Balboa Park Offers "5 Flavors" Garden Tour

Guided tour highlights medicinal plants and Chinese medicine principles

Mar. 27, 2026 at 10:00am

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Balboa Park's Trees for Health Garden features dozens of plants prized for their medicinal value. A new guided tour highlights the five flavors central to Chinese medicine, allowing participants to explore the garden and learn how to incorporate these flavors into their daily lives.

Why it matters

The tour provides an opportunity for San Diegans to learn about traditional Chinese medicine principles and discover the medicinal properties of common plants, fostering a greater appreciation for holistic approaches to health and wellness.

The details

The one-hour walking tour takes visitors through the Trees for Health Garden, where they will explore different plants and learn about their corresponding flavors in Chinese medicine - sweet, sour, bitter, pungent, and salty. Optional tasting samples will be available at each stop, allowing participants to experience the flavors firsthand. The tour aims to educate attendees on how to incorporate these medicinal flavors into their daily routines.

  • The tour is held every third and fourth Friday of the month.
  • The next tour is scheduled for March 27, 2026.

The players

Balboa Park

The 1,200-acre urban cultural park in San Diego, California, home to numerous museums, gardens, and cultural institutions.

Trees for Health Garden

A hidden gem on Balboa Park's West Mesa, featuring dozens of trees, shrubs, and groundcover plants prized for their medicinal value by various cultures around the world.

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What they’re saying

“This tour provides a unique opportunity to learn about traditional Chinese medicine and discover the medicinal properties of common plants in a beautiful garden setting.”

— Jill Stein, Balboa Park Tour Guide

What’s next

The tour is offered on a recurring basis, with the next scheduled event taking place on March 27, 2026.

The takeaway

The Balboa Park "5 Flavors" garden tour offers a fascinating glimpse into the principles of traditional Chinese medicine and the medicinal value of common plants, inspiring San Diegans to explore holistic approaches to health and wellness.