Blog

Witchhazel season has officially arrived, bringing unexpected bursts of color and fragrance to the winter landscape. If you’re searching for the best place to experience these spectacular cold‑season blooms, Morris Arboretum & Gardens is home to one of the largest and most diverse witchhazel collections in the United States.

From learning to identify and care for trees to attending national conferences, Matt Walker shares how the Urban Forestry Apprenticeship helped him grow as an arborist, a student, and a steward of the environment.

From vibrant botanic gardens to unexpected adventures on Korea’s high‑speed trains, Director of Education Bryan Thompsonowak's summer adventures offered a whole new perspective on global horticulture, education, and the power of green spaces to connect people across cultures.

Earlier this month on Hidden City Philadelphia, archivist Joyce Munro shared photographs of Port Richmond taken in the 19th century by John T. Morris on the first point-and-shoot Kodak camera.

If you’ve visited the majestic katsura-tree (Cercidiphyllum japonicum) in the last few weeks, you may have noticed the X-brace installed by our Arborist team. This support structure was added to help preserve one of the most significant and beloved trees at Morris Arboretum & Gardens. 

A unique collaboration between Penn engineers and Morris Arboretum & Gardens is resurrecting a piece of Penn and Philadelphia history: Springfield Mills.

While bewitchingly befitting for ArBOOretum Month, we assure you the deadwood in our gardens is not simply decor: We incorporate wood from felled trees into our gardens not only as a natural way to add interest, but also to attract biodiversity and support the ecosystem.

Morris Arboretum & Gardens' Urban Forestry Consultants, in conversation with the Office of the University Architect and Operations & Maintenance departments, determined it's time to remove six declining honeylocusts (Gleditsia triacanthos) along the oldest pedestrian walk on Penn's campus, and are developing a plan for the reuse of the wood and the planting of new trees in their place.