El Ciricote
Botanical Garden and Tropical Tree Nursery

In Rio Dulce, visit an exotic garden of tropical rainforest plants and trees. Among the nearly 2,000 species growing here, many are rare or endangered. Many have ancient or modern medicinal uses.

A path in the vivero..........Heliconia psittacorum

See flowering heliconia and orchids. Walk under a leafy canopy of native, tropical hardwoods such as Santa Maria and Chico Zapote, the latter used by the Mayans to carve glyphs describing their history. Chico Zapote was also used for the lintels and main beams in Mayan buildings including Temple #1 at Tikal. See Castilla Elastica, used by the Mayans to make rubber balls, Ciricote (the sandpaper tree) and the rare Hormigo used to make Guatemala's national instrument, the marimba.

A Botanist-Guided Tour

Enjoy a fascinating guided tour by owner and botanist, Sr. Emilio Mendizabal. He will show you what is being done here to help save rainforest habitat. His projects range from a genetic seed bank, reforestation and sustainable agriculture to a petrified wood collection.

Visitors are welcome Monday mornings or at other times by prior arrangement. Your donations to the botanical garden's many projects are greatly appreciated.

Adopt a Baby Tree

Adopt a baby tree, complete with individual "adoption" certificate. Each baby seedling's place and date of birth is recorded along with information about the particular species of tropical hardwood. It's a beautiful gift from Guatemala for yourself or someone back home. More important, it's a gift to the rainforest.

For information on visiting El Ciricote or the Adopt a Baby Tree program, please FAX (00502) 930-5193, call (00502) 930-5231 or click here to E-mail us. We're located a few miles from Fronteras, Rio Dulce on Ruta al Peten (highway to the Peten).

Vivero "El Ciricote"

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