General information
The Robert and Catherine Wilson Botanical Garden has a rich, internationally recognized, collection of tropical plants from around the world. Over 1000 genera in more than 200 plant families form the unique collection that is an integral part of the Las Cruces Biological Station. Aroids, bromeliads, ferns, gingers, heliconias, marantas, and palms are all well represented on the 12-hectare (30-acre) site.
The Garden was established by Robert and Catherine Wilson, who were former owners of the Fantastic Gardens tropical nursery in Miami, Florida. They emigrated to southern Costa Rica in 1962 and established the botanical garden on what were abandoned coffee plantations and land previously cleared for cattle pasture and subsistence farming. Roberto Burle Marx, a famous Brazilian landscape architect and friend of the Wilsons, assisted with the initial design of the grounds.
Robert Wilson’s skills as a gifted gardener resulted in the rapid establishment of many plants, with a particular emphasis on palms and bromeliads. Stanley Smith, an English industrialist who settled in Australia, and a devotee of tropical plants, became the Wilson Botanical Garden’s most significant patron. His support began in 1967, and to this day a horticultural trust in his name continues to be a key benefactor to the Garden.
In 1973 Las Cruces was purchased by the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS), a nonprofit consortium of universities and research institutions from the US, Costa Rica, Peru, Mexico, South Africa, and Australia. The Organization operates three biological field stations in Costa Rica (Las Cruces; La Selva; Palo Verde) as part of its mission to provide leadership in education, research, and the responsible use of natural resources in the tropics.
The Wilson Botanical Garden is located at 1,200 m (3,900 ft) above sea level along a spur of the Fila Cruces coastal range, and is about 300 km southeast of the capital San José in Coto Brus County. The prevailing temperatures at Las Cruces are pleasant and range from 21° – 27° C (70° – 80° F) during the day and 15° – 21° C (low 60° F) at night. The dry season runs from January to April, and mean annual rainfall is ~4,000 mm (157 inches).
The Garden and adjacent forest (365 ha total) also have an impressive diversity of native plants (2000 species). Over 410 species of birds have been censused around Las Cruces, as well as 800 species of butterflies, more than 100 species of mammals (of which over 50 are bats), and a high diversity of reptiles and amphibians.
The Wilson Botanical Garden is part of “La Amistad Biosphere Reserve” that encompasses 472,000 hectares of park-land and buffer zones centered in the southern Talamanca mountain range, in Costa Rica’s south pacific.
Meet hundreds of bromeliads and orchids; dozens of philodendrons and other aroids of all sizes; scores of heliconias, plus giant bamboo and more than 650 species of palms.
Facilities
- Enjoy the lodge-style rooms, furnished with bamboo and wood, private bathroom and a private deck overlooking the lush gardens, perfect for bird and animal observation.
- Dine is family style, where students and researchers mix with tourists in a spacious, friendly setting.
- Gift shop, get a precious hand made item from our indigenous or a great gift for you or your love ones. Your purchase helps us conserve this unique place.
- Laundry service
- Free WiFi and parking
- Library
Day visitors can have lunch at the garden, but lunch must be reserved at Reception by 10am, or previously reserved to Reservations Department, contact visit.ots@tropicalstudies.org
Things to take
Prescription medicines as needed, good walking shoes, hot weather clothes, insect repellent, umbrella or rain jacket, flashlight, binoculars, sun screen, film and camera extra batteries, plastic bags to keep film/paper dry. Most of these items are also found on our gift shop.
Caution
If you are hypersensitive to insects, bees or wasps, always carry a sting kit with you. Please walk only on marked trails, and remain watchful for snakes, bees, and wasps. If you encounter a snake, back away slowly and allow the snake to move away of its own accord. Notify a staff member immediately in the event of an emergency.
Climate
At approximately 1,200 meters elevation (3,900 feet), the prevailing temperatures range from 21° – 27° C (70° – 80° F) during the day and 15° – 21° C (low 60° F) at night. The dry season runs from January to April. The rainy season begins in May and lasts until November. The annual rainfall is approximately 4,000 mm or 157 inches.
Species list
If yoy want to know more about the species list that you can to find on the Research Station please click here.
Location
Zone: San Vito de Coto Brus, Puntarenas, Costa Rica.
Distance from San José: 287 km; 4.5 hours driving. Near the Panamanian border on Costa Rica’s coastal range (8° 47′ N, 82° 57′ W).
Getting there: Las Cruces Biological Station is located in the Pacific highlands of southern Costa Rica, 287 kilometers (178 miles) southeast of the capital city of San José. The drive by car from San José takes a minimum of 4.5 hours (without stopping). From Downtown San Jose, go east toward San Pedro and find the Interamerican Highway South (Route N° 2). Stay on this highway, passing Cerro de la Muerte, San Isidro, and Buenos Aires from where you must drive some 25 kilometers more to find Paso Real, the entrance to the Coto Brus Valley. Take a sharp left turn at the Paso Real sign, cross the bridge at río Térraba; San Vito is 46 kilometers ahead. Once in San Vito, take the fork in front of the city’s park; Las Cruces is some 6 kilometers south of San Vito. Look for the Wilson Garden/Las Cruces Biological Station.
Phones: San José Tel. + (506) 2524-0607 (ext. 1340), Fax. + (506) 2524-0608. Las Cruces Tel. + (506) 27734004, Fax. + (506) 2766-6535
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