Nong Nooch Tropical Garden
Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden is a 500-acre (2.0 km2) botanical garden and tourist attraction at kilometer 163 on Sukhumvit Road in Chonburi Province, Thailand. It can be reached via bus, taxi or private land transportation. It is also a major scientific center dedicated to cycads, with its own Cycad Gene Bank.
History
Pisit and Nongnooch Tansacha purchased the 800-acre (3.2 km2) plot of land in 1954 with the intention of developing the land as a fruit plantation. However, the owners instead decided to plant tropical flowers and plants as a wildlife conservation project. The garden opened to the public in 1980, and management was transferred to Pisit and Nongnooch's son Kampon Tansacha in 2001. The garden currently fills 500 out of the 600 acres (2.4 km2).
Activities
In addition to examining the wildlife, tourists experience religious ceremonies, martial arts demonstrations, massages, and elephant shows. In 2019, controversy ensued when a tourist uploaded images that suggested mistreatment of the elephants in their care, an accusation the Botanical Gardens has disputed.
There are also two restaurants, a small zoo and a hotel with a swimming pool and Thai style rental houses on the grounds.
Garden divisions
- French Garden
- European Garden
- Stonehenge Garden
- Cactus & Succulent Garden
- Variegated Plants
- Ant Tower
- Butterfly Hill
- Orchid & Bromeliad Display Garden
- Flower valley
Cactus
- Echinocactus grusonii (Mexican golden barrel cactus)
- Echinopsis
- Lobivia
Cycads
The garden focus on Southeast Asian, Tropical American and Central Africa species of Cycads, but a collection of almost every species can also been seen here. In connection with Conservation agencies the gardens cycad collections serves as an important ex situ conservation site for this endangered and ancient plant group. On-going and continuing research at the garden concerning taxonomy and horticultural use has increased the knowledge about this plant group worldwide.
The Cycad genebank is managed by Mr. Anders J. Lindstrom, a world-renowned expert in cycads.
Palms
- Rhapis Palms
Succulents
- Blue Agave
- Madagascar Euphorbia
- Pachypodium
Zingiberales
Other notable plant groups
- Bougainvillea
- Hoya
- Bromeliads
- Marantaceae
- Passiflora
- Plumeria
- New Caledonian Plants
Gallery
- Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden
- Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden
- Decorative Landscaping at Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden