Boyce Thompson Arboretum, Superior AZWealthy Mining Tycoon Repays Nature with Largest Arizona Botanical Garden Go to Boyce Thompson Arboretum sections: What You'll See at Boyce Thompson ArboretumJust one hour from Phoenix, there is an amazing botanical garden hidden away in the desert of central Arizona mining country.This wonderland of giant trees, spiky cactus, bizarre succulents and colorful flowers draws plant lovers from around the world. Its jewel of a lake draws animals as diverse as javelinas, turtles and great blue herons to its precious waters. Although it’s far removed from the big city sprawl, Boyce Thompson Arboretum deserves to be on your list of "must visit" Arizona attractions. Tucked into scenic Queen Creek Canyon outside of Superior, AZ, the arboretum is an easy 55-mile drive southeast of Phoenix.
Craggy 4,400 foot Picketpost Mountain dominates the skyline, serving as a dramatic backdrop to this garden of botanical riches. This is Arizona’s oldest and largest botanical garden with 323 acres of cultivated gardens. Boyce Thompson Arboretum’s collection encompasses plants from the deserts and drylands of …
The many themed gardens showcase the amazing array of plants that can adapt and thrive in hot, dry climates. Two miles of interconnecting trails showcase beautiful vistas of the desert and gardens. The paths will take you through magnificent and colorful stands of cactus, fragrant beds of herbs and flowers and around the impressively rugged volcanic outcrop of Magma Ridge.
There are over 3,200 different types of plants in all ranging from delicate, heirloom roses to massive eucalyptus trees. The Hummingbird and Butterfly Garden is the first garden we encountered along the arboretum’s 1.5-mile long Main Trail. This colorful oasis features beautiful but drought hardy plants that provide nectar and food for those brightly-colored, winged wonders of the natural world. Plants included red-flowered salvias, purple verbena and bright yellow sunflowers. Next was the Heritage Rose Garden, a lovely and fragrant spot to take a break from exploring the arboretum. It is filled with a variety of antique and old garden roses that were popular during the 19th and early 20th centuries. This garden is also home to clones of the famous Tombstone Rose and the Yellow Rose of Texas.
The 3-acre Cactus Garden is split into the different geographic areas where cacti are found. Prickly pears, chollas, barrels and saguaros are interplanted with other desert plants such as agaves, yuccas and mesquites. Other gardens include those devoted to legumes (members of the pea family like alfalfa, clover and peanuts) and plants from South America and the Chihuahuan Desert of the United States. The majority of the trails are wide, level and easy walking paths and most of the arboretum is wheelchair accessible. Plus, there are plenty of inviting ramadas and shady glens, where we enjoyed sitting and watching the many birds, dragonflies, butterflies and lizards that call the garden home. We found it a wonderful place to spend the day. History of Boyce Thompson Arboretum State ParkBoyce Thompson Arboretum was the creation of Colonel William Boyce Thompson.
A successful business magnate, Thompson made the bulk of his vast fortune in mining, as owner of Superior’s copper-rich Magma Mine among others. Curiously, even though tearing up the land made him rich, he had a deep appreciation for nature. He especially loved the desert around Superior, where he finally made his home in the Picket Post House, now a historical landmark. The Colonel, as he’s referred to locally, established the Arboretum on part of his own private 400 acre land holdings for the study and appreciation of desert plants. Today, the Boyce Thompson Arboretum is recognized as one of the leading desert research facilities in the country, encompassing 1,053 acres of land, of which 320 acres is the botanical garden open to the public. The University of Arizona, Arizona State Parks and the nonprofit Arboretum Corporation cooperatively manage the arboretum. Under their stewardship, the arboretum has become a major center for botanical education, research and conservation. Highlights at Boyce Thompson Arboretum Superior, AZBe sure to stop by Ayer Lake while you’re at Boyce Thompson Arboretum.
Tucked up against Magma Ridge, the lake makes a peaceful rest stop on your tour through the gardens. Its two shady ramadas are a great place to enjoy the views and watch for wildlife. Although the Arboretum created Ayer Lake as a reservoir to supply the gardens with irrigation water, it has become an important habitat for animals. Migratory waterfowl like ducks and herons often stop to feed along its shores. In July 2006, a young, migrating brown pelican even came to rest for a few days, miles away from any ocean! The lake is also home to two species of endangered desert fish, the Gila Topminnow and the Desert Pupfish, both of which we could easily see swimming near the surface. We also saw turtles and many colorful red and blue dragonflies patrolling the shores. The arboretum’s nature trails take you through native Sonoran Desert and other scenic features. Part of the Main Trail moves out of the cultivated gardens and into rugged desert where it follows Queen Creek. This intermittent desert stream passes under shady, water-loving trees like cottonwoods and Arizona black walnut in picturesque Queen Creek Canyon. The trail climbs along rocky Magma Ridge and offers one of the most scenic views in the gardens.
The arboretum’s protected grounds and many water features attract a variety of desert animals. Over 300 species of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians live in or migrate through the garden. Be patient and you may see cottontail rabbits, desert spiny and zebra-tailed lizards, desert tortoises and even the occasional bobcat. Bighorn sheep are sometimes spotted along the rocky ridges. Bird watchers have recorded more than 250 bird species at Boyce Thompson Arboretum, many of which have been rare or unusual sightings. The bird species you’re most likely to see (depending upon the season) include:
Favorite Feature at Boyce Thompson Arboretum ArizonaBoyce Thompson Arboretum is not just a showcase for plants.
Much of their research is dedicated to teaching us how to use drought-tolerant and low water use plants in our home and business landscaping, thereby helping to conserve the region’s ever dwindling water supply. To pick up some of the arboretum’s excellent design ideas, head over to the 2.5-acre Demonstration Garden These creative, low water use gardens show that you can achieve almost any look with plants adapted to the climate. Landscape design examples included a Mini Oasis with pools and a cascade, a Tropical Garden, a Desert Garden and a Woodland Garden. All of them had great ideas for incorporating into your own garden. One of our favorites sections of this garden was the flower-filled Desert Meadow. Its many brightly colored flowers attracted bumblebees and an amazing array of butterflies to its pollen- and nectar-filled flowers. Lesser goldfinches hung upside down, feasting on the seed-filled flowerheads of sunflowers. Besides plants, the Boyce Thompson Arboretum is known for another phenomenon of nature.
Some time each spring, a flock of roughly 200 turkey vultures migrates from Mexico to Magma Ridge beneath Picket Post Mountain. The arboretum celebrates the birds return with the Welcome Back Buzzards fest, which is generally held the 3rd Saturday in March. While they reside at the arboretum, the giant, glossy black birds roost at dusk each evening on the 100-foot tall eucalyptus trees in the garden. In the early morning, they perch on the rocks of Magma Ridge, waiting for the rise of the thermal updrafts to carry them skyward in their daily search for food. Seeing these birds’ dramatic group flights is like watching an aerial ballet.
When autumn returns, the vultures migrate back to Mexico for the winter. In September, the Boyce Thompson Arboretum holds their popular Bye Bye Buzzards Day celebration - a big send-off party to bid farewell to the vultures for another year. The arboretum opens early so everyone can see the vultures taking flight for the day. During the celebration, you can also join guided bird walks and see a turkey vulture and other rehabilitated wildlife up close. These animals have been rescued by the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Adobe Mountain Wildlife Rehabilitation Center’s volunteers and cannot be returned to the wild. Boyce Thompson Arboretum Visitor AmenitiesWhen you first enter the Boyce Thompson Arboretum, you’ll pass by the Visitor Center.
Make time to stop in here because it’s a great resource for gardening information and to learn about the natural history of the gardens. You can pick up books on a wide variety of subjects in the bookstore and gift shop or purchase cacti, succulents and other desert plants from their nursery. There’s also a gallery with ever-changing art and photography exhibits. You could also just relax on the serene patios, watching the birds, butterflies and lizards pass by in the never-ending search for a meal. The arboretum’s visitor center is also worth checking out because its a model of resource conservation. It is specially designed to function in a dryland climate. The center incorporates a cooling tower and passive/active cooling and heating features. Fast Facts: Boyce Thompson Arboretum State ParkWhat to Know Before You Go:
Location: On Highway 60 at Milepost #223. It is an easy one hour drive east of Phoenix on the Superstition Freeway outside the town of Superior in Pinal County. Address: 37615 U.S. Highway 60, Superior, AZ 85273 Phone: (520) 689-2723 Hours: Summer Hours: May 1 through August 31 6:00 am to 3:00 pm daily. Admission Fee: Amenities: Picnic area with grills; gift shop; plant shop; visitor center Activities and Events:
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The information in this review was accurate at the time of our visit. All contact information, availability, access, directions and prices should be confirmed directly with the facility before making reservations and/or travel plans. Legal Disclaimer: Arizona-Vacation-Planner.com accepts no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information.
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