Houston Botanic Garden

Houston Botanic Garden The mission of the Houston Botanic Garden -- a 501(c)3, not-for-profit corporation -- is to enrich li
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Houston Botanic Garden was incorporated in 2002 with a vision of creating a world-class botanic garden and major cultural institution in Houston.

Garden photo ops are always in vogue, so, if you've got it, flaunt it!We recently caught this native green anole (Anolis...
05/29/2026

Garden photo ops are always in vogue, so, if you've got it, flaunt it!

We recently caught this native green anole (Anolis carolinensis) striking a pose against the dramatic backdrop of the female cone of an emperor sago (Cycas taitungensis) in the Corner of Curiosity.

While we don't allow human guests to get quite as up close and personal with plants as some of our more wild visitors do, there are plenty of breath-taking backdrops from which you can choose to stand in front of on your next visit to the Garden.

And if you'd like to have the Garden as the backdrop for your staged photography, we welcome that. Please familiarize yourself with our Garden Rules and the Staged Photography Fee, and contact our Director of Communications & Community Engagement to schedule your session in advance.

https://hbg.org/visit/garden-rules/
https://hbg.org/visit/garden-rules/photography/

Every plant has a story, and one of the newest additions to the Confetti Garden -- our vibrant, Texas cottage garden -- ...
05/28/2026

Every plant has a story, and one of the newest additions to the Confetti Garden -- our vibrant, Texas cottage garden -- has a great one to tell.

Friend of the Garden Eric Mason recently donated a more than 50-year-old specimen of Plumeria rubra 'Celadine' in honor of his late mother, Nancy Grover Mason. A lover of plumerias and orchids, Nancy frequently traveled to Hawaii, and, according to Eric, "She purchased a plumeria stalk on every trip and planted it upon her return." The plant that is now on display in the Garden's collection was purchased at a Hawaiian nursery on her first trip, in 1974.

Eric said, "We knew that some of her larger ones were well beyond the size for us to care for anymore, but we wanted it to go someplace nearby where we could go and see it, and our future generations could look back on it and remember her fondly."

We are honored to steward this wonderful plant specimen in Nancy Mason's memory, and we look forward to welcoming visits from the Mason family -- and thousands of others who will appreciate its charms -- for generations to come.

*Please note, the Garden has very strict standards for what it can accept in the way of donated plant material, so, while we appreciate interest in donating, be aware we are only able to respond favorably to a very limited number of inquiries.

The Garden holds treasures for those who venture off the beaten path, as well, like this Passiflora incarnata (purple pa...
05/27/2026

The Garden holds treasures for those who venture off the beaten path, as well, like this Passiflora incarnata (purple passionflower) blooming on the banks of our Stormwater Wetlands. In case you didn't know, if you see a mown pathway while strolling the natural ecosystems of our site, that's an indication you are welcome -- encouraged, even -- to explore where it might take you (literally, and figuratively).

Shade lovers may have noticed some new hanging baskets suspended from the Live Oak (Quercus virginiana) in the Sanctuary...
05/26/2026

Shade lovers may have noticed some new hanging baskets suspended from the Live Oak (Quercus virginiana) in the Sanctuary of the Global Collection Garden. The baskets contain four different epiphytic cacti.

Epiphytes are tree-dwellers, plants that live their entire lives in the wild clinging to a taller, woodier plant like a tree. While trees and shade aren't the first thing one imagines when thinking about cacti, there are in fact several different species of these spiky, drought tolerant plants that grow on the limbs of trees in tropical forests.

Cacti are known for their fascinating adaptations, and these are no exception. For example, Queen of the Night (Epiphyllum oxypetalum) blooms a bright white flower that opens during the night, when it is pollinated by bats and moths.

These plants were given large baskets to give them plenty of room to grow and thrive beneath the canopy of their new Live Oak home.

Welcome these new additions -- while enjoying a shady respite -- on your next visit to Houston's Garden!

This one's for those of you who have corn on the cob on your grill this Memorial Day.Those familiar with agriculture may...
05/25/2026

This one's for those of you who have corn on the cob on your grill this Memorial Day.

Those familiar with agriculture may have heard the saying "knee high by the 4th of July," but the corn crop in the Harvest bed of our Culinary Garden is already shoulder high by May's patriotic holiday.

Corn crops flowering, a seemingly everyday occurrence, contain their own story of evolution and plant domestication. Corn, like most grasses, is wind pollinated, and its male and female flower parts are located in different locations on the plant. To pollinate itself or another corn plant, pollen falls from the male flowers (tassels) at the top of the plant onto the female strands (silks) emerging from the developing ears. Every single silk must receive pollen to develop a kernel. Unpollinated silks result in missing kernels on the cob.

This is one reason you often see corn planted in large, close groups. It makes for more efficient pollination and, as a result, a more uniform crop.

Our horticulturists have noted a few early blooms on perennial plants that are known for flowering in the fall. This occ...
05/22/2026

Our horticulturists have noted a few early blooms on perennial plants that are known for flowering in the fall. This occurs for a variety of reasons, but the most likely factor is this year's mild, warm spring, and the season's mimicry of fall conditions. Moderate temperatures and sufficient moisture seem to have given us a "bonus bloom" before the summer heat.

It's worth noting that all the plants exhibiting this behavior are non-native. While native plants are more likely to follow a calendar year regardless of conditions, exotic plants respond to their environment, and the environment is telling these three to bloom!

Hibiscus mutabilis
Lespedeza thunbergii
Salvia madrensis

Is anything blooming early in your garden?

It's going to take more than a little rain to wash this smell away.Amorphophallus paeoniifolius, or elephant foot yam, i...
05/20/2026

It's going to take more than a little rain to wash this smell away.

Amorphophallus paeoniifolius, or elephant foot yam, is just starting to release its signature rotten scent in the Global Collection Garden’s Corner of Curiosity. It should reach full bloom in the next couple days, and remain open through the weekend, but not much longer.

Related to the iconic giant co**se flower, Amorphophallus titanum, this plant only blooms once per year, if at all, often skipping years entirely. It might be worth dodging this week's off-and-on showers to ensure you don’t miss this opportunity to see and smell this big, stinky bloom.

If you do make it out, remember that we ask visitors to remain on indicated paths at all times when observing this unique plant, and all others, displayed within clearly defined beds. Trust us, even standing a few feet away, you’ll still get a whiff of the bloom as the scent permeates the space.

Out of an abundance of caution, we have made the difficult decision to postpone the Garden's Open House, originally plan...
05/20/2026

Out of an abundance of caution, we have made the difficult decision to postpone the Garden's Open House, originally planned for Thursday, May 21. While the Garden usually hosts events rain or shine, the nature of this event – and the uncertainty of the weather forecast – made it difficult for us to organize a suitable rain plan that would still allow us to present our venue and participating vendors in their best light.

We are currently working to determine a new date in the fall of this year, and we will communicate that information as soon as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, and, please know that you are welcome to reach out to our Event Specialist at [email protected] or 713-715-9675 ext. 131 to schedule a private tour at any time.

For those mourning the conclusion of The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston's spectacular exhibition "Frida: The Making of an ...
05/18/2026

For those mourning the conclusion of The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston's spectacular exhibition "Frida: The Making of an Icon," the Garden has its own way to celebrate the influential artist.

Frida Kahlo's Botanical Universe is a self-guided tour that explores the way the artist elevated flora from background to protagonist, and helped reframe gardening as an act of cultural memory and resistance. Works of art are displayed alongside the flourishing plants in Houston's Garden, giving Frida lovers the opportunity to witness the beauty that inspired the iconic figure.

To experience the self-guided tour -- signs for which are posted in the Garden for a limited time -- download the Bloomberg Connects app and look for Frida Kahlo's Botanical Universe among our active tours, or scan the QR code when you encounter a Frida blue sign in the Garden.

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1 Botanic Lane
Houston, TX
77017

Opening Hours

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

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