BOTANIC COLLECTION

One of the youngest collections in the Garden, the Agave and Succulent collection stands out for its beauty and contrasts inside a spectacular landscape.

More than 100 species are a part of it, they come from diverse families that include a very attractive feature, succulence, this means that they accumulate water in their stems, leaves or roots, modifying their appearance and varying their chances of surviving in the arid areas and rocky environments where they come from.

The agaves are the highlights of this array, they are a group of plants that are specifically found in America with extraordinary importance in Mexico, since they have an enormous value for their cultural, economic and ecological relevance.

Featured species: Agave impressa, Agave victoria-reginae, Echinocatus grusonii, Plumeria obtusa and Parkinsonia praecox.

This set of ponds was originally designed by Ing. Carlos Murillo Depraect, they are the main collection of aquatic plants in the Garden, recreating a Wetland; that is, an autonomous ecosystem where plants provide oxygen and food to pond animals, and these, in turn, nourish them with their waste. In the collection of aquatic plants, a wide variety of water lilies, the sacred lotus, papyri and the magnificent Amazonian Victory stand out, with their huge floating leaves. This beautiful but delicate collection is extremely valuable, as the species are disappearing due to water pollution and the destruction of the channels, endangering the last shelters for them.

Featured species: Victoria amazonica, Nymphaea spp, Nelumbo nucifera, Hibiscus coccineus and Thalia geniculata.

In this collection you will be able to see the different species of bamboo that inhabit the Garden and come mainly from Asia. These plants, as unlikely as it may sound, belong to the family of pastures and, in addition to their beauty, stand out for having more than a thousand uses, from food to refined constructions. In the Garden we have more than 20 species on display that recreate a harmonious environment. The sensations that these plants generate are so beneficial that we can understand why they represent an enormous spiritual and philosophical symbolism for Eastern cultures.

Featured species: Dendrocalamus gigantea, Bambú negro, Bambú amarillo y Otatea.

Our Bonsai collection was born over than 10 years ago, it was initiated by a donation of several specimens from Gironobo Baba Mascareño, who cultivated them with the purest Japanese tradition and dedicated his time to training a gardener to carry on with his labor. With these cares, the Garden has been able to keep them alive for more than 30 years. Currently we are developing our Mexican Bonsai collection, with emphasis on species from the north of the country. This is a unique collection that contributes to the conservation of the most beautiful and representative trees from the region.

Featured species: Ficus, taxodium, Bursera, Washintonia y Cenostigma.

This section harbors the cycads, the oldest seed plants in the world. These fascinating species emerged more than 260 million years ago, dominating the time of dinosaurs. Their name derives from the Greek word koikas, the name that the wise Theophrastus gave to an Egyptian palm; However, they are surprisingly unrelated to palms and are more related to the families of the pines and the sabinos or ahuehuetes. The cycads are in serious danger of extinction and Mexico ranks second in the world in the diversity of these plants, after Australia. The Garden has more than 30 species, all protected by national and international laws.

Featured species: Dioon tomaseli, Encephalarthos horridus, Dioon spinolosum, Cycas revoluta and Zamia furfuracea.

Ethnobotany is the science that studies the relationship between man and plants, this has allowed us to document the ancestral relationship that all cultures have developed within their natural environment. In Mexico more than 7000 species of plants have been found to be used to cover a variety of human needs. That relationship is demonstrated in this collection through the various species that have influenced indigenous groups from the north central region of the country. From the Mayos, the Seris, the Tarahumara, the Yaquis, to the Huichols, and their traditional knowledge, which gives us the opportunity to preserve it for future generations to promote the sustainable use of nature.

This plant genus groups diverse species of leafy and monumental trees, its name derives from the Latin meaning “fig tree”, they have the characteristic of presenting a white and elastic sap known as latex and they grow in very humid places near rivers and streams, as well as in gullies and gorges. Surprisingly it is estimated that there are more than 700 species in the tropics of the world and Mexico has about 30 of them; Among the best known are the Amates, the trees that were used by the ancient Mexicans for the production of paper where some of the pre-Hispanic codices were written. In the collection you can see more than 20 different species from America and Asia.

Featured species: Ficus petiolaris, Ficus altissima, Ficus auriculata, Lonchocarpus longistylus and Ficus insipida.

Mexico is a megadiverse country with a long tradition in the powerful processes of domestication of the over 100 species that are used as food; for example: vanilla, chocolate, chilis, pumpkins, beans and tomatoes, that places our region at the center of the cultivation of these plants, where their wild ancestors survive. On a global scale there are more than 40 thousand edible species that humans have cultivated from the beginning of agriculture over 12 thousand years ago. In this collection you will get to know some of the plants and culinary traditions from several cultures.

Featured species: Theobroma cacao, Coffea arabica, Cinnamomum verum, Jaboticabo and Pineapple.

(COLLECTION IN PROCESS) This collection invites you to use all your senses and admire your surroundings. There is nothing more pleasant than walking through this collection and observing the combination of trees, palm trees, flowers and fruits, that together, create an intensely enjoyable atmosphere. The Garden of the Senses transforms your relationship with nature. In it you will perceive the varied shapes, textures, sounds and nuances of its plants, which even change according to the seasons in a balance of colors and contrasts. It is easy to understand the emotional benefits that gardens offer people, since direct contact with nature stimulates serenity, curiosity and patience, both in children and adults; However, each person will live their own experience in a unique way, just as each plant has its own personality.

This botanical family is one of the most attractive and varied that exist, including herbs, bushes and trees with great dimensions. Botanists have documented over 3 thousand 700 species and new genetic studies have given us a better idea of its members; Among the best known are plants such as the Ceiba, Hibiscus, Clavelin, Cotton, and Baobab, all available in this collection. The most distinctive feature of this group is its very colorful flowers that produce a large amount of pollen and nectar, fundamental foods for birds and butterflies. In addition to their great beauty, the plants that make up this landscape have countless uses, so there are numerous legends that are still told about them in the different civilizations of the world.

Featured species: Ceiba pentandra, Pachyra aquatica, Adansonia digitata, Ochroma pyramidale y Quararibea funebris.

(COLLECTION IN PROCESS) This collection has great national relevance since it represents the versatility of a type of vegetation known by botanists as Deciduous Seasonal Forest or Dry Jungle, where more than half of the tree species are endemic to Mexico. Through the seasons this vegetation suffers an amazing transformation, in the dry season the trees that belong to this type of region lose their leaves to avoid becoming dehydrated by the high temperatures, orienting their energy to flourish creating spectacular postcards, and at the beginning of the first rains of the summer the mountains are dressed in an intense and bright green, when the trees recover their foliage to continue their cycle. The dry forests are the most misunderstood ecosystems of the planet and because of great ignorance they are destroyed, without us being able to know them fully to date.

Featured species:Guaiacum coullteri, Brahea nitida, Cedrela odorata, Bursera spp and Albizia sinaloensis.

(COLLECTION IN PROCESS) The plants in this collection have very particular characteristics, since they use very advanced strategies for their survival. They are known as “epiphyte plants”, which means they grow over branches and tree trunks to obtain the necessary light for their development. They can also be found growing around electric cables, but they do not cause any harm, since they are not parasites, that is to say, they do not feed of off other plants. Mexico is known for its orchid diversity of over 200 species; one of the most popular orchids is the vanilla, that grows in Mexican jungles. In the garden we have cultivated more than 30 species, including the sinaloense orchids that very few people know.

Featured species: Vanda, Laelia spp, Anthurium spp, Alsophylla firma and Tacca chantieri.

(COLLECTION IN PROCESS) The Palmetum is our most outstanding collection. They were the plants that Ing. Carlos Murillo Depraect, founder of the Garden who started this collection of palms more than 30 years ago, most appreciated. The Botanical Garden of Culiacan has the only collection of palms in Mexico, with more than 140 species on display and shelter. Our goal is to preserve and increase the collection of these plants that have accompanied humankind for centuries, providing us with countless benefits. Garden scientists carry out intensive research and numerous botanical expeditions to save and protect this group of tropical plants that are distributed in the Mexican jungles and elsewhere in the world.

Featured species: Corypha umbraculifera, Bismarckia nobilis, Corypha utan, Chamaedorea pochutlensis y Cryosophilla nana.

In the desert, viznagas, cardons, saguaros, and numerous plants evolved with advanced strategies to adapt to an extreme life. The deserts mainly cover the northern states of Mexico, helping the country rank as first place in cactus diversity in the world. This situation places the Botanical Garden in a strategic region for the conservation of these species that are at great risk due to deforestation and clearing, which destroy centennial plants. The species that inhabit the Sonoran Desert are exhibited in this collection, from southern Arizona, Baja California, Baja California Sur, to Sonora. We have included the most important cactus species in Sinaloa, located in the transition to other types of vegetation that are equally beautiful and diverse.

Featured species: Fouqueria macdougalli, Stenocereus alamoscensis, Stenocereus martinezii, Ferocactus herrerae and Beucarnea spp.

Some representative specimens of this type of vegetation, distinguished by the presence of large trees such as pines and oaks, are displayed in our Temperate Forest collection. They are characteristic of the mountains where the climate is much cooler. Mexico is at the center of pine diversity with more than 50% of the planet's species, however, many species are at risk because they are the main source of wood. In the Garden we have managed to adapt some oaks, ash, pines and magnolias to the climate of Culiacan so you can meet them.

Featured species: Pinus caribea, Quercus sp., Magnolia sp., Taxodium mucronatum and Asclepias curassavica.

The tropical garden collection has the most exotic and beautiful plants in the Garden. They stand out for the diversity in their forms, colors, sizes and textures that combine in a unique way to create a totally tropical and exuberant environment. Any traveler who passes through the warm regions of central and southern America has noticed a group of flowers called heliconia, which are found from the rainforests in southern Mexico to Argentina; Its exceptional flowers are pollinated mainly by hummingbirds, which makes it even more attractive to observe them. Its name is derived from Helicon, the sacred mountain of Greek mythology, where the muses met, to inspire songs and poetry.

Featured species: Heliconia spp, Costus spp, Zingibber spp, Musa spp and Anthurium clarinervium.

Despite being one of the most amazing ecosystems in the world, it is also unfortunately one of the most threatened. In it there are monumental trees of over 40 m, and under their lush canopies grows a huge diversity of vines, orchids, and palm trees in an extremely humid environment. One hectare of jungle can contain more than 200 different species and in the Garden we have adapted a space to represent the beauty and complexity of this environment. The entrance to this collection is an arch of concrete and stone covered with plants that was designed by Ing. Carlos Murillo Depraect, founder of the Botanical Garden; This structure is a tribute to the jungle and the surreal garden of Sir Edward James, located in Xilitla, San Luis Potosi.

Featured species: Vainilla, Chamaedorea cataractarum, Ficus religiosa, Pandanus y Congea tomentosa.