Plant Names Tell Their Stories: Maidenhair Ferns Morris Arboretum & Gardens hosts several of the over 200 species of maidenhair ferns. The maiden commemorated in the name is none other than Venus—the Greek goddess of love, beauty, sex, fertility, and victory. Morris Arboretum & Gardens hosts several of the over 200 species of maidenhair ferns. The maiden commemorated in the name is none other than Venus—the Greek goddess of love, beauty, sex, fertility, and victory—due to parallels between the mythology surrounding Venus and the form and function of maidenhair ferns. Image Birth of Venus by Botticelli  shows Venus, newly born from the sea, with long, windblown hair. Public Domain. Pliny the Elder (AD 23/24 – AD 79), a Roman natural historian, noted that maidenhair ferns arise from moist places. He also noticed how contradictory this preference in habitat is, considering the maidenhair’s aversion towards wet foliage: water that falls on the leaflets beads up, demonstrating what is now popularly called "the lotus effect," referencing the superhydrophobic self-cleaning properties exhibited by the leaves of the lotus flower. This excellent defense mechanism allows a plant to rid itself of unwanted bacteria and fungi, as well as particles that block photosynthesis. Image Adiantum sp. - Notice the black hair-like stems that inspired the name "maidenhair." Photo by Katherine Wagner-Reiss. Image Adiantum sp. - Shown here is the characteristic water repellency of the leaves.  Photo by Katherine Wagner-Reiss.                               Image Statue of Venus wringing out her hair. From Pompeii, House of Camillo, Marble, 1st century AD.  CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons Pliny also noted that some people in his day called this fern "beautiful hair." The delicate leaf stem is hair like: very thin, hard, wiry, shiny, and black or dark brown in color. With this visual similarity in mind, the plant was used to dye hair and treat hair loss. Venus was, by legend, conceived in …

What's in Bloom: June What's in Bloom: June Image June at the Morris Image oakleaf hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia Oak Allée Native to the southeastern United States, these shrubs get their name from their oak-like leaves. Large panicles of white flowers bloom in June, turning pink and purple as the summer progresses. Image mountain-laurel Kalmia latifolia Overlook Garden; Garden Railway These native evergreen shrubs display mesmerizing clusters of pink and white flowers. Mountain-laurel is in heath family, Ericaceae, the same family as rhododendrons and pieris. Image woodland pinkroot Spigelia marilandica  Oak Allée Tubular red flowers bloom upright on these native perennials, attracting hummingbirds to shady areas of the garden. Image Japanese raisin-tree Hovenia dulcis Orange Balustrade Inconspicuous, cream-colored flowers emit a sweet, wafting fragrance through the parking lot and above the Orange Balustrade. Image panicle golden-rain-tree Koelreuteria paniculata Baxter Memorial As this tree’s blooming passes its peak, small yellow flower petals gently fall to the ground creating the appearance of “golden rain.”   Image bottlebrush buckeye Aesculus parviflora Compton Native to the southeastern United States, these spreading shrubs produce tall panicles of small white tubular flowers with pink anthers. In the fall, bottlebrush buckeye displays bright yellow fall color. … What's in Bloom: …

Contemporary of the Dinosaurs: Cathay Silver Fir This spring, the Morris added an extremely rare plant to our collection: the Cathay silver fir, Cathaya argyrophylla, an ancient member of the pine family, and a “living fossil" that first appeared in fossil records around 140 million years ago during the Cretaceous period of the late Mesozoic Era.   Image The Cathay silver fir, Cathaya argyrophylla, is located to the left of the Key Fountain and across from the dawn-redwoods in English Park. The Morris possesses a collection of trees and shrubs that encompass everything from the exotic to the common,  the ornamental to the esoteric. This spring we were fortunate to add another extremely rare plant to our collection. The Cathay silver fir, Cathaya argyrophylla, is an ancient member of the pine family, and a “living fossil.” It first appeared in fossil records around 140 million years ago during the Cretaceous period of the late Mesozoic Era. It was a contemporary of the dinosaurs that roamed the earth during this same time. The Cathay silver fir was thought to be as extinct as the dinosaurs who ate it. In 1938, Professor Yang Hsien-chin from Fudan University was doing fieldwork on the remote Golden Buddha Mountain in southeastern China when he discovered an unknown conifer. He took herbarium specimens from his mysterious find back to his lab for further study. Unfortunately, due to a variety of factors (not the least of which was the outbreak of a global war), his herbarium voucher sat uninvestigated. In 1949, the newly installed Chinese Communist Party created the Institute of Botany and folded Professor Yang’s specimen into a national herbarium collection. Here his herbarium vouchers languished in further obscurity as an unidentified tree. In the summer of 1955, in another remote forest near the Golden Buddha Mountain, several Chinese botanists discovered conifers they did not recognize. They sent specimens of these plants to the Institute of Botany. Using …

Tours for Adults Tours for Adults Image Free with general admission. Image Garden Highlights Tour January – March Weekends: 1:00 pm March – December Weekdays: 10:30 am • Weekends:  1:00 pm Last weekday tour will be 12/1 Our knowledgeable guides will design a tour around the interests of the attendees. Every tour is different so come back as many times as you’d like.  Learn More Image Winter Wellness Walks November – March Weekends: 10:30 am Experience winter beauty at Morris Arboretum & Gardens while getting your steps in!  Sponsored in part by Independence Blue Cross. Learn More … Tours for Adults …

Private Estate 1887-1932 Private Estate 1887-1932 Image Collections: Private Estate Era, 1887–1932 Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania Records Morris Arboretum was originally the private estate of John Thompson Morris (1847-1915) and his sister Lydia Thompson Morris (1849-1932). John and Lydia established the estate in 1887 with the purchase of 67 acres in Chestnut Hill, which they named Compton. Their Gothic Revival style mansion and carriage house, designed by Theophilus P. Chandler, Jr., were constructed the following year. In subsequent years, they built a large greenhouse complex near the banks of the Wissahickon River, including a Fernery, Palm House, potting shed and hotbeds. Over the next quarter century, John and Lydia Morris purchased several contiguous properties and enhanced the grounds with classic European and Japanese gardens, picturesque garden follies, fountains, ponds and pergolas. Between 1881 and 1910, the Morrises went on eight extended trips overseas and attended seven international expositions. On their travels, they purchased antiquities and objet d’art to furnish the mansion and donate to Philadelphia institutions. In addition to creating beautiful pleasure gardens for their own enjoyment, John and Lydia amassed an extensive collection of tree and shrub families and genera from around the world, with the goal of establishing botanical gardens “conducted on scientific principles.” Their goal was realized after John’s death when Lydia bequeathed Compton and Bloomfield to the University of Pennsylvania. Biographical Sketches John T. Morris biographical sketch Lydia T. Morris biographical sketch Yonehachi Muto, Landscape Architect: Hill & Water Garden, Overlook Garden   “From the Archives” Articles about the Private Estate Era Each month, the Morris Arboretum Volunteer Newsletter features a column, “From the Archives,” about people and events of the Private Estate Era. The column is authored by archives volunteer, Joyce Munro. …

What's in Bloom: July What's in Bloom: July Image July at the Morris Image Japanese clethra Clethra barbinervis Bark Park Native to Japan, these shrubs produce racemes of fragrant, white flowers that contrast against glossy, dark green leaves. Image Bobo® panicle hydrangea Hydrangea paniculata ‘Ilvobo’ Rose Garden Large panicles of white flowers adorn these compact shrubs. While the straight species can reach heights of up to 25 feet, this cultivar is selected for its small form, reaching only up to 3 feet in height. Image Abbeville Blue chastetree Vitex agnus-castus ‘Abbeville Blue’ Rose Garden These large shrubs are native to the Mediterranean and parts of Asia. In the summer, they produce long, narrow panicles of small purple flowers that attract butterflies and bees. Image Tuskegee crapemyrtle Lagerstroemia ‘Tuskegee’ ​​​​​ Oak Allée This crapemyrtle cultivar boasts showy pink, cloud-like flower clusters, adding brightness and color along the Oak Allée. Image Chinese pearlbloom-tree Poliothyrsis sinensis  Pennock Garden This tree gets its common name from its small flowers that do not fully open, remaining round and bud-like. The flowers are apetalous, meaning they lack petals—what we see instead are sepals, which are typically found enclosing petals to protect the flower in its bud form.   Image Bracken’s Brown Beauty southern magnolia Magnolia grandiflora ‘Bracken’s Brown Beauty’  Oak Allée Native to the southeastern United States, this evergreen magnolia displays large white, fragrant flowers throughout the summer. Unlike many other flowers, these are primarily pollinated by beetles.   … What's in Bloom: …

Public Garden - After 1974 Public Garden - After 1974 Image Collections: Public Garden — After 1974 Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania Records The 1970s was a time of considerable change for the Arboretum, set in motion when Dr. F. Otto Haas assumed the position of Chair of the Advisory Board in 1972. During his tenure as Chair, the University granted the Arboretum more freedom as a university-wide “Resource Center” and the Board began to play a more active role. In 1977, Dr. William M. Klein, Jr., an experienced botanical garden administrator, was named the Arboretum’s first full-time Director. Eight months after his Image Planning the Arboretum: Director William Klein with Colin and Carole Franklin of Andropogon Association, 1976. appointment, Dr. Klein and the Board, under the guidance of Dr. Haas, launched a comprehensive renewal program in tandem with the University’s institution-wide plan for the 1980s. The stated goal of the renewal program was to “renew and endow the Arboretum’s most precious assets and to develop a standard of excellence for those features that are fundamental to its original design and purpose as a university and public institution, as set forth by Lydia T. Morris in 1932” ( Morris Arboretum Newsletter , March-April 1978). One of the operational changes at the Arboretum was assigning horticultural staff to specific areas of responsibility rather than serving on roving crews across the entire grounds—a plan still being implemented today. Another change, led by then-Curator Paul Meyer, was implementation of a comprehensive policy for collection of shrubs and trees, also still being implemented. A third change was increased emphasis on educational programs utilizing the resources of the Arboretum. By the end of the 1970s, the Arboretum had taken the significant steps toward renewal, with the support of grants and in partnership with the landscape planning firm, Andropogon Associates. This partnership has continued with …

University Era 1933-1974 University Era 1933-1974 Image Collections: University Era - 1933-1974 Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania Records   Arboretum Directors, 1933-1974 Dr. Rodney H. True, 1933 – 1939 Dr. Jacob R. Schramm, 1939 – 1954 Dr. John M. Fogg, Jr., 1954 – 1967 Dr. A. Orville Dahl, 1967 – 1971 Dr. Hui-Lin Li , 1971 – 1974  … University Era 1933-1974 …