While traveling through Switzerland, we spent some (not enough) time staying in Zürich. There’s never enough time to do anything ever when abroad, but being the botanical fanatics we are I had to make room for a little garden exploring.
There are a handful of Botanical Gardens in Zürich, most notable is the Botanical Garden of the University of Zürich. Jah willing though, a rainy afternoon and less plant-dedicated hosts led us in the direction of another botanic museum of sorts: Sukkulenten-Sammlung Zurich, or the Succulent Collection of Zurich. Founded in 1931, this garden plays host to one of the largest and most significant collections of rare and diverse succulents and cacti from all over the world. Since 1975, the succulent collection has been represented as part of the preservation of endangered plant species, and is also a Federal reference for collection for succulent plants.
In total there are around 6,500 variations of succulent species, spread out between the 7 public greenhouses and an outdoor succulent garden. Special collections there primarily include types of succulents from the following plant families: Crassulaceae, Aizoaceae, Portulacaceae, Asclepiadaceae, and Orchidaceae.