Denver Botanic Gardens spends springtime in the field

Each year, as spring rolls around, the Research and Conservation staff load up a 4-wheel drive vehicle with our gear, head out across Colorado and the Rocky Mountain west region in search of rare plants.

Our first trip takes us west to the threatened cactus, Sclerocactus glaucus. This lovely little cactus is found in Western Colorado along with several other rare plant species. This is also an area with intense oil and gas development, residential growth and spreading weeds. Our aim is to protect the western region by studying and protecting this tiny cactus.