Mexican garden
Chorisia insignis
H.B. & K.
Created in 1891, the Mexican garden was formerly called "ornament garden of desert plants". It was located before the big greenhouses where now the statue of the botanist Jussieu stands. This garden took its definitive place before the little greenhouses in 1900. It is about 1 000 m² large and is divided in 16 beds.
In the middle of the garden, there are 3 beds containing the agave collection, which is presented in pots or in boxes. Their age ranges from 5 to 30 years old. In winter they are brought back in a greenhouse. The hardy agaves are cultivated in 3 other beds also containing opuntias and hardy yuccas.
Some more scenery beds are composed of Agave filifera or Agave angustifolia and useful exotic plants such as manioc, peanuts, banana-tree, alocasia, avocado tree, guava tree and pomegranate-tree.
Opuntia haematocarpa
A. Berger
Other beds are composed of ornamental exotic plants such as Bougainvillaea, Lantana, rose-laurel…
Among the other beds, two contain some Nolina species presented in boxes : Nolina stricta, Nolina recurvata, Nolina longifolia and Encephalartos, Yucca, Cycas… The latest beds brought out as soon as frosts end contain Euphorbia and Aloe this plants being easily frozen.
In the middle of a bed presenting exotic shrubs, a very rare specimen of Cupressus dupreziana that was planted in the 60’s is growing.