The Remarkable Trees of the Botanical Garden of the University of Porto

The Botanical Garden of the University of Porto has a wide variety of plants in its living collection, with over 600 genera and more than 1890 taxa, including specimens of trees and shrubs that are remarkable for their size, rarity and beauty.

These spaces are notable due to the very tall Norfolk Island pines (Araucaria heterophylla), planted symmetrically in each bosquet, the beautiful specimen of Brazilian-pine (Araucaria angustifolia), The large Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), the Galician oak (Quercus orocantabrica), the Atlas Cedar (Cedrus atlantica), the six Himalayan Cedars (Cedrus deodara) and the fragrant Snow-in-summer (Melaleuca linariifolia).

In the Liquidambar Bosquet, the large and unique Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) stands out. It graciously recovers from the loss of a large branch during a storm. It was planted before the Botanical Garden was installed in this space, making it one of the largest centenary trees in the collection.

But we cannot forget to call attention to the large oak tree (Quercus orocantabrica), mentioned in the book The Bronze Boy by Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen.

In the Bronze Boy's Bosquet, we cannot fail to call attention to the wonderful combination of New Zealand Christmas tree (Metrosideros excelsa) and the Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), two species that have grown in tandem and result in a strong element in the space, whose textures and tones contrast vary throughout the year.

In the Shale Garden, a beautiful oak tree (Quercus orocantabrica) stands out in the background. And not to be missed is the rare specimen of the madrono (Arbutus xalapensis), classified as a "Tree of Public Interest".

The Cactus and Succulent Garden is a xerophytic space created in the late 1950s to house a magnificent collection of cacti, euphorbias, aloes, agaves and other succulent plants. This garden is also home to the Drago de Gran Canaria (Dracaena tamaranae), a species remarkable for its beauty and rarity, and the silk floss tree (Ceiba speciosa).

Very close to this garden, in the Birch Glade, the violet canopy of the blue jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia) stands out in early summer.

The arboretum is home to collections of gymnosperms, palms, magnolias and plants from temperate and tropical climates. The Temperate Woodland is home to the magnificent shingle oak (Quercus imbricaria) and the European hornbeam (Carpinus betulus).

At Big cork oak trees and in the Pine Woodland, we were able to see a remarkable specimen of a century-old cork oak (Quercus suber) that has never been removed from its bark, and large specimens of various species of the Pinus genus.

In the Plane tree clearing, in addition to the plane trees (Platanus ×hispanica), which transform the space, and the unique boxwood (Buxus sempervirens), which tries to survive the continuous attacks by the boxwood moth caterpillar (Cydalima perspectalis) and boxwood mildew (Cylindrocladium buxicola), the red canopy of the Illawarra flame tree (Brachychiton acerifolius) stands out in early summer.

Next to the small water reservoir and the Tropical Woodland, there is a big but still young California red-wood (Sequoia sempervirens), a large and ancient Blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus), a group of Maidenhair tree (Ginkgo biloba) that illuminate this shady part of the Garden in the fall, and the large and rare Bishopwood (Bischofia javanica), which are classified as "Trees of Public Interest".

The Car Parking is decorated with a large, well-formed silver lime (Tilia tomentosa) and a large River redgum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis).

Visit the Botanical Garden of the University of Porto to find out more about these magnificent trees and the other botanical collections.