Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden

Arcadia, California, United States

---

The Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden in Arcadia, California, covers 127 acres on land that was once part of Rancho Santa Anita, originally inhabited by the Gabrielino/Tongva Native Americans and later owned by Elias Jackson “Lucky” Baldwin, a prominent local businessman and Arcadia's first mayor.

The state and county purchased 111 acres in 1947 and began developing it into an arboretum, building the first greenhouse by 1949 and planting the first 1,000 trees in 1951. The arboretum officially opened to the public in 1956 and has since expanded its collections, greenhouses, and gardens. The site features a mix of historical landmarks like the Queen Anne Cottage, native plant gardens, international plant collections, and natural springs feeding a horseshoe-shaped lake.

It serves as a center for environmental education, conservation, and cultural preservation, attracting visitors with its diverse plantings, historical architecture, and free-roaming peacocks, while remaining a vital green space linking the region’s rich cultural and natural heritage.