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The Corroboree
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Ethnobotanical California

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Anyone got any recomendations for places to visit in California with an ethnobotanical interest? Bear in mind i already have dispensary and jack in the box on my list... Cactus gardens? Native plants and their traditional use? I'm hoping some state side or well travelled folk might have some tips. Cheers!

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It would definitely be worth it to check out the Huntington Botanical Garden near LA, The Berkeley Botanical Garden near San Fransisco, Lotusland near Santa Barbara if you will be near them. All of them have pretty extensive cactus gardens. There's a whole host of other botanical gardens and private gardens I haven't managed to check out as well. If you're there during wet season, you'd be a fool to skip out on hunting mushrooms around the Bay Area and North of it too.

We've got at least a couple of CA natives on the board so maybe they'll have better tips. I think Big Sur is a must, but that's for it's natural beauty rather than any specific botanical draw.

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If you're around Cali during autumn get into the forests ( away from bears tho ) and check out the amazing array of mushrooms on display!

I had no idea what I was looking at but we found some really gorgeous specimens, lots of different colours, shapes and species, would love to go back and do it again with someone with more knowledge than us

You might be able to find some mushroom hunting or walking group and go out with them

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I'm there in summer, so now mushrooms unfortunately.... definitely heading to the sierra's to do some backpacking, apparently the bears are not much of a problem if you are sensible. will check out The Berkeley Botanical Garden, thanks for the tip!

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It's been 10 years since I looked, but the San Francisco Botanical Garden had a sickly salvia divinorum and a very large heimia salicifolia. Maybe others. They both have searchable plant catalogues online. If only going to one I'd do Berkeley.

An hour and a half east is Poots House of Cactus. This is a retail nursery but they've got a few giant terscheckiis and Pachycereus and lots of other nice cactuses to look at. Good prices too, in case you want a temporary souvenir.

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