BOTANICAL Treasures By Seth Menser SENIOR HORTICULTURIST
We have so many more beautiful botanical treasures to show you—download the digital ZOONOOZ to see them!
Photos by Ken Bohn SDZG PHOTOGRAPHER
The San Diego Zoo
is known for its large and diverse animal collection, of course! What people might not be aware of are the incredible plant collections that also grace the grounds of our Zoo. The same Mediterranean climate that enriches the animals in our care also allows us to grow spectacular plants from all points on the globe. Some of the Zoo’s plant collections are accredited through the American Association of Museums and are maintained to the same standard as other accredited collections, such as art in a museum. Records are kept for each individual plant that detail location, source, propagation history, and other significant information. Our plant collections serve multiple purposes—the most obvious being to have a beautiful landscape at the Zoo. But the real drive is in the name of conservation. Much like the Animal Kingdom, the botanical world is also threatened in the wild, and our collections serve as a catalyst to educate, showcase, and raise awareness of plants in peril. Part of this process involves us doing work in situ, sometimes in other countries,
working side by side with various government agencies and institutions. Our horticulture collections and projects are just one spoke in a wheel of global conservation that San Diego Zoo Global continues to work on every day. The San Diego Zoo is a world-class botanical garden that just happens to share its space with a world-class collection of rare and endangered animals. For nearly 100 years, the Zoo has developed into what it is today, and it’s hard to imagine what the Zoo would be like without the environment that our diverse botanical collection has created. By maintaining and curating our accredited collections, we can look forward to the next 100 years and continue the San Diego Zoo’s role of sharing wonderful plants alongside the animals and inspiring conservation for all wildlife. Currently, the Zoo is home to eight accredited plant collections. Be sure to look for these botanical treasures on your next visit.
ACACIA A group of trees found in warmer regions of the world, acacias are known for their yellow flowers in the winter. We grow several species to feed some of the animals here at the Zoo, including the giraffes and okapis. Most acacias are drought tolerant and thrive in our arid climate. Many acacia species in the wild have been logged extensively, leading to a decline in their native stands.
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ZOONOOZ
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BAMBOO Technically, bamboo is a giant grass, and giant it is, with some species reaching over 100 feet in their native environment! The Zoo’s bamboo collection provides beauty as well as useful light construction material. Of course, the biggest benefit bamboo brings to the Zoo is an essential browse source for our pandas. We grow 114 species of bamboo, and 12 are used to feed the beloved black-andwhite pandas.