The Jardín Etnobotánico de Oaxaca occupies the grounds of the former Dominican convent of Santo Domingo, directly behind the Templo de Santo Domingo church. It is not a decorative garden but a working research collection: more than 2,000 species native to Oaxaca state, one of the most biodiverse regions in Mexico, are grown here in conditions that replicate their natural habitats. The collection includes the iconic columnar cacti of the Mixtec region, the maguey agaves from which mezcal is distilled, cochineal-producing nopal cacti, native corn varieties, and dozens of medicinal plants still used in indigenous communities.
Guided tours (compulsory; book at the entrance) run in Spanish and English and last about 90 minutes. The guides are knowledgeable about both the botany and the cultural uses of the plants — this is one of the rare places where you come away understanding something real about the relationship between Zapotec and Mixtec peoples and the landscape they live in. The garden also serves as a peaceful alternative to the crowded zócalo; entry is shared through a separate entrance alongside the museum.