Leaning Pine Arboretum

California Polytechnic State University, California, United States

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The Leaning Pine Arboretum at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo was founded in 1973 as a student-driven project that grew from class and senior projects into a five-acre garden showcasing a variety of plants suited to the Central Coast Mediterranean climate.

The arboretum's collections are organized primarily by the plant's native regions, featuring species from the world's five Mediterranean climate zones, including California, Australia, Chile, the Mediterranean Basin, and South Africa. It also includes specialized areas such as a New Zealand garden, dwarf conifers, cycads, palms, and a formal garden, providing students with a hands-on educational experience in horticulture.

The garden is open to the public year-round and is maintained by students and staff of the plant sciences department as part of Cal Poly's "Learn by Doing" philosophy. Visitors enjoy scenic views of nearby coastal mountains while exploring diverse plant collections that emphasize sustainable gardening practices in a Mediterranean environment.