A visit to Moorten Botanical Garden and Cactarium in Palm Springs, California is a must for any desert lover. This living museum was founded in 1938 by Cactus Slim and his wife, Patricia, who shared their love of desert plants with the public. It features over 3,000 different examples of desert flora arranged by geographical region.
Located in the heart of Palm Springs
If you’re looking for a peaceful retreat from the bustle of the city, Moorten Botanical Garden is the place to go. Located about a mile and half from downtown Palm Springs, this desert oasis features over 3,000 species of cacti and succulents from around the world. Whether you’re an amateur horticulturist or simply want to learn more about the beauty of these plants, this unique attraction will leave you awed. Click Here to learn more
Founded in 1938 by local celebrity Chester “Cactus Slim” Moorten and his wife Patricia, this desert arboretum is a living legacy of their passion for the plants of the region. They designed landscapes for Frank Sinatra and advised Walt Disney on his Frontierland at Disneyland. Today, their son Clark is a well-known expert on succulent plants and maintains the awe-inspiring collection of cacti at Moorten Botanical Garden.
The Moorten Botanical Garden is open daily, except Wednesdays, from 10am-4pm with varying hours in the summer. Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for kids 15 years and younger. The garden is also home to a plant nursery where you can purchase your own pretty succulents to take home with you. Click here to learn more about Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
Dedicated to cacti and succulents
Cacti and succulents of every shape, color, and size line the winding trails that run through this living museum. Here, you’ll find rare saguaro species growing right alongside agave, and twisted succulents next to flowering desert plants. You can also explore the garden’s “Cactarium,” a greenhouse that shelters some of the more unusual specimens from the harsh summer sun and winter chill.
Founded in 1939, this unique botanical garden was the lifelong passion of Patricia and Chester “Cactus Slim” Moorten. Both were actors, and Slim played in films such as Two Flaming Youths and The Sideshow. After suffering from tuberculosis, he left Hollywood and moved to the dry desert of Palm Springs for better health.
Their son, Clark Moorten, is now the keeper of their remarkable collection and still tours guests through this desert paradise with the same passion his parents instilled in him. He also propagates cacti and succulents for sale in the garden’s gift shop.
Offers a glimpse into the Moorten family’s passion for cactus
A world of spine-wielding cacti and delicate succulents await at Moorten Botanical Garden, which was founded in 1938 as an arboretum by Chester “Cactus Slim” and Patricia Moorten. Known for their tall, lanky figure and work as contortionists, the couple used their expertise in desert plants to create this botanical wonderland.
Well traveled, they took their only son Clark on trips down Baja California and into Mexico and as far south as Guatemala to acquire plants for their collection. Today, Clark is the curator of the gardens and is considered one of the most knowledgable experts on succulent plants in America.
Aside from the plants, the garden features other curiosities such as petrified wood and a “prehistoric garden” featuring dinosaur footprint fossils. The gardens are also available for civic, cultural and social events including weddings, receptions, classes, lectures, memorials, mixers and more. They even have a Mediterranean-style home that can be rented out for special occasions.
Dedicated to preserving the garden’s legacy
When Palm Springs locals think of desert plants, they think of the Moorten Botanical Garden and Cactarium. The garden is the work of husband and wife team Chester “Slim” and Patricia Moorten. The Moortens grew to be known as experts on desert horticulture, and their work ranged from designing landscapes for Frank Sinatra and Walt Disney to creating the desert setting for Disneyland’s Frontierland.
The gardens are divided into sections by geographic region and feature a variety of trees and cacti. The collection includes twisted succulents, snake-like cacti, and towering agave plants. Visitors can tour the gardens on their own or with a guided tour. Guided tours offer a ton of information that visitors would miss while wandering on their own.
It is rare to find a private botanical garden still run by the family that started it. The garden continues to grow and is maintained by the Moortens’ son, Clark, who takes great pride in his parents’ work.
