Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Featuring rare tropical plants, palms, and a rare rainforest habitat—just south of Miami.

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden spans 83 acres in Coral Gables, just south of downtown Miami. Opened in 1938, it was established to cultivate plants that could grow outdoors year-round in South Florida. The garden functions today as a public green space and a center for plant conservation, research, and education.

Main Plant Collections

Palms and Cycads: The garden includes the Montgomery Palmetum—roughly 13 acres with one of the largest documented palm collections in the U.S.—as well as cycads and rare tropical species.
Rainforest Habitat: Fairchild includes the only tropical rainforest environment in continental America. The Richard H. Simons Rainforest covers two acres and simulates heat, humidity, and plant types found in equatorial forests.
Orchids, Bromeliads & Tropical Trees: Among the garden’s diverse collection are orchids, bromeliads, ginger species, and flowering tropical trees, including a cannonball tree planted in the garden’s early years.

Functional Roles and Education

Fairchild operates as more than a public garden—it is a conservation hub and learning center. Its key activities include:

Research and Conservation aimed at tropical plants in South Florida, the Caribbean, and beyond.
Education Programs, such as The Fairchild Challenge, which engages thousands of local K–12 students in hands-on environmental learning.

Layout and Visitor Functionality

The grounds are organized into planted sections and pathways. Core areas include the Palmetum, the Allée and Overlook, water gardens, vine pergolas, and a butterfly garden.
The Wings of the Tropics conservatory houses free-flying butterflies in a climate-controlled space.
Tours include guided walking paths and tram rides; self-guided visits are supported by visitor maps and signage.