Bogotá Botanical Garden, Bogotá: what to see and when to go

Bogotá Botanical Garden is the largest in Colombia, located in the capital city. It features plants from all Colombian regions and altitudes, with a special focus on Andean and Páramo ecosystems. Visitors find themed gardens, greenhouses, and collections of orchids, palms, and native trees, as well as research and education programs.

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Home to over 19,000 live plants and 2,346 cultivated taxa
Specializes in Andean and Páramo ecosystem plants
Hosts Colombia’s largest orchid collection
Features themed greenhouses and an artificial waterfall
Named after botanist José Celestino Mutis

What is Bogotá Botanical Garden?

The Bogotá Botanical Garden covers 19.5 acres in the city and is known for its wide range of Colombian plants. Visitors can explore themed gardens, including greenhouses set to different climates, a palmetum with palm species, an orchid collection, and displays of Amazonian and Andean flora. The grounds include an artificial waterfall, a sun clock, and educational spaces like a library and labs. Plants are grouped by their native ecosystems, from high-altitude Páramo to rainforest.

The history of Bogotá Botanical Garden

Founded in 1955, the garden was named for José Celestino Mutis, a Spanish botanist who led a major botanical expedition in the region during the 18th century. The idea for the garden began in 1937 but was delayed by unrest. It was finally established after the city council provided land. The garden honors Colombia’s botanical heritage and Mutis’s contributions to science in the Americas.

What there is to see

The garden’s collections are organized by ecosystem, with greenhouses simulating climates from dry Guajira to humid Amazon. Special collections focus on Andean plants at risk of extinction, including families like Araceae, Bromeliaceae, Cactaceae, Lamiaceae, and Orchidaceae. There are also sections for medicinal plants, aquatic plants, and cacti. The arboretum features native and exotic trees.

When to go

The garden is open to the public for recreation, education, and research. It runs workshops on biotechnology and conservation, and offers programs for children to learn about biodiversity. It also hosts events, such as the SonEra Solar music festival. The garden is a place for both relaxation and learning about Colombia’s plant diversity.

Parts and collections

The garden’s orchid collection includes over 5,000 species, and themed areas highlight different plant groups and ecosystems. The symbolic plant is Mutisia clematis, native to South America. Colombia’s national flower, the orchid, and the wax tree, the national plant, are also featured. Collections are updated to support conservation and research.

Why Bogotá Botanical Garden matters

The garden is a symbol of Colombia’s natural diversity and scientific heritage. It is recognized for its conservation work, especially with Andean species. The symbolic plant, Mutisia clematis, honors José Celestino Mutis. The garden is a member of Botanic Gardens Conservation International and is known nationwide for its educational and environmental programs.

The flowers of Bogotá Botanical Garden

OrchidA vast family of colourful, often fragrant flowers found almost everywhere on earth

CactusSucculent plants with spines, native to the Americas

Questions people ask about Bogotá Botanical Garden

Where is the Bogotá Botanical Garden located?

The garden is in Bogotá, Colombia’s capital city. It covers 19.5 acres and is easily accessible within the city.

What is special about the plants in this garden?

The garden focuses on plants from all Colombian regions and altitudes, especially Andean and Páramo species. It also has a large orchid collection and displays of Amazonian flora.

Who was José Celestino Mutis?

José Celestino Mutis was a Spanish botanist and astronomer who led a major botanical expedition in New Granada (now Colombia) in the 18th century. The garden is named in his honor.

What can visitors see and do at the garden?

Visitors can explore themed gardens, greenhouses, and collections of native plants. There are educational programs, a library, and special events like music festivals.

Does the garden work on conservation?

Yes, the garden runs research and conservation programs, especially for endangered Andean plants, and collaborates with universities and international organizations.

Good reading and sources

Official websiteOfficial site

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Bogotá Botanical Garden", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Phool rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

It may contain mistakes. Opening times, prices and bloom dates change: check with the place before you travel. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

Sim's Park, Coonoor: Thangaraj Kumaravel, CC BY 2.0, source

Tropical Botanical Garden and Research Institute: No machine-readable author provided. Shyamal assumed (based on copyrig, CC BY 2.5, source

Baldha Garden: Muntasir du, Public domain, source

Hakone Botanical Garden of Wetlands: 663highland, CC BY 2.5, source

Guillermo Piñeres Botanical Garden: Campi2021, CC BY-SA 4.0, source

Botanical Garden of Medellín: Jorge Láscar, CC BY-SA 3.0, source

Cactus: G. Mütrel, Leipzig ; Berlin ; Wien : F.A. Brockhaus, Public domain, source

Orchid: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source

Bromeliads: MANOJTV at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source

Cut flowers: Rept0n1x, CC BY-SA 3.0, source

Bogotá Botanical Garden