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    • Three-leaved poison ivy, a large thorn, and a jagged leaf

    Wicked Plants: A Botanical Halloween

    On the afternoon of Halloween, stop by the Hunnewell Lawn to learn about the most sinister plants in the Arboretum’s collections. Armed with spiky thorns, sticky latex, and chemical warfare, these plant species defend themselves from hungry herbivores, other plants—and sometimes from humans who wander too close. Others try to poison their neighbors, practice explosive seed dispersal, or even glow under black light. Drop by for this family friendly event and experience Halloween, Arboretum-style.

    Hunnewell Lawn
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      Aerial view of Peters Hill, including the road that loops around it

      Peters Hill Tour

      Learn about some of the amazing trees on Peters Hill during this ninety-minute tour led by docent Paul Eldrenkamp. You’ll get a chance to explore a few of the interesting collections in the landscape, learn about the history of this part of the Arboretum, and get a view of the Boston skyline from the second highest point in the city.

      Poplar Gate
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        • Meadow Road and Visitors in autumn

        Autumn in the Arboretum

        Autumn is one of the most beautiful times of year at the Arboretum, with leaves changing color and all sorts of unique seeds and fruits appearing on the branches. Join docent Vicki Amalfitano for a tour to learn about all the changes that happen in the Arboretum’s collections in the fall.

        in front of the Hunnewell Building
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        A large, lush tree with spreading branches and roots stands at the center of a circular frame filled with leafy greenery, symbolizing life, growth, and interconnectedness.

        The Cosmic Tree: A Universal Symbol of Life: Ginkgoes and Conifers

        Docent Katrina Scott will lead this interactive tour with stops for moments to reflect on specific trees and the stories associated with them. Were they revered or feared? A home for deities or tricksters? We will begin at the Walter Street Gate to visit the oldest ginkgoes at the Arboretum, then head up the Conifer Path and diverge to walk, rest, and reflect among various conifers, eventually ending by the yews near Bussey Brook and Hemlock Hill Road.

        Walter Street Gate
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          A group of five people stand outdoors, listening to a person in a blue shirt and cap who is gesturing toward a tall tree. The scene is set on a sunny day with a blue sky and greenery in the background.

          Rescheduled Arboretum Highlights Tour: Flora Way Loop

          Explore part of the Arboretum’s 281 acre landscape, hear stories of the Arboretum’s history, get an introduction to some of the many woody plant collections, and enjoy what’s in bloom during this 90-minute, docent-led tour. This tour highlights areas near the Flora Way Gate including the Conifer Collection, Hemlock Hill, Rhododendron Dell and Valley Road.

          Flora Way Gate (Formerly Bussey St Gate)
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          • Rescheduled
          A white gilled mushroom growing out of a tree trunk

          Mushroom Hunt

          Hundreds of mushrooms hide beneath the Arboretum’s canopies, silently blossoming into unique forms then withering away again just as quickly. Join local mushroom enthusiast Maria Pinto to search for these fascinating organisms on the Arboretum grounds, both edible and poisonous alike. Along the way you will learn what mushrooms to look for in different habitats and seasons, how they move through ecosystems, and what the Arboretum’s unique collections affect what mushrooms you might find here.

          Flora Way Gate (Formerly Bussey St Gate)
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          A man points to a white flower on a mountainside

          The Regal Lily and the Redemption of E.H. Wilson

          Join Keeper of the Living Collections Michael Dosmann for a story of a flower and the early 20th Century explorer who ventured to the other side of the world, away from family and modern convenience, to collect it. The regal lily (Lilium regale) was not just an object of desire but one of such value that it would underwrite one of the most significant collecting expeditions of the day. Yet, its beauty almost betrayed the collector, nearly taking both his reputation and his life.

          Hunnewell Lecture Hall
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            • Green hemlock needles

            My Botanical Life with Hemlocks

            Peter Del Tredici spent more than thirty years at the Arboretum, researching the interaction between woody plants and their environment. One particular area of interest was the genus Tsuga, or the hemlocks. Join Del Tredici for a talk on his original hemlock research and learn about the ecology of Tsuga canadensis, the history of Sargent’s weeping hemlock, the impact of hemlock woolly adelgid, and the discovery of a new hemlock species in Korea.

            Hunnewell Lecture Hall
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