Moorten Botanical Garden: Tiny Desert Oasis
Chester Moorten, also known as “Cactus Slim”, was one of the original cast of the silent film slapstick comedies, Keystone Cops. In the 1930’s Chester and his wife Patricia sought relief for Chester’s poor health by moving to the desert climate of Palm Springs, where they were also able to indulge their interest in cacti and other desert plants. They created a tiny botanical garden on the outskirts of Palm Springs, which opened to the public in 1938.
Today, the Moorten Botanical Garden remains a family-owned garden. Clark Moorten, the Moorten’s only son, is the curator of the garden and a well-know expert on succulent plants in America. Clark tends the garden and propagates many of its plants which he sells in the garden’s nursery.
What to Expect
I’m not exaggerating when I say the Moorten Botanica Garden is a tiny oasis. At one acre (4,000 square metres), it’s one of the smallest botanical gardens I have visited. Nonetheless, it’s packed with well-curated specimens and some my favourite desert plants. In fact, the Moorten Botanical Garden contains more than 3,000 varieties of desert plants.
Because of its diminutive size, one can easily meander through the garden and take in the highlights in about an hour. You’ll find the plants grouped by geographic regions: Arizona, Baja California, California, Colorado, the Mojave desert, the Sonora desert, South Africa, arid South America, and Texas. There is also built a custom greenhouse filled with rare cacti and other succulents, which the Moortens named “The world’s first Cactarium”.
My Favourites
Among my all-time favourite plant genera is the Agave. I was delighted to find that the Moorten Botanical Garden features two gorgeous Agave species: Agave parryi and Agave victoriae-reginae. The beautiful rosette pattern of leaves found in these Agaves is truly extraordinary.
I have always loved the strong architectural form of the Fouquieria diguetii (ocotillo). Clusters of crimson flowers accent the vertical silhouette of Fouquieria diguettii’s branches after rainfall in the spring and summer. Pollinators include hummingbirds and bees.
The dense, silvery grey foliage of Leucophyllum fructescens’ branched form is a nice contrast to the stark, vertical form of Fouquieria. Like Fouquieria, Leucophyllum fructescens flowers after rainfall in the spring and summer, but with small, five-lobed, tubular purple flowers.
The yellow flowers of the Mexican native, Caesalpinia cacalaco, brightened the January day we visited Moorten Botanical Garden.
Another intriguing specimen in the Moorten Botanical Garden is the Encelia farinosa or brittlebush. Spanish missionaries burned its fragrant, silvery ovate leaves as incense. In May, it bears small yellow flowers arranged on panicles.
Aloidendron dichotomum (formerly Aloe dichotoma) is commonly known as quiver tree or kokerboom. The slow growing succulent has a tree form reaching upwards of 33 feet (10 metres) in height. The stems repeatedly branch into two (“dichotomous” branching) and bear yellow flowers in the winter.
Two cactus varieties that captured my attention were the Mammillaria and Cylindropuntia fulgida. It’s not surprising that a Mammillaria caught my eye given that it is the largest genera in the cactus family (Cactaceae), with 200 species and varieties currently identified. Most Mammillarias are native to Mexico although some are native to the Southwestern United States.
The drooping stems of the Cylindropuntia fulgida create an interwoven or braided appearance. Hence, its common name is “braided cholla”.
Finally, the towering Pachycereus pringlei, the world’s tallest cactus, is a real crowd pleaser. It grows to 80 feet tall (24.4 metres) and derives its name (“pachy”) from the lower portion of the trunk, which resembles an elephant’s leg. The Moorten’s Pachycereus pringlei is situated near the garden’s main entrance to greet visitors.
PLAN A VISIT
Moorten Botanical Garden
1701 South Palm Canyon Drive
Palm Springs, California 92264 USA
Telephone: +1 (760) 327 6555
Moorten Botanical Garden Opening Hours:
The garden is open from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM during the Fall, Winter, and Spring; 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM in the Summer. The garden is closed Wednesdays and Holidays. Consult the Moorten Botanical Garden website for additional information.
Tickets:
$5.00 for adults and seniors; $2.00 for children ages 5 to 15; free for children under 5.
Getting There:
The Moorten Botanical Garden is located in the Mesa neighborhood of Palm Springs near the transition between South Palm Canyon Drive and East Palm Canyon Drive. Google Maps
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