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Botanical Garden of Prickly Plants in Palm Springs

This adobe wall and gate are part of the original hotel in Palm Springs, California. In 1938 the old adobe hotel was purchased by Chester Moorten, who had previously been a stunt man in early Hollywood working on films including the Keystone Cops movies. He and his botanist wife Patricia, lived and operated a desert garden center out of the old hotel. Locally he was known as "Cactus Slim" for his ability to maintain desert plants. Chester's son, Clark, carried on the business and became a noted expert in desert plants. Clark Moorten still owns and operates the Moorten Botanical Garden which is open to the public (except on Wednesdays, which I discovered the hard way).

Original adobe wall of the old hotel, now Moorten family home


Layout of the botanical garden

Compared to other botanical gardens, this one is limited to one acre. However, what it lacks in size it compensates with variety and quality. There are specimens in this garden that would be difficult to find in the open desert. And, many of the specimens are native to other desert environments around the world. The small size of the garden allows all of the plants to be appreciated during a typical visit lasting a few hours. This is as much as most people can absorb at one time.

This beautifully gnarled, multi-stem tree was planted by Chester Moorten. It is called Bursera microphylla, or more commonly elephant tree in English, and torote in Spanish. It is native to the Sonoran desert.

On the left of the photo is an example the ponytail palm, native to the Sonoran desert and Mexico. The Latin name is Beaucarnea recurvata. It is not a palm, but is a member of the asparagus family.

The large cactus at the right of center is Pachycereus pringlei, or Mexican cordon tree. It is one of the tallest cactus species, up to 60 feet in height. It grows faster and is more common its other tall cousin, the saguaro cactus.

This dense aisle of impressive cacti probably wouldn't exist in the open desert. The lack of water would prevent the close quarters between plants. The plant on the right is an organ pipe cactus, Stenocereus thurberi.

Beautiful cascade of golden barrel cacti and agaves

The cactus greenhouse, or 'Cacterium' displays an impressively large selection of cacti, euphorbias, and succulents from deserts around the world. The variety of shapes is amazing!

Watch your step, there are small native mammillaria cacti growing next to the footpath. This is Mammillaria uncinata, native to Mexico.

Another popular Mexican plant, Mammillaria albilanata

Two colorful old specimens, but the star of the photo is the variegated agave.

This killer agave is aptly named Agave horrida. The serrated leaves are lethal.

A small gift shop on the property sells a number of plants and planters. This saguaro themed pot was handmade by a local potter in the Palm Springs area, Sergio Naduville. 





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