Sarah Shank, Propagator

As the Propagator for the Arnold Arboretum, I am responsible for facilitating the start of plants from seeds and cuttings using a combination of in depth research, creative problem solving, and sometimes a bit of luck.

Before joining the Arnold Arboretum, I spent a number of years as a nursery horticulturist focused on Integrated Pest Management. In 2017 I returned to school to complete my Masters degree in Environmental Horticulture at the University of Washington where I studied the germination of an endangered Washington state endemic plant, Eriogonum codium, and managed the University’s native plant nursery. Following my graduation, I stayed on as the Propagator at the University of Washington Botanic Gardens, and as a Research Technician for the Washington Rare Plant Care and Conservation Program. I have also propagated for Far Reaches Farm and Botanical Conservancy on the Olympic Peninsula, as well as the Amazon Spheres in downtown Seattle.

When I’m not in the greenhouse, I enjoy cross country skiing, paddleboarding, botanizing, and tidepooling.

I am so excited to be a part of the Arnold Arboretum community, and honored to be entrusted with the seeds and other plant material that grow into specimens for conservation, research, and education for years to come.