Wrigley Botanical Gardens
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The Wrigley Botanical Gardens are located in 38 acres (154,000 m²) on Catalina Island, off the shore from Los Angeles, California, USA. The Garden places a special emphasis on California island endemic plants, i.e., plants that grow naturally on one or more of the California islands but nowhere else in the world. It also contains the Wrigley Memorial, honoring the memory of William Wrigley Jr. (1861-1932), founder of the largest chewing gum manufacturer in the world.
The idea for a garden came from Mr. Wrigley's wife, Ada. In 1935, she supervised Pasadena horticulturalist Albert Conrad, who planted the original Desert Plant Collection in the garden. Catalina Island's temperate marine climate made it possible to showcase plants from every corner of the earth. In 1969, the Wrigley Memorial Garden Foundation expanded and revitalized the garden, with an emphasis on the six Catalina endemics: Catalina Ironwood (Lyonothamnus floribundus ssp. floribundus), Catalina Mahogany (Cercocarpus traskiae), St. Catherine's Lace (Eriogonum giganteum var. giganteum), Catalina Live-Forever (Dudleya hassei), Catalina Manzanita (Arctostaphylos catalinae), and Catalina Bedstraw (Galium catalinense ssp. catalinense). These are plants that grow naturally only on Catalina Island. In 1996 the Wrigley Memorial Garden Foundation merged with the Catalina Island Conservancy. Beginning in 2004, a $5 fee was required for tourist admission to the gardens.
