The garden was opened to the public on December 8, 2002.- It occupies an area of 44 hectares,[1] donated by the university for its development.

The most important collection of the garden consists of bromelias, which are present in more than 100 species and 600 individuals: it is the largest collection of bromelias in Venezuela and South America.

The Botanical Garden of Mérida is located on the southeast side of the mountains of the Sierra Nevada de Mérida, in a hilly region where the relief varies between areas with steep slopes, areas with a gentle slope and a plateau of about three hectares.

The botanical garden elevation hovers around 1,800 meters above sea level and average annual rainfall is 1400 mm.

It has a low content of organic matter but it is high in exchangeable aluminum, influenced by alluvial contributions from a creek that runs through the park and colluvial deposition from the upper parts of the páramo.