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 …

Exuberant Blooms is Bigger, Bolder, and Brighter Hot, bold colors dominate this year's Victorian-inspired exhibition!  Image Our annual modern take on Victorian flower carpets, Exuberant Blooms , is even HOTTER this summer with eight beds of bigger, bolder, brighter, and more beautiful flowers! Spread over more than a quarter acre of open garden, the large paisley-shaped floral “islands” contain more than 10,000 plants with heights ranging from 8 inches to 8 feet. Hot colors dominate this year’s exhibition with a wide variety of annual and tropical plants of vibrant orange, pink, red, and purple flowers all vying for attention. And while there will be new and interesting foliage for visitors to admire, we are also bringing back many of your plant favorites from last year. The color, shape, and scent of each flower not only catches our gaze but also attracts pollinators—insects and birds in search of the flower’s nectar or pollen, including lots of butterflies and hummingbirds! These animals are called pollinators because they carry pollen from the male part of the flower (stamen) to the female part of the same or another flower (stigma). What's New: Exuberant Blooms Plants List See what specific plants are growing in Exuberant Blooms by using our handy plant list .    Image Image Image Image Image Image Image 1 / PREV NEXT Blog Image August 8, 2024 … Exuberant Blooms is Bigger, Bolder, and …

What's in Bloom: August What's in Bloom: August Image August at the Morris Image plumleaf azalea Rhododendron prunifolium Native Azalea Collection One of the latest to bloom, this native azalea produces deep red/orange flowers. There are only a handful of natural populations of plumleaf azalea. Image Pink summersweet clethra Clethra alnifolia ‘Rosea’ Along creek in Azalea Meadow Native to eastern North America, summersweet clethra is a late summer bloomer that thrives in shady, swampy areas. Unlike the white flowers of the straight species, the ‘Rosea’ cultivar displays showy, fragrant light pink flower clusters on vertical racemes. Image Chinese arborvitae Platycladus orientalis Hillcrest Pavilion Small, spiked, blue-green cones adorn this evergreen tree. This plant was once considered a member of the genus Thuja (arborvitae) because of its very similar scale-like leaves. Image anemone Anemone tomentosa Mercury Loggia Native to northern China, these perennials bloom as late as October. Their grape-like leaves have white, fuzzy undersides. Image swamp rose mallow Hibiscus moscheutos Wetlands Large white flowers on these tall, native perennials line the border of the Wetlands. Although each individual flower only blooms for several days, the plant produces many new buds and will flower through early fall. … What's in Bloom: …

Digging into Native Plant Research Native plants, trees, and shrubs play a critical role in maintaining the health and stability of Pennsylvania’s ecosystem—and the Morris has been at the forefront of native plant research for nearly a century. Native plants are imperative to our ecosystem, contributing to cleaner air and water, healthier soil, climate regulation, and a welcoming habitat for wildlife. “We don’t take a breath that isn’t supported by native plants,” says Timothy Block, PhD, the John J. Willaman Chair of Botany and Director of Plant Science at the Morris Arboretum & Gardens. The University of Pennsylvania has published the story "Digging into Native Plant Research," which highlights the importance of native plants and the recently established Jan Albaum and Harry Cerino Native Plant Research Endowment in Memory of Martin Albaum. This endowment will support our Plant Science Department as well as the Morris Arboretum & Gardens Plant Science Lab, which will focus on regionally rare plant species and forest health. The lab is set to break ground this fall, and will be located on the Bloomfield Farm side of the Morris. Read More →   Image A sketch of the Morris Arboretum & Gardens Plant Science Lab, which will break ground this fall and be located on the Bloomfield Farm side of the Morris. Image Support from Jan Albaum (pictured in foreground) will provide new opportunities and an expanded effort into the study of native plant species at the Morris. Photo by Eddy Marenco.   Blog Image August 26, 2024 … Digging into Native Plant …