Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park

The Arboretum was started by Colonel Wm Boyce Thompson, a mining promoter, financial magnate and Red Cross officer who spent time in impoverished Russia in 1917.  He fell in love with Pickepost Mountain while visiting the Magma Copper Mine.  He was then convinced that growing plants in the Sonoran Desert could help solve global food problems and he greatly regretted the damage to the local area caused by mining, timbering and overgrazing.



The original homestead had an elevator which is no longer in use and the rock wall was built by hand by a Yugoslavian mason (200 feet below is the Queen Creek Canyon).

Prickly Pear that looks like those buttoned cushions on Victorian styled chaise-lounges.

The Arboretum is over 350 acres and includes an Australian exhibit, S. American, Mexican and thousands of native plants.   The cactus exhibit and eucalyptus forest is fabulous and more than I can possibly show on 'still' pictures.

Emory Barrel Cactus(left):   The 'blossoms' appear very waxy in nature.

Barrel Cactus - about 4' tall

Barrel Cactus (right) with Agave in background:  the frost resistent barrel grows in the Sonoran Dessert.   The yellow fruits are edible & eaten by rodents, birds, and javelina.   The plant is now protected as they were over used for the plant itself, fruit and made into candy.

Rock Squirrel:  it 'popped' out of it's burrow, grabbed some twigs and went back underground.... a large squirrel with head and body reaching about 10.5" and the tail 8".   It is a 'hazzard' in residential areas, unfortunately for them.  But here, in the 'park' it is in it's element, other than looking for it's own predators.



Monstrose Totem Pole Cactus

Boojum

Native to the Sonoran Desert only on the W coast of Baja Ca and on small area of Sonoran mainland near Puerto Libertad.  At maturity they reach 65 feet.  They are totally protected by the Mexian Gov't & only available in the US if they have been nursery grown.  They are 'prickly' and related to the Octotillo cactus.

Nursery cost = $1000 per foot!   A plant 50 feet takes 500-600 years to grow.

A 'wasp' with only yellow coloring!