UCI Arboretum
About
12.5-Acre California Native Plant Garden
UCI Arboretum is a 12.5-acre botanic garden and research facility one mile from the UC Irvine campus. The collection focuses on plants of the California Floristic Province - Baja, Channel Islands, Maritime Succulent Scrub, Mojave Desert, oak woodland, native grasslands - plus an extensive South African plants section.
School Tours & Self-Guided Visits
Public access Tuesday through Saturday at no entrance fee. Programs include:
- Free public access (Tuesday-Saturday)
- School field trips
- University research demonstrations
- Native plant identification stations
- Seasonal events
- Self-guided trail walking
What's Included
- Free entrance and parking
- Self-guided trail signage
- Educator support for school groups by request
Experience
Authentic California Floristic Province introduction - kids see what Southern California looked like before development. Note: UCI is considering relocating the Arboretum to main campus; verify status before visiting. Strong fit for school groups and native-plant-curious families.