Wilbur D. May Arboretum and Botanical Garden

The Wilbur D. May Arboretum and Botanical Garden is a 13 acre living museum located in a transitional zone between the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Great Basin Desert and challenged by a harsh arid climate. The garden has an average annual precipitation of 7 inches and a short growing season of less than 120 days. Over 65,000 people visit the Arboretum annually. At an elevation of 4,600 feet, the gardens' daily temperatures can fluctuate 50 degrees or more in a day. With over 4,000 plants, native plants and adaptive plant species only few plants survive these conditions without additional care and maintenance. The garden's primary purpose is education and research and to demonstrate how introduced plant species and native plants grow in a high desert environment. The arboretum encompasses oak groves, outdoor courtyards, water feature, secluded gardens and access to 5 acres of wetlands.