The Christmas Tió: a magical Catalan tradition When you walk through the Marimurtra Botanical Garden in December, you may be surprised to see a log wearing a barretina, with smiling eyes and a charming expression. This is the Marimurtra Christmas Tió, a beloved character that forms part of one of Catalonia’s most magical traditions. […]
Butcher’s-broom (Ruscus aculeatus) is one of the most surprising plants in the Mediterranean undergrowth. Although at first glance it seems to have rigid and spiny leaves, what we actually observe are cladodes, that is, modified stems that take on the appearance and function of leaves. The true leaves of butcher’s-broom are tiny, scaly and barely […]
Every autumn, a very special moment arrives at the Marimurtra Botanical Garden: the harvest of myrtle berries. These small violet fruits, sourced exclusively from <em>Myrtus communis</em>, are the base of the artisanal liqueur Myrtus, crafted by Antonio Membrives of Laviret, and available at the garden shop. This year, an exceptional harvest has been achieved: nearly […]
On 6 and 7 November 2025, the Marimurtra Botanic Garden took part in the 5th Meeting of the Education, Outreach and Communication Group of the Ibero-Macaronesian Association of Botanic Gardens (AIMJB), held at the Botanic Garden of the University of Valencia. The Education, Outreach and Communication Group aims to promote joint work among botanic gardens […]
What happens to the leaves in autumn: the intelligent strategy of trees The change in leaf color during autumn is not an accident but a perfectly programmed process by plants. When you walk through the Marimurtra Botanical Garden these days, you can witness this fascinating natural phenomenon. But why does it happen exactly? The key […]
This October, a very special process took place at the Marimurtra Botanical Garden on a specimen from the cycad collection: the artificial pollination of an individual of Dioon merolae. This species is native to southeastern Mexico, in the states of Oaxaca and Chiapas, where it lives in pine and oak forests. Like many species of […]
This October, Marimurtra welcomed Lilia and Sonja. They are the new participants of the “Volunteers for a Green Future” project, coordinated by the German organisation NaturKultur e.V., which is part of the European programme European Solidarity Corps (ESC). The goal of the ESC is to bring young people together to build a more inclusive society, […]
Representatives of the Marimurtra Botanical Garden have participated in the 11th Ethnobotany Conference in Catalan -held from 3 to 5 October in Alghero, Sardinia-, which is organised by the Alghero delegation of the Institute of Catalan Studies, the Botany Laboratory of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences of the University of Barcelona and the […]
This month, while the IUCN World Congress 2025 is held in Abu Dhabi, it is a good time to remember the fundamental work that this organization does to protect nature around the world. The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) is the international reference body in conservation, with more than 1,400 members from 140 […]
The presence of the Carl Faust Foundation at the second edition of the Congress of the Spanish Society of Botany (SEBOT), held last September in Seville, was a great opportunity to strengthen ties and establish new collaborations with research centers, universities and botanical gardens. This scientific meeting has highlighted the richness and diversity of current […]
In Marimurtra we have a very special tree: the African Kigelia, popularly connected with the sausages tree with its spectacular fruits. It is derived from a species native to the savannas and forests of tropical Africa, believed to have originated from rivers and llacs. A unique species The African Kigelia is the only species of […]
The Marimurtra Botanical Garden has enthusiastically welcomed the start of the Gardening and Allotment Workshops for senior citizens, an initiative of the Carl Faust Foundation in collaboration with the “la Caixa” Foundation and CaixaBank. This programme aims to bring nature closer to participants and offer them a rewarding experience that combines learning, health and socialisation. […]
