After the 'Scruffy Dog,' Shanghai Awaits the 'Scruffy Alpacas'
If you have seen all over Chinese social media the adorable "Scruffy Dog" in Shanghai's Jing'an District, the city's next photo spot is ready across the Huangpu River: two "Scruffy Alpacas" in Pudong.
"Realm of the World Tree: Agave and its Friends, Plants of the Americas Show" will run from July 9, 2026, to November 14, 2027, at Shanghai Expo Culture Park's Greenhouse Garden.
Featuring more than 300 species of plants from the Americas, the exhibition connects botanical landscapes with the ancient American civilizations of the Aztec, Maya and Inca.
One of the biggest highlights will be a pair of giant plant-covered alpaca sculptures. The "mother-and-child" alpacas will stand about 6 meters and 3.2 meters tall, respectively. They will wear South American-style hats and scarves, while their "fur" will be made from gray-green air plants, a type of succulent.
Air plants do not need soil and can grow by absorbing moisture from the air. Their leaf texture also helps recreate the rough, slightly messy look of alpaca fur.
According to the design concept, the finished sculptures are expected to look as if the alpacas are wearing full-body gray-green, prickly knitted outfits, giving them a charmingly scruffy appearance.
Alpacas are native to the Andes Mountains in South America and are closely connected to the Inca civilization and Andean culture. The two "Scruffy Alpacas" will be displayed in Section 3 of the exhibition, "Misty Canyon," alongside Peru's Machu Picchu; elements inspired by the Nazca Lines, also in Peru; and highland canyon scenery. From the elevated bridges and walkways, visitors should be able to capture an immersive highland atmosphere.
Beyond the alpacas, the exhibition will feature several highlights inspired by ancient American civilizations, including giant cacti, agave plant displays, a recreated agave distillery scene, a Maya-style "World Tree", rainforest mist, vines and highland canyon scenery.
The exhibition is not only about photo opportunities. During the American Plant Exhibition, one agave plant at Shanghai Expo Culture Park is expected to be in bloom, giving visitors a rare chance to see the flowering of a plant often described as blooming only once in its lifetime.
Many agaves spend years storing energy before sending up a flower stalk that can rise from several meters to more than 10 meters high, like a green tower covered with small yellow-green flowers. After flowering, the mother plant gradually dies, but new life may continue through small plantlets. For visitors, it will be a chance to learn more about agave and the ecology of plants from the Americas.
There will also be roaming performances and a themed market, which will feature chili-flavored foods, tropical fruits, Mexican-style snacks and themed merchandise. Folk guitar music, blessing rituals and tribal dances may appear unexpectedly in different sections.
The event will extend beyond the greenhouse itself: It will be linked with other citywide programs, including an ancient American artifacts exhibition at the Shanghai Museum, watching macaws at Shanghai Zoo and corn-related displays at Chenshan Botanical Garden. Together, these programs will form a "World Tree Journey" across Shanghai.
For anyone interested in plants, ancient American civilizations, or immersive exhibitions, this could be an ideal half-day summer outing.
"Realm of the World Tree: Agave and its Friends, Plants of the Americas Show" has entered the final stage of installation. Major displays, including the 'Scruffy Alpacas' sculptures, are expected to be completed by the end of this month.
If you go:
Date: July 9, 2026-November 14, 2027 (closed on Mondays, except public holidays), 9am-9pm (last entry at 8:30pm)
Venue: Shanghai Expo Culture Park Greenhouse Garden 上海世博文化公园温室花园
Address: 100 Jikun Rd 济坤路100号
Tickets: Early-bird tickets are priced at 68 yuan (US$10). A family pass is also available for 99 yuan, covering one adult and one child aged 6 to 18.
No reservation is required.
