Desert Botanical Garden in Papago Park, Phoenix, is a 140-acre nonprofit institution devoted to the study, conservation, and display of desert plants. It grew from the Arizona Cactus and Native Flora Society, founded in 1934, and was established on its present site in 1939 through the efforts of local conservationists including Gustaf Starck, Gertrude Webster, Margaret Bell Douglas, and first executive director George Lindsay. Its collections now include more than 50,000 plants representing over 4,000 taxa, with strong agave, cactus, and Opuntia holdings. The garden also serves as a major cultural and educational center, highlighting the richness of desert environments and the preservation of vulnerable species.