Tour of Balboa Park Desert Garden

A walking discussion of the botany, history, folklore, and ethnobotany of the flora found in Balboa Park's Desert Garden. The focus of the tour is not species identification but rather how the very different looking structures of these plants from around the world provide clues to different adaptations for survival in various types of arid environments. A general discussion will be include what is a desert, where do they exist, what factors contribute to water scarcity from a plant's perspective, and the many varied approaches that have evolved to live in a world with limited essential resources. The tour will begin at the Balboa Park Visitor's Center.