the Native Plant Program” or cut/paste into your browser:
https://bit.ly/4beKsTx

👉 To support California’s unique Ecology, in Linktree in bio, click on “Double Your Impact”, or cut/paste into your browser:
https://bit.ly/3RWgrBt

Thank you!



-Tina, UCSC Arboretum volunteer

👉 Do you recognize the seed cones of this Banksia? Over one hundred years ago, May Gibbs, an Australian author, created ...
07/31/2026

👉 Do you recognize the seed cones of this Banksia? Over one hundred years ago, May Gibbs, an Australian author, created a much loved series of children’s books entitled “Tales of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie”. Set in the bush of Australia, these stories featured wonderful drawings of imaginary creatures that were inspired by the plants May Gibbs saw around her. Gumnuts, the seed pods of the Eucalyptus, provided the clothing of Gibbs main characters, the Gumnut babies. Her villains were the big bad banksia men, with arms and leg added to banksia cone bodies and seed follicle for their eyes and mouths.

👉 Come take a stroll and visit our:
• Banksia serrata and the many other unique Australian
Banksia, ranging from ground covers to large trees.
• And our California Native, South Africa, New
Zealand, Aroma & Succulent Gardens
• And Norries Gift and Garden Shop
• There’s so much to see!

⏰ UCSC Arboretum hours:
Daily, 9am - 5pm
⏰ Norries Gift & Garden Shop hours :
Tuesday - Sunday, 10am - 4pm

🎟️ Arboretum Admission: 
$13 adults
$10 seniors 65+
$7 youth 4-17
Kids under 4 free
Arboretum Members, FREE!

Norrie's Gift & Garden Shop

-Tina, UCSC Arboretum volunteer

☀️ The UC Master Gardener Summer Gardening series continues on August 30, 10am - noon, at the UCSC Arboretum! 🌎 Next cla...
07/28/2026

☀️ The UC Master Gardener Summer Gardening series continues on August 30, 10am - noon,
at the UCSC Arboretum!

🌎 Next class is Earth Friendly Gardening:
Improving Your Soil!

🌼 Healthy soil is the foundation of an earth-friendly garden. Join the UC Master Gardeners of Monterey Bay for this hands-on workshop exploring practical, science-based ways to improve your soil and grow healthier plants.
 
🌎 Earth-friendly Gardening focuses on sustainable practices that support the broader environment while making gardening easier and more resilient. In this session, you’ll learn how to improve soil structure, encourage beneficial soil life, assess drainage, and choose amendments that support long-term soil health in your yard, containers, or community garden.

👉 For more info and to register for the class, click on the linktr.ee in our Bio. Scroll down to “ARBORETUM UPCOMING EVENTS” for the link. OR, cut & paste into your browser, https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/earth-friendly-gardening-improving-your-soil

ucsc Norrie's Gift & Garden Shop

- Tina, UCSC Arboretum volunteer

☀️ The UC Master Gardener Summer Gardening series continues on August 30, 10am - noon,at the UCSC Arboretum! 🌎 Next clas...
07/28/2026

☀️ The UC Master Gardener Summer Gardening series continues on August 30, 10am - noon,
at the UCSC Arboretum!

🌎 Next class is Earth Friendly Gardening: Improving Your Soil!

🌼 Healthy soil is the foundation of an earth-friendly garden. Join the UC Master Gardeners of Monterey Bay for this hands-on workshop exploring practical, science-based ways to improve your soil and grow healthier plants.
 
🌎 Earth-friendly Gardening focuses on sustainable practices that support the broader environment while making gardening easier and more resilient. In this session, you’ll learn how to improve soil structure, encourage beneficial soil life, assess drainage, and choose amendments that support long-term soil health in your yard, containers, or community garden.

👉 For more info and to register for this class, click on the linktr.ee in our Bio. Scroll down to “ARBORETUM UPCOMING EVENTS” for the link. OR, cut & paste into your browser, https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/earth-friendly-gardening-improving-your-soil

ucsc Norrie's Gift & Garden Shop

- Tina, UCSC Arboretum volunteer

⁉️ Do you know that most larger Agave plants are monocarpic? This means they bloom once, then die. In most cases, before...
07/24/2026

⁉️ Do you know that most larger Agave plants are monocarpic? This means they bloom once, then die.
In most cases, before the bloom the parent plant grows “pups” (offsets), little plants that are genetically identical. When the flower stalk dies, the pups will carry on the parent plant’s genetic material.

🦇 Why do Agave produce such a tall flower stalk (also called an inflorescence)? The flowers’ height allows for the wind to disperse the smell of the nectar over a wide area. This attracts pollinators such as bats, bees and hummingbirds. The stalks will grow 25’ - 40’, depending upon the species.

⁉️ Agave are in the Asparagus family. Can you see the resemblance between these flower stalks and the asparagus you eat?

👉 Come visit and see these inflorescences beginning their bloom which will last for 1-2 months. Visit a few times and watch the progression: spear, bloom, seed and bulbil production.

A shout out to our average size models, Brady & Amy. 😁 It’s all about size reference.

⏰UCSC Arboretum hours:
Daily, 9am - 5pm
⏰Norries Gift & Garden Shop:
Tues - Sunday, 10am - 4pm

🎟️ Arboretum Admission: 
$13 adults
$10 seniors 65+
$7 youth 4-17
Kids under 4 free
Arboretum Members, Free!

.nursery

-Tina, UCSC Arboretum volunteer

☀️ Create a garden that’s beautiful, resilient, and in harmony with the environment!🌎 In this Earth Friendly Gardening w...
07/22/2026

☀️ Create a garden that’s beautiful, resilient, and in harmony with the environment!

🌎 In this Earth Friendly Gardening workshop,
UC Monterey Bay Master Gardeners share practical, research-based tips for choosing plants that thrive in our local conditions while supporting a healthier environment.

Learn how to:

• Select climate-wise, water-smart, native, and drought-tolerant plants.
• Choose the right plants for your garden’s conditions and needs.
• Support pollinators and soil health.
• Avoid plants that may create future problems.
• Get plants established and keep them healthy with less maintenance.

🪏 And, we’ll also introduce helpful resources to guide your plant choices and help you grow a garden that is beautiful, sustainable, and easier to care for over time!

📍Class is held at the UCSC Arboretum,
120 Arboretum Rd, Santa Cruz.
Sunday, July 26, 10am - noon.

🎟️Classes are free. UCSC Arboretum admission is:
$13 adults
$10 seniors 65+
$7 youth 4-17

🌻To register for this class, see LinkTree in Bio. Scroll down to ARBORETUM UPCOMING EVENTS.
Or copy & paste this URL into your browser:
https://arboretum.ucsc.edu/visit/events/ -friendly-2nd-class

Share this with your gardening friends!

Norrie's Gift & Garden Shop ucmgmontereybay

-Tina, UCSC Arboretum volunteer

Address

1156 High Street, UCSC (For GPS Use Arboretum Rd)
Santa Cruz, CA
95064

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

(831) 502-2998

Website

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