Close-up of textured green leaves with a waxy surface.

About the Conservatory

The UC Davis Botanical Conservatory houses over 3,000 plant species, offering a unique space for education, research, and conservation. Explore rare plants from tropical rainforests, deserts, and carnivorous habitats through self-guided visits, tours, internships, and volunteer opportunities.

**Alt text:** Close-up of a Haworthia truncata succulent with thick, ridged green leaves arranged in a fan-like pattern, potted in a blue ceramic container filled with small pebbles. A plant label with handwritten text is inserted into the soil.

Mission and History

The Conservatory advances education, research, and conservation by cultivating a diverse collection of rare and unusual plants, serving as a living laboratory for hands-on learning since its establishment in 1959.
A group of people gathered around a table in a lab or classroom examine a plant specimen up close, smiling and engaged in conversation during what appears to be a guided tour or educational visit.

Use in Instruction

The Botanical Conservatory supports the university’s teaching and research missions by providing diverse living plant collections that enhance hands-on learning and faculty scholarship across disciplines.
A lush greenhouse archway covered in hanging Spanish moss and large staghorn ferns, surrounded by a variety of tropical plants. Sunlight filters through the glass ceiling, highlighting the dense greenery.

Galleries

The Botanical Conservatory’s galleries showcase a diverse collection of rare and exotic plants, highlighting unique adaptations from tropical, desert, and carnivorous ecosystems.
Entrance to a greenhouse with glass walls and metal framing, featuring a hanging "Enter Here" sign. Sunlight casts shadows on the concrete walkway, with potted plants and blooming flowers lining the path.

Contact and Location Information

Visit the UC Davis Botanical Conservatory, located on Kleiber Hall Drive, to explore our diverse plant collection—contact us at (530) 752-0569 for hours, directions, and inquiries.
A narrow greenhouse path surrounded by vibrant greenery and overhead tropical foliage forming a natural tunnel.
Botanical Conservatory Facility
Exterior of a greenhouse at dusk with glowing orange and yellow lights visible through the translucent panels.
Greenhouse illuminated at night, glowing warmly under a dark sky with visible reflections on the wet road.
Daytime view of greenhouses under a bright blue sky, with sunlight reflecting off glass and surrounding greenery.
A lush greenhouse walkway lined with dense tropical plants and large green leaves on both sides.
Daytime view of a greenhouse with frosted glass, surrounded by plants and trees under a clear blue sky.
Nighttime view of an illuminated greenhouse with soft light glowing through old, misted glass panels.
Interior of a lush greenhouse filled with oversized tropical leaves, vines, and colorful flowers under sunlight.
Greenhouse corridor overgrown with climbing plants and vines, glass walls revealing neighboring plant rooms.
Indoor greenhouse path flanked by dense green foliage with windows showing cactus collections and natural light.
Vibrant indoor jungle scene with diverse leafy plants, tropical specimens, and labels under a greenhouse roof.
Dense greenhouse filled with tropical plants, towering leaves, and clusters of hanging Spanish moss.
Bright greenhouse path flanked by various tropical plants, colorful flowers, and hanging vegetation.
Pathway through a greenhouse lined with leafy potted plants and informational signage under a glass roof.
Tropical greenhouse interior filled with climbing plants, colorful foliage, and metal benches of specimens.
Carnivorous plant greenhouse with hanging vines and rows of white containers holding Nepenthes species.
Corner of a greenhouse packed with diverse leafy plants and sunlit shelves of carnivorous species.
Bright desert plant room filled with tall cacti, succulents, and thick-stemmed trees in black containers.