Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park

Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park
Arizona State Park
Spring wildflowers at Boyce Thompson Arboretum
Named for: William Boyce Thompson
Country	United States
State	Arizona
County	Pinal
Location	Superior
- elevation	2,431 ft (741 m)
- coordinates	33°16′45″N 111°9′30″W
Area	323 acres (131 ha)
Founded	1976
Management	Arizona State Parks, Boyce Thompson Arboretum Inc., and the University of Arizona
Location of Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park in Arizona

Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park is an arboretum and state park of Arizona, USA, located in Superior.

Description

Boyce Thompson Arboretum Park consists of a 323-acre (131 ha) botanical collection that includes a wide range of habitats and a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) main loop walking trail. Founded in 1925, the arboretum is the largest and oldest botanical garden in the state of Arizona. It is jointly managed by the Boyce Thompson Arboretum, Inc. (a 501 c(3) non-profit organization), the University of Arizona, and Arizona State Parks.

History

Drs. Frank S. Crosswhite and Carol Diane Crosswhite served as the Arboretum's Curator of Botany and Zoology, respectively, for more than 30 years. Both had their Ph.D.s from the University of Wisconsin, and they greatly expanded the Arboretum's programs, developed its popular plant sales, and created innovative educational displays, often concerning native plants used by indigenous peoples of the area. Guided tours on the arboretum's extensive trails are featured. Originally the arboretum was independently managed, but in the 1960s it partnered with the University of Arizona and in 1976 entered into a tripartite agreement to join the Arizona state park system.

See also

• William Boyce Thompson
• Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research

External links

• Boyce Thompson Arboretum
• Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park

Gallery

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  Smith Interpretive Center, Boyce Thompson Arboretum

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  Big Eucalyptus in the Australian garden, probably planted around 1925.