Community Engagement
Visitor Stories
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I fell in love with Arboretum right away when I first visited it after I moved from CT to Boston around 5 years ago. I have a green "thumb", always enjoy the nature, love trees/plants more than anything else. The Arboretum provides me a new self-learning and much enjoyable environment with its well designed landscape and countless cultvated plants and tress. I used to visit the Arboretum with my daughter at most of the weekends. During the pandemic, I started to run through it in the early morning. It keeps me sane, clears and soothes my mind. For that, Thank you, Arboretum.Wenling Ma
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I have too many stories. I cannot choose just one. Maybe visiting Nikko in Japan a few weeks after reading an Arnoldia article about an early plant explorer's visit to Nikko and recognizing the trees in the landscape today from the photos taken a century ago. The blend of history, art, design, botany, ecology, geography, never fails to stimulate and delight.Patricia Suhrcke
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I don't really have a story. I just enjoy the beauty of each season at the Arboretum.Ann McNamara
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Peter Ashton was Director, the Nieman fellows were visiting and after Peter's welcome at the Hunnewell Building, I led half of the group on a tour of the Living Collection. There was great interest in seeing an endangered species. Franklinia alatamaha was the example I presented them with.Ethan Johnson
Sesquicentennial Trees
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- Viburnum setigerum 'Aurantiacum'
Orangeberry Tea Viburnum- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- China
- Collected By
- Ernest Henry Wilson
- Viburnum setigerum 'Aurantiacum'
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- Viburnum plicatum
Japanese Snowball- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Viburnum plicatum
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- Viburnum furcatum
Forked Viburnum- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- Japan
- Collected By
- Ernest Henry Wilson
- Viburnum furcatum
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- Viburnum dentatum
Smooth Arrowwood- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Viburnum dentatum
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- Vaccinium corymbosum
Highbush Blueberry- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- Massachusetts
- Collected By
- J. T. Dawson
- Vaccinium corymbosum
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- Ulmus pumila
Siberian Elm- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- China
- Collected By
- William Purdom
- Ulmus pumila
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- Ulmus laevis
European White Elm- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Ulmus laevis
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- Ulmus davidiana var. japonica
Japanese Elm- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Ulmus davidiana var. japonica
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- Tsuga canadensis forma pendula
Weeping Canadian Hemlock- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Tsuga canadensis forma pendula
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- Tilia × moltkei
Moltka Linden- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Tilia × moltkei
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- Tilia japonica
Japanese Linden- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- Japan
- Collected By
- Charles Sprague Sargent
- Tilia japonica
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- Tilia americana
American Linden- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- Indiana
- Collected By
- C. C. Deam
- Tilia americana
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- Thuja plicata
Western Redcedar- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- Washington
- Collected By
- O. D. Allen
- Thuja plicata
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- Taxus cuspidata
Japanese Yew- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- Japan
- Collected By
- Charles Sprague Sargent
- Taxus cuspidata
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- Syringa × hyacinthiflora 'Hyacinthiflora Plena'
Early Flowering Hybrid Lilac Cultivar- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Syringa × hyacinthiflora 'Hyacinthiflora Plena'
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- Syringa vulgaris 'Valetteana'
Cultivar of Common Lilac- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Syringa vulgaris 'Valetteana'
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- Syringa vulgaris 'Jean Bart'
Cultivar of Common Lilac- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Syringa vulgaris 'Jean Bart'
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- Symplocos paniculata
Asiatic Sweetleaf- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Symplocos paniculata
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- Stewartia pseudocamellia
Japanese Stewartia- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- South Korea
- Collected By
- Ernest Henry Wilson
- Stewartia pseudocamellia
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- Spiraea prunifolia var. simpliciflora
Bridalwreath Spirea- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- South Korea
- Collected By
- J. G. Jack
- Spiraea prunifolia var. simpliciflora
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- Sassafras albidum
Sassafras- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- Massachusetts
- Collected By
- J. T. Dawson
- Sassafras albidum
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- Rhus typhina
Staghorn Sumac- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- Massachusetts
- Collected By
- J. T. Dawson
- Rhus typhina
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- Rhododendron × gandavense 'Comte de Flandre'
Ghent hybrid azalea- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Rhododendron × gandavense 'Comte de Flandre'
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- Rhododendron smirnowii (undetermined hybrid)
Hybrid of Smirnow Rhododendron- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Rhododendron smirnowii (undetermined hybrid)
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- Rhododendron schlippenbachii
Royal Azalea- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- South Korea
- Collected By
- J. G. Jack
- Rhododendron schlippenbachii
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- Rhododendron periclymenoides
Pinxterbloom Azalea- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Rhododendron periclymenoides
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- Rhododendron 'Parsons' Grandiflorum'
Elepidote Rhododendron- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Rhododendron 'Parsons' Grandiflorum'
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- Rhododendron 'Mrs Harry Ingersoll'
Cultivar of Rhododendron- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Rhododendron 'Mrs Harry Ingersoll'
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- Rhododendron micranthum
Manchurian Rhododendron- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- China
- Collected By
- Ernest Henry Wilson
- Rhododendron micranthum
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- Rhododendron 'Atrosanguineum'
Elepidote Rhododendron Cultivar- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Rhododendron 'Atrosanguineum'
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- Quercus × sargentii
Sargent Oak- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Collected From
- Massachusetts
- Collected By
- Charles Sprague Sargent
- Quercus × sargentii
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- Quercus variabilis
Oriental Oak- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- China
- Collected By
- Ernest Henry Wilson
- Quercus variabilis
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- Quercus serrata
Konara Oak- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- Japan
- Collected By
- Charles Sprague Sargent
- Quercus serrata
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- Quercus rubra
Northern Red Oak - Quercus rubra
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- Quercus macrocarpa
Bur Oak- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- New York
- Collected By
- Charles Sprague Sargent
- Quercus macrocarpa
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- Quercus gambelii
Gambel Oak - Quercus gambelii
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- Pyrus ussuriensis var. hondoensis
Hondo Pear- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- Japan
- Collected By
- Ernest Henry Wilson
- Pyrus ussuriensis var. hondoensis
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- Pyrus pyrifolia
Chinese pear- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- China
- Collected By
- Ernest Henry Wilson
- Pyrus pyrifolia
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- Pinus thunbergii
Japanese Black Pine - Pinus thunbergii
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- Pinus tabuliformis
Tabletop Pine- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- China
- Collected By
- William Purdom
- Pinus tabuliformis
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- Pinus sylvestris
Scotch Pine- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Pinus sylvestris
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- Pinus resinosa
Red Pine- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- New Hampshire
- Collected By
- J. T. Dawson
- Pinus resinosa
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- Pinus koraiensis
Korean Pine- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Pinus koraiensis
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- Picea wilsonii
Wilson Spruce- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- China
- Collected By
- William Purdom
- Picea wilsonii
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- Picea engelmannii
Engelmann Spruce- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- Colorado
- Collected By
- Dr. C. C. Parry
- Picea engelmannii
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- Picea asperata var. ponderosa
Bigcone Dragon Spruce- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- China
- Collected By
- Ernest Henry Wilson
- Picea asperata var. ponderosa
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- Picea abies 'Remontii'
Remont Norway Spruce- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Picea abies 'Remontii'
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- Phellodendron amurense
Amur Cork Tree- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- Japan
- Collected By
- J. G. Jack
- Phellodendron amurense
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- Morus alba 'Pendula'
Cultivar of White Mulberry- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Morus alba 'Pendula'
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- Malus × micromalus
Midget Crabapple- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Malus × micromalus
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- Malus spontanea
- Provenance Type
- Cultivated plant of known (indirect) wild origin
- Collected From
- Japan
- Collected By
- Ernest Henry Wilson
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- Malus hupehensis
Tea Crabapple- Provenance Type
- Cultivated plant of known (indirect) wild origin
- Collected From
- China
- Collected By
- Ernest Henry Wilson
- Malus hupehensis
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- Magnolia virginiana
Sweetbay Magnolia- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Magnolia virginiana
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- Magnolia stellata 'Rosea'
Cultivar of Star Magnolia- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Magnolia stellata 'Rosea'
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- Lyonia ligustrina var. ligustrina
Maleberry- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- Massachusetts
- Collected By
- J. T. Dawson
- Lyonia ligustrina var. ligustrina
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- Lonicera maackii
Amur Honeysuckle- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- China
- Collected By
- Ernest Henry Wilson
- Lonicera maackii
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- Larix kaempferi
Japanese Larch- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Larix kaempferi
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- Koelreuteria paniculata
Golden Rain Tree- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Koelreuteria paniculata
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- Kalopanax septemlobus
Castor Aralia- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- Japan
- Collected By
- Charles Sprague Sargent
- Kalopanax septemlobus
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- Juglans regia
Persian Walnut- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- China
- Collected By
- F. N. Meyer
- Juglans regia
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- Hydrangea paniculata 'Praecox'
Cultivar of Panicle Hydrangea- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- Japan
- Collected By
- Charles Sprague Sargent
- Hydrangea paniculata 'Praecox'
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- Hamamelis vernalis forma tomentella
Form of Ozark Witch-hazel - Hamamelis vernalis forma tomentella
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- Hamamelis vernalis
Ozark Witch-hazel- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- Missouri
- Collected By
- B. F. Bush
- Hamamelis vernalis
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- Gymnocladus dioicus
Kentucky Coffeetree - Gymnocladus dioicus
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- Gleditsia triacanthos
Honeylocust- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- Missouri
- Collected By
- E. J. Palmer
- Gleditsia triacanthos
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- Fraxinus quadrangulata
Blue Ash- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- Missouri
- Collected By
- G. W. Letterman
- Fraxinus quadrangulata
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- Fraxinus chinensis ssp. rhynchophylla
Korean Ash- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- South Korea
- Collected By
- J. G. Jack
- Fraxinus chinensis ssp. rhynchophylla
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- Fagus sylvatica 'Tortuosa'
Cultivar of European Beech- Provenance Type
- Cultivated plant of known (indirect) wild origin
- Collected From
- France
- Fagus sylvatica 'Tortuosa'
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- Fagus sylvatica
European Beech- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Fagus sylvatica
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- Fagus grandifolia
American Beech- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- Massachusetts
- Collected By
- J. T. Dawson
- Fagus grandifolia
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- Fagus crenata
Japanese Beech- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- Japan
- Collected By
- Charles Sprague Sargent
- Fagus crenata
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- Exochorda giraldii var. wilsonii
Wilson Pearlbush- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- China
- Collected By
- Ernest Henry Wilson
- Exochorda giraldii var. wilsonii
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- Euonymus alatus forma apterus
Form of Winged Euonymus- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- South Korea
- Collected By
- J. G. Jack
- Euonymus alatus forma apterus
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- Ehretia ovalifolia
- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- China
- Collected By
- Ernest Henry Wilson
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- Dipelta floribunda
Rosy Dipelta- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- China
- Collected By
- Ernest Henry Wilson
- Dipelta floribunda
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- Diospyros virginiana
Possumwood- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Diospyros virginiana
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- Davidia involucrata var. vilmoriniana
Vilmorin Dove Tree- Provenance Type
- Cultivated plant of known (indirect) wild origin
- Collected From
- China
- Collected By
- Pere Paul Guillaume Farges
- Davidia involucrata var. vilmoriniana
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- Crataegus viridis var. ovata
Variety of Green Hawthorn- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- Illinois
- Collected By
- J. H. Kellogg
- Crataegus viridis var. ovata
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- Crataegus crus-galli
Cockspur Hawthorn- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- Missouri
- Collected By
- E. J. Palmer
- Crataegus crus-galli
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- Crataegus coccinea var. coccinea
Scarlet Hawthorn - Crataegus coccinea var. coccinea
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- Cotoneaster dielsianus
Diels' Cotoneaster- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- China
- Collected By
- Ernest Henry Wilson
- Cotoneaster dielsianus
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- Corylopsis spicata
Spike Winterhazel- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Corylopsis spicata
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- Cornus racemosa
Gray Dogwood- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- Ohio
- Collected By
- W. C. Hampton
- Cornus racemosa
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- Cornus kousa
Kousa Dogwood- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected By
- Joseph Hers
- Cornus kousa
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- Cornus florida
Flowering Dogwood- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Cornus florida
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- Cladrastis kentukea
American yellowwood- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Cladrastis kentukea
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- Cercidiphyllum japonicum
Katsura Tree- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- Japan
- Collected By
- W. S. Clark
- Cercidiphyllum japonicum
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- Cedrus libani
Cedar of Lebanon- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- Turkey
- Collected By
- Walter Siehe
- Cedrus libani
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- Carya ovata var. ovata
Shagbark Hickory- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Carya ovata var. ovata
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- Carya laciniosa
Shellbark Hickory- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- Missouri
- Collected By
- G. W. Letterman
- Carya laciniosa
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- Carya glabra
Pignut- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- Pennsylvania
- Collected By
- Charles Sprague Sargent
- Carya glabra
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- Carya cordiformis
Bitternut Hickory- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Carya cordiformis
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- Caragana arborescens 'Nana'
Dwarf Siberian Peashrub- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Caragana arborescens 'Nana'
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- Betula alleghaniensis
Yellow Birch- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- Maine
- Collected By
- J. T. Dawson
- Betula alleghaniensis
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- Aesculus × bushii
Bush's Chestnut- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- Mississippi
- Collected By
- T. G. Hardison
- Aesculus × bushii
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- Aesculus parviflora forma serotina
Late Bottlebrush Buckeye- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- Alabama
- Collected By
- T. G. Hardison
- Aesculus parviflora forma serotina
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- Aesculus glabra var. glabra
Ohio Buckeye- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- Ohio
- Collected By
- W. C. Hampton
- Aesculus glabra var. glabra
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- Aesculus flava
Yellow Buckeye- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- North Carolina
- Collected By
- T. G. Hardison
- Aesculus flava
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- Acer saccharum 'Temple's Upright'
Cultivar of Sugar Maple- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Acer saccharum 'Temple's Upright'
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- Acer rubrum 'Schlesingeri'
Cultivar of Red Maple- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Acer rubrum 'Schlesingeri'
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- Acer platanoides 'Schwedleri'
Cultivar of Norway Maple- Provenance Type
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Acer platanoides 'Schwedleri'
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- Acer mono var. mayrii
Mayr's Maple- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- Japan
- Collected By
- Ernest Henry Wilson
- Acer mono var. mayrii
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- Acer griseum
Paperbark Maple- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- China
- Collected By
- Ernest Henry Wilson
- Acer griseum
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- Abies nephrolepis
Khingan Fir- Provenance Type
- Collected directly from wild; origin known
- Collected From
- South Korea
- Collected By
- Ernest Henry Wilson
- Abies nephrolepis
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Arboretum Staff Top 150
See All →-
Painted maple (Acer mono) on Meadow RoadIt is a beautiful specimen tree I've long admired through the years. It has the most graceful, twisting form, and its position near the road makes it a handsome beacon for our national collection of maples. It looks wonderful in every season, even in winter when its attractive form takes center stage.Jon Hetman: Associate Director of External Relations and Communications
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Hamamelis virginiana 'Mohonk Red'For witch hazel admirers and those who love winter flowers (everyone?) check out Hamamelis virginiana 'Mohonk Red' 121-96 (A, B, C). A striking and uncommon red flowering variety of the native witch hazel. Officially discovered in a nature preserve in New Paltz, New York in 1990. Watch for blooms in October- December.Ryan Devlin: Horticulturist
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The ancient grove of oriental spruce (Picea orientalis) found in the middle of the Conifer CollectionThe Arboretum received these plant as seed in 1873 and 1874. Now these magnificent trees tower above you with sweeping branches, some of which touch the ground before turning around and jutting back up towards the sky.Rachel Brinkman: Manager of Horticulture
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Willow PathI have fond memories of running breathlessly down this corridor to arrive at work on-time. Willow Path takes you from Forest Hills Station into the heart of the Rosaceous and Maple collections, a stark contrast of urban grit and biodiversity.Chris Copeland: Greenhouse Horticulturist