The garden was originally established to provide extra space for plants arriving from the Americas that could not survive the climate of the Puerto de la Cruz location.
It was declared a site of cultural interest within the Historic-Artistic group of La Orotava.
The garden contains a notable collection of palm trees representing various climatic zones.
It occupies the former grounds of the San José convent, which was destroyed by fire in the 19th century.
The site acts as an experimental center for agricultural acclimatization in the northern part of Tenerife.
The Hijuela del Botánico is a 3,390-square-meter botanical garden located in La Orotava, serving as a historic annex to the larger Acclimatization Garden of La Orotava. Founded in 1788, the site currently hosts over 100 plant species from five continents, focusing on tropical and subtropical flora. It occupies the former orchard of the Convent of San José. The garden is managed by the Canary Islands Institute of Agricultural Research. Visitors encounter a diverse collection of trees, including specimens of the Dragon Tree and giant magnolias. It serves as a conservation space for endangered Macaronesian plant species. The layout retains its original 18th-century structure, featuring stone-paved paths and perimeter walls.
The central path framed by the lush, towering canopy of the giant magnolias.
Bring a light jacket as the elevation causes temperatures to be cooler than the coastal areas.
Use the small wooden placards near plants to identify rare or endemic species.
Combine your visit with a walk through the surrounding historic old town of La Orotava.
Rushing your visit; the garden is designed for slow observation and is too small to serve as a high-intensity attraction.
Closed on Mondays.
Stay on marked paths to protect the delicate root systems of rare plant species; do not collect seeds or plant cuttings.
