National Museum of Natural Science -> Exhibitions -> Permanent Exhibits -> Botanical Garden

Founded in 1999, the 4.5-hectare living Botanical Garden located across the Shi-tun Rd. from the Museum complex is a collaborative project by the Department of Botany and the Office of Exhibits. It is a place to relax, rejuvenate, and experience the wonders of nature. Its commitment to the community is to advance excellence in education, research, exhibition, and conservation of native plants of Taiwan with emphasis on the ecology of lowlands. The Botanical garden also features a landmark tropical rainforest conservatory that covers more than 400 plant collections.

Admired as an urban horticultural and botanical resource, our Botanical Garden inspires visitors to discover that plants are essential to life.

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Northern Taiwan is influenced by the northeastern monsoons. It covers the Yilan Plain, northern coast and the Taoyuan Terrace, with Miaoli's Huoyian (Flame) Mountain serving as the southern border. The climate is humid with average amount of precipitation. This exhibit area is divided into several sub-sections including tree ferns, wetlands environment, dry river valley and windward ridge environment, etc. There are a total of 80 species of plants in this exhibit area, including Cyathea lepifera, Cyathea metteniana, Chionanthus retusus, Euscaphis japonica, Machilus thunbergii, Quercus glauca, Michelia formosana and Diospyros morrisiana.

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This giant, glass greenhouse features six sets of columns and seven circular beams, and is the most prominent landmark in the Botanical Garden. Inside, the exhibition area is divided into several sections including towering trees, man and plants, tropical flowering trees, orchids, palm slopes, river valley wetlands and fish of the Amazon River. Tropical Rain Forest Greenhouse

This very large greenhouse contains 300 species of rain forest plants to simulate the complex rain forest environment including Ceiba pentandra, Hevea brasiliensis and Cecropia peltata, as well as coffee and cocoa trees.

In the air-conditioned basement of the Tropical Rain Forest Greenhouse is a 14-foot aquarium, housing some of the Amazon's largest fish. A series of smaller aquariums present tera fish and piranha.

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This area focuses on Taiwan's native lianas of the legume family. Ten species are represented including Rusty-leaf mucuna, Long-globose fruit caesalpinia and Taiwan millettia. Adjacent to this, is an area featuring succulents, including 40 species from the cactus and other families.

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Next to the Research and Education Center are the nursery and seed bank. These units are responsible for the Botanical Garden's live exhibits, collection of live specimens and the conservation and propagation of endangered and native plants. The nursery currently houses about 1,000 species, many of them orchids, such as Sobralia and Phaius orchids. The elephant ear orchid, the largest butterfly orchid that grows on tree trunks, and double coconut, the plant with the heaviest seeds are also represented. The seed bank holds a collection of seeds from Botanical Garden plants. It also carries out exchanges with related agencies in Taiwan and abroad, as well as tissue cultivation of a diversity of plant species. Currently, the endangered Lilium speciosum has been successfully cultivated. Many other orchid species have also been grown into seedlings. The terminal buds of a number of alpine plants have been preserved in liquid nitrogen.

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If no special exhibitions are being held in this room, it is dedicated to the exhibition of ferns from a variety of environments. Special exhibitions are held on a non-regular basis, and feature such topics as orchids, bulbs and peonies. These special exhibitions offer visitors the chance to see flowers in an array of striking colors and enjoy aromatic flower fragrances, as well as the opportunity to learn about a variety of plant types.