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

UC Santa Cruz Arboretum

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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.

05/01/2026

🌳 The Arboretum offers many wonderful opportunities for exploration and learning for all ages, backgrounds, and capabilities. We have beautiful, information-packed interpretive signs near the entrances to every garden, to help make your visit an educationally enriching experience.

Whether you want to 👉
☀️Engage in nature and explore our many Gardens &
plant collections

🛒Shop at Norrie’s Gift and Garden Shop

🦉Bring a Garden Club or Birdwatching Club to visit

🙋🏻‍♀️Join the 120+ Volunteers in one of the many
opportunities that helps the Arboretum thrive,

✴️ Come visit us, we have it all!

Arboretum Gardens,
Open Daily, 9am - 5pm
Norrie’s Gift & Garden Shop,  Open Tuesday – Sunday 10am – 4pm

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-Tina, UCSC Arboretum volunteer

04/23/2026

April is California Native Plant Month!

Join us at Norrie’s Gift and Garden Shop at the UCSC Arboretum & Botanic Garden for a pop-up information booth about California’s Native Plants.

Here at the Arboretum, we like to say: if you plant it, they will come, and that is a fact we have seen borne out again and again in our gardens. Bring your questions about growing natives to the experts from the UC Master Gardeners and learn why, when it comes to habitat, California natives do it best!

The Arboretum’s retail nursery will have lots of native plants for you to add to your garden to create waterwise habitats that capture the true essence of California!

04/23/2026

🌼🔥🌾 Whether you’re drawn to spring blooms, curious about land stewardship, or interested in the intersection of ecology and restoration, this lecture offers a fascinating look at how fire can be a powerful tool for renewal. Join us to learn about research related to restoring California coastal prairies with prescribed fire. Georgia will share preliminary results on establishing native wildflowers at Wilder Ranch State Park.

🗓️ April 29, Wednesday, 6-8pm

📍 Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History
1305 E Cliff Dr, Santa Cruz

🎟️ Registration required. See link in Bio

🔥 Sponsored by California Native Plant Society Santa Cruz County Chapter , and the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History .

.nursery

-Tina, UCSC Arboretum volunteer

04/23/2026

Happy Earth Day from the Arboretum!

04/16/2026

🦔🌵🛸 Echinopsis Hedgehog Cactus ‘Flying Saucer’ is in spectacular bloom in the Succulent Garden. Each flower is 2-4” across 👀.

Echinopsis is in the Cactus Family, Cactaceae. It’s native to South America.

🌸 Since each flower is open for just a day, to see these beauties you’ll need to visit the Arboretum in the next few days! You won’t want to miss these blooms!

ucsc Norrie's Gift & Garden Shop

-Tina, UCSC Arboretum volunteer

04/10/2026

We are sorry to have to reschedule, but we’re just not sure the weather will cooperate. Stay tuned for a new date!

04/07/2026

Welcome admitted students! On Banana Slug Day, April 11th, the Arboretum welcomes admitted students with a 10% discount at our Gift shop, and free admission to the gardens (additional visitors pay admission).

🌳 Our Mission is to Conserve, Grow, and Share the World of Plants to Build Resilience and Empower the Community in the Stewardship of All Life.

TOUR OUR GARDENS!
🌱California Native
🪏 California Conservation
🌾 South Africa
🦜 Australia
🌿 New Zealand
👃🏽 Aroma
🌵 Succulent

And visit NORRIE’S GIFT & GARDEN SHOP that features locally made crafts, artwork, jewelry, and a large selection of climate-suitable plants for you to choose from! Remember, admitted students receive a 10% discount on Banana Slug Day!

⏰ Arboretum hours: Daily 9am-5pm

04/04/2026

It’s California Native Plant Month!

Join us at Norrie’s Gift and Garden Shop at the UCSC Arboretum & Botanic Garden for a pop-up information booth about California’s Native Plants.

Here at the Arboretum, we like to say: if you plant it, they will come, and that is a fact we have seen borne out again and again in our gardens. Bring your questions about growing natives to the experts from the UC Master Gardeners and learn why, when it comes to habitat, California natives do it best!

The Arboretum’s retail nursery will have lots of native plants for you to add to your garden to create waterwise habitats that capture the true essence of California!

03/28/2026

🌿 It was another beautiful morning in the Arboretum. Come by for a visit! We’re open everyday, 9am-5pm.

⭐️ A big Thank You to Kevin Lohman for generously donating his time and knowledge to support the UCSC Arboretum & Botanic Garden. Learn more about him at and KevinLohman.com

.nursery

-Tina, UCSC, Arboretum volunteer

03/26/2026

Beginner Bird Walk
Paseando con los Pájaritos

Join the Bird School Project as they close out the celebrations for Hummingbird Month. This bird walk is beginner and family-friendly. Bring binoculars if you have them, if not, binoculars or a monocular will be provided for you during the walk. The group will meet up at the entrance of the Australia Garden right next to the large cypress tree in the middle of the parking lot. A Bird School Instructor will be leading the walk and will alternate speaking English and Spanish as needed. We encourage you to arrive at least 15 minutes early if you need to borrow binoculars.

Únase a la Escuela de Aves mientras cierran las celebraciones del Mes del Colibrí. Este paseo de aves es para principiantes y apto para familias. Traiga binoculares si los tiene, si no, se le proporcionarán binoculares o un monocular durante la caminata. El grupo se reunirá en la entrada del Jardín Australia, justo al lado del gran ciprés en el medio del estacionamiento. Un instructor de la Escuela de Aves liderará la caminata y alternará hablando en inglés y español según sea necesario. Le recomendamos que llegue al menos 15 minutos antes si necesita pedir prestados binoculares.

Event is free with paid admission. Adults $10, Seniors $8, Youth 4-17 $5

03/25/2026

Tips and tricks for photographing birds – an informal workshop with Kevin Lohman.

Bring your camera and join award-winning wildlife photographer Kevin Lohman, for an informal “getting started” wildlife photography field workshop in the gardens. Designed for anyone with an interest in hummingbird photography, this relaxed session will cover practical tips for finding, observing, and photographing these fast moving birds, along with guidance that applies to wildlife subjects more broadly. Follow signs to the hummingbird hotspot in the Australian garden to join the group.

03/20/2026

TOMORROW, SATURDAY, 3/21:

📷 Early Bird Members Hours, 7-9am -(members only) – a great time of day for practicing bird photography!
🛑 Arboretum OPEN 9am to 12pm ONLY, we will be CLOSED for the afternoon from 12pm-5pm for a private event.
Normal hours resume Sunday, 3/22.

👉 Link In Bio to become a UCSC Arboretum Member.
SUPPORT OUR:
🌿Plant collections
📚Student and internship programs
☀️Amah Mutsun Relearning Program

RECEIVE:
💵 Discounts on gifts and plants
🎟️ Reciprocal admission to American Horticultural Society RAP Gardens
➕And oh so much more!

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-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

http://arboretum.ucsc.edu/

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