The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University is a museum of trees teaching the world about plants.

Cultivar of Early Flowering Lilac 606-82*B
Painted Maple 5358*A
Cultivar of Red Horsechestnut 237-51*A
Eastern Redbud 9042*A
Caucasian Spruce 17639*B
Elepidote Rhododendron 573-62*A
Wilson Spirea 20493*B

Cultivar of Early Flowering Lilac 606-82*B
Painted Maple 5358*A
Cultivar of Red Horsechestnut 237-51*A
Eastern Redbud 9042*A
Caucasian Spruce 17639*B
Elepidote Rhododendron 573-62*A
Wilson Spirea 20493*B

Headshots of three women

A Gathering of Poets and Plants

6:30 pm

Professor Benton Taylor Named Fellow of the Ecological Society of America

Benton is an ecosystem ecologist working to understand how terrestrial ecosystems will respond to global change, and what the consequences will be for future carbon cycling. His work spans from tropical rainforests to the arctic tundra, focusing primarily on how plant-microbial partnerships impact ecosystem responses to rising carbon dioxide levels, warming, drought, severe weather, nutrient pollution and human land use.

Learn More
Washington Street Gate Renewal

Starting Monday, March 31, Washington Street Gate and Blackwell Footpath in Bussey Brook Meadow will be temporarily closed to the public during the next phase of our Entrance Improvement Project. In the meantime, we suggest that visitors follow directional signage in the landscape and use the Forest Hills entrance along the Arborway when going to or from the Forest Hills MBTA station.

Washington Street Gate
Explore Programs for Spring

View our spring program catalog and register for practical classes, creative workshops, theme tours, wildlife explorations, and wellness programs at the Arboretum.

Browse Programs
The Roslindale Gateway Path Project

Improving carbon-free transportation and green space equity in Boston.

See Story Map

Feature Climate Change

How Can We Protect Plants from Future Threats?

Michael Dosmann at the Dana Greenhouses

Metasequoia glyptostroboides 524-48-L

Introductory Tour
This half-mile Introductory Tour features stories about the Arboretum’s history, mission, and research endeavors. If you’re at the Arboretum, click here to take a version of this tour with Expeditions, our mobile web app.
- 40 mins
- Easy
- 0.5 miles
Director’s Tour
Experience the Arnold Arboretum’s world-class living collections from Director Ned Friedman’s perspective. Take this tour online or use the page for self-guided exploration while visiting the Arboretum in person.
- 120 mins
- Medium
- 2.5 miles
Workmen constructing the South Street Gate area of the Arboretum photographed in 1889.

A Walk Through Time, Part 1
Walk with Landscape Architect Rosetta S. Elkin and Arboretum Archivist Lisa E. Pearson.
- 20 mins
- An easy walk with several hills, accessible for mobility impaired visitors
- .25 miles
Japanese black pines on an island in the bay of Shiogama, Japan. Photograph by John Jack, August 1905.

A Walk Through Time, Part 2
Walk with Landscape Architect Rosetta S. Elkin and Arboretum Archivist Lisa E. Pearson.
- 30 mins
- An easy walk with a hill, accessible for mobility impaired visitors.
- .25 miles

Purple Haze Illustration

36-2002*A

‘Purple Haze’ Lilac

Scientific Name: Syringa ‘Purple Haze’

An alumna of Arnold Arboretum propagator Jack Alexander’s lilac breeding program, this sterile hybrid was introduced in 2005. Its abundant, pale purple flowers kiss the sky early in the lilac blooming season.

Syringa 'Purple Haze' by Kyle Port in lilac collection

Illustration of Syringa chinensis by Charles Faxon

164-96*A

‘Lilac Sunday’ Rouen Lilac

Scientific Name: Syringa × chinensis ‘Lilac Sunday’

The Arnold Arboretum introduced a lilac called ‘Lilac Sunday’ in 1997. This garden favorite can produce clusters of flowers that are more than two feet long.

Community Spotlight Emily Hitchcock, Greenhouse Gardener

I am so grateful to come to work every day in a place where so many people come to find joy, relaxation, healing, and learning. Working with seeds and plants in the beginning stages of their lives is a constant reminder of the miraculous and complex life cycles that plants carry out all around us.
Community Spotlight Darcy Foster, Individual Giving Associate

I love connecting members and donors with the landscape and the Arboretum’s mission. Together, we can ensure the Arboretum’s dynamic landscape grows in perpetuity.
Community Spotlight Camilo Villouta, Putnam Fellow

There are not many other places where I could study such a diverse group of species. I love having such an exceptional collection next door to the lab, and despite spending so much time in the landscape, I still keep finding wonderful new spots with plants from around the world.
Community Spotlight Jeffrey Scott Phillips, Assistant Manager of Horticulture

The Arnold has an incredible history of plant-loving people that I really relate to. I feel lucky to work here and look forward to it every day.
Community Spotlight Sarah Nechamen, Manager of Adult Programming and Events

I love creating programs that get people excited about plants and the Arboretum and seeing the participants’ reactions first-hand. When someone feels really inspired, or excited, or awestruck because of a program I planned, there’s no better feeling.

Student work by Sophie Geller, Dana Kash, Mary Miller