Millions of Years of Movement: New data shows tropical mallow plants heading out of Madagascar On islands like Madagascar, a particularly high proportion of plants have been introduced via long-distance dispersal, and recent research demonstrates that Madagascar has also been a prominent source for dispersal of plants to other places, including the tropical plant group Dombeyoideae. The history of botanical evolution is full of slim chances: Some fruits or seeds get swept up in a storm or lodged in a bird’s feathers and carried across an ocean. In some instances, this long-distance dispersal can lead to rapid variegation as new species evolve from the founding ancestor(s). On islands like Madagascar, a particularly high proportion of plants have been introduced via long-distance dispersal. While islands have long been recognized as important “sinks”—or places where plants are introduced via dispersal—a new paper in Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution improves on our current knowledge by demonstrating that Madagascar has also been a prominent source for dispersal of plants to other places. Co-first authors Cynthia Skema, botanical scientist at Morris Arboretum & Gardens, and Timothée Le Péchon, research scientist at Meise Botanic Garden in Belgium, along with Lucile Jourdain-Fievet and Jean-Yves Dubuisson, both of Sorbonne University in Paris, studied the evolutionary and biogeographic history of the Dombeyoideae. Dombeyoideae is a group of tropical plants that are part of the cotton family (Malvaceae), falling somewhere between cotton and cacao. The researchers found that this group dispersed from Madagascar to Africa five times more than from Africa to Madagascar. “This paper completely underlines this sort of percolating idea that Madagascar is really a source [for plant dispersal] too, and a source for [plant dispersal to] continents, which is really interesting,” explains Skema. Image Dombeya rottleroides , a member of Dombeyoideae. For the project, Skema and …

Garden Features Garden Features Image Almost around every corner, visitors will discover unusual gardens and garden areas that are unique to the Morris Arboretum & Gardens. John and Lydia Morris designed many of the garden features themselves (along with the help of some of the finest architects of their time) so that each space reflected their cultural interests.   The Dorrance H. Hamilton Fernery Image Photo: Paul W. Meyer The Dorrance H. Hamilton Fernery is the only remaining freestanding Victorian fernery in North America. Originally built in 1899 under the supervision of John Morris, the fernery stands today as a historical time piece, documenting the British obsession with ferns and glasshouses during the Victorian era. The building was constructed using locally mined stone and utilized cutting edge technology in glass cutting, steam heating, and architectural elements.  Nestled in a curve of land below the rose garden, the fernery has become an iconic part of the Morris Arboretum & Gardens. Its glittering rooftop welcoming visitors into a peaceful space filled with ferns, trickling waterfalls and reflecting pools. A wonderful place to explore in all seasons.  Learn more about the Fernery →  Mercury Loggia Image Photo: Ken Tapp The Mercury Loggia was constructed in 1913 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Compton estate. The Loggia is a small, temple-like structure constructed of Wissahickon schist with an arched plaster roof and mosaic tile floor. Located at the western edge of the English Park, the Loggia captures the feel of a Roman temple with a bronze statue of Mercury, recognizable by his winged sandals, nestled within. The Grotto beneath the Loggia is an artificial cavern created and lined with Wissahickon schist. Historically, grottos similar to this one was designed as a wonderful location for intellectual ponderings. A narrow winding path leads through the grotto and out into the Ravine Garden on the north side of the Loggia. …

Call for Proposals: Ecotopian Tools for Multispecies Flourishing The Open Call for “Ecotopian Tools for Multispecies Flourishing” is officially accepting proposals—now through March 1, 2024! Image The Open Call for “Ecotopian Tools for Multispecies Flourishing” is officially accepting proposals—now through March 1, 2024! Presented in collaboration with the Penn Program of Environmental Humanities (PPEH), we invite artists and designers of all kinds to introduce “ecotopian” tools that might be used by visitors and inhabitants of Morris to support varied, multi-species communities, including humans, amidst the ongoing climate crisis. Successful proposals will be explored in public workshops at Morris Arboretum & Gardens in spring 2024. They will dig deep–not just into the sciences at Morris, but also into the histories and stories that shape this place today. They will work to find ways to engage the public to think about how they can help build healthy and just futures for all humans and non-humans alike. Visit the links below to learn more about the Ecotopian Toolkit and how to apply. Contact the PPEH lab with any questions at ppehlab-director@sas.upenn.edu . Learn More Image 2024 Call for Proposals Learn more about the 2024 Morris + PPEH Call for Ecotopian Tools for Multispecies Flourishing and how to apply.  Learn More Image Meet the Jury Meet the 2024 Ecotopian Toolkit jury, including two Morris staff: William Cullina, F. Otto Haas Executive Director, and Bryan Thompson-Nowak, Director of Education. Learn More Image An Interview with Bryan Thompson-Nowak PPEH's program coordinator, Megan Pollin Hernandez sat down with Director of Education at Morris, Bryan Thompson-Nowak, to talk about the foundation of this year’s theme—soil—and how the Morris works to be a steward of and partner with the earth under our feet. Learn More Blog Image February 22, 2024 … Call for Proposals: Ecotopian Tools for Multispecies …

Urban Forestry Consultants Urban Forestry Consultants Image Urban Forestry Consultants General Information Morris Arboretum’s Urban Forestry Consultants are recognized tree care experts who provide tree- related consulting services to a variety of clients such as landscape architecture firms, educational institutions, businesses, professional organizations, cemeteries, HOA’s and federal, state, and local governments. The consulting team is thoroughly educated in tree biology and stays on the forefront of tree care theory and technology. By combining state of the art diagnostic equipment with electronic information technologies such as CAD and GIS, the Urban Forestry Consultants record, assess, and enumerate conditions to serve your natural resource needs. We advise best management practices to care for, enhance, and budget for the health and longevity of your trees and other natural resources. Read more about the Urban Forestry department's role at the Morris Arboretum and University of Pennsylvania in Seasons. Learn About Our Services Arboriculture Services The Morris Arboretum’s Urban Forestry consultants provide services to municipalities and institutions mainly in the Philadelphia tri-state area. The team consists of an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Board Certified Master Arborist, an Urban Forestry Technician, and an Urban Forestry Fellow. The fees generated by the urban forestry consulting team directly support Morris Arboretum’s mission of education, research, and outreach. Please note that we do not work for individual residential clients unless an arborist requests our tree diagnostic services to provide recommendations on specific trees. Residential clients with arboricultural needs can find a local arborist through the ISA website. Our services include (click heading for more information): Tree Inventory & Assessment – Risk Management Tree and Natural Resource Mapping Tree Management Plans/EAB Plans Specification/Ordinance Writing and …

Affiliations Affiliations Image University of Pennsylvania One of the oldest universities in America and one of the most prestigious institutions of higher learning in all the world.  America's Garden Capital A guide to the Philadelphia region's public gardens, arboreta, and historic landscapes. American Public Gardens Association The professional association for public gardens in North America, supporting the public horticulture community in its mission to study, display, and conserve plants. Chestnut Hill Business Association Morris Arboretum is located in Philadelphia’s northwest neighborhood of Chestnut Hill, a favorite destination for shopping, restaurants, and family fun.  Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) Your travel guide to  Philadelphia and The Countryside® .  Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance The Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance leads, strengthens and gives voice to a varied cultural sector that is making Philadelphia a world-class region to live, work and play.  American Association of State and Local History The American Association for State and Local History provides leadership and support for its members who preserve and interpret state and local history in order to make the past more meaningful to all Americans.  … …

A Look Inside the Morris Arboretum Herbarium An herbarium is a lot like a library, except instead of books it holds botanical specimens. The Morris Arboretum Herbarium contains more than 25,000 specimens, all of which have been digitized. From pressed orchids to parasitic mistletoe to oak branches with acorns, the Herbarium hosts a varied array of plants.   Emily Humphreys is the the Eli Kirk Price Plant Science Fellow. In September of 1994, a party of botanists from across the U.S. and China traversed a set of steep cliffs searching for lacebark pine ( Pinus bungeana ). While the botanists found several trees, they all grew on slopes too steep and treacherous to navigate. Finally, Dr. Riming Hao of Nanjing Botanic Garden, in a great show of bravery, climbed one of the trees that stretched over the cliffside, collecting seeds and a cutting that were brought back to the Morris Arboretum. Today, that cutting resides in the Arboretum’s Herbarium.*  Image A little bit of extra glue was applied to keep this leaf stuck down. What’s an herbarium?  An herbarium is a lot like a library, except instead of books it holds botanical specimens. Each specimen features a pressed and dried plant, which can include anything from a tiny flower, roots and all, to a dense tuft of moss, to a cutting of a tree branch like the one Dr. Hao collected. This plant is glued on a special piece of herbarium paper. While the glue and paper are specially formulated to preserve the plants, the general process of mounting a specimen is not too different from a craft project. In addition to the plant itself, the specimen also carries information about that plant in the form of a label. The information on these labels varies widely, but most feature an identification for the plant, the location and date it was collected, and the name of the collector. Finally, some specimens have a little folded packet that is meant to hold any bits or pieces that fall off of the dried plant in its long tenure as a …