Arboretum in the Harvard Gazette
The world we live in was made possible by the precursors to plants, which crossed two evolutionary hurdles that transformed not only plant life, but also the Earth’s atmosphere and its once-barren continents, Arnold Arboretum Director William Friedman said in a recent lecture. more »
The trees of Harvard Yard are in the midst of managed change as the once-ubiquitous elms continue their decades-long decline. Mixed species, dominated by American trees, replace them. more »
Arnold Arboretum Director William “Ned” Friedman and freshmen from his “Getting to Know Darwin” seminar went to the home of a pigeon fancier. “Darwin not only wrote about pigeons, he bred them himself,” Friedman said. more »
While new species naturally expand to other places and sometimes disrupt the scene when they arrive, the pace of introduction of invasive species has picked up enormously over the past century and a half, stressing and transforming New England forests. more »
It was a busy summer of Harvard-supported learning on campus and in the neighboring communities. more »
Scientists from the Arnold Arboretum and the University of Colorado are working to define for the first time the complete microbiome of a tree. more »
William (Ned) Friedman, director of Harvard University's Arnold Arboretum, took the whimsical concept of a flash mob — a social media–driven spontaneous gathering — and applied it to outreach to the public to encourage interaction with the scientists, curators, and horticulturalists who work on the Arboretum’s 265 acres. The next Tree Mob is July 25 at 5:30 p.m. more »
Wrapping up an arboretum internship, students from Norfolk County Agricultural High School visited Harvard Yard to learn about Harvard Landscape Services’ recent switch to organic methods and materials. more »
100th year celebration for Larz Anderson Bonsai Collection
The Larz Anderson Collection of Dwarfed Japanese Trees at the Arnold Arboretum is celebrating its hundredth anniversary this year. The plants were originally imported into the United States in 1913 by the Honorable Larz Anderson, upon his return from serving as ambassador to Japan. more »
Visitor Center improvements begin this winter
Plans are underway in the Visitor Center for new display cases, a reading area, and and interactive technologies to be installed over the winter. According to Manager of Visitor Education Julie Warsowe, “our goal is for you to experience enhanced learning opportunities in the renewed space, and to give you new reasons to come back again and again—whether it’s to see a new exhibit with treasures from the Arboretum’s archives, browse new books on rotation from our library, or talk to a knowledgeable, friendly Arboretum representative.” more »
Sometimes spring flowers occur in fall
Although there are notable exceptions, the majority of flowering plants in the Arnold Arboretum's Living Collection bloom over the course of spring and early summer. While it is normal for some plants like the Franklin tree (Franklinia alatamaha) to flower in early fall, the autumn or winter occurence of flowers on plants that normally bloom in spring can be a surprising sight in the landscape. Why do some plants flower again during the off season? Is it a sign of climate change? more »
Visitor Center changes mark enhanced educational focus
A number of changes are currently underway in the Hunnewell Building Visitor Center, with additional displays and improved use of technology planned to improve and enhance how visitors experience our landscape and plant collections. more »
Tree vandals target city parks
The Boston Parks and Recreation Department is reporting an increase in tree vandalism cases in City parks, specifically an invasive and deadly form of theft that targets unique features known as burls. The public's help is requested in identifying the culprits of these crimes. more »
Explore science at the Arboretum on Researchers' Night 2012
Through research, we discover new knowledge and identify solutions to complex problems. Spark the curiosity of your inner scientist at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University on Researchers’ Night 2012. more »
Star viewing brings astronomy to the Arboretum
Enjoying the diversity of trees at the Arnold Arboretum may compel visitors to look up into the canopy to get a better view. This Saturday evening, the Arboretum invites visitors to look up even farther, as it partners with the Harvard College Observatory and Boston Parks and Recreation to present a public star viewing on Weld Hill. more »
Arnold Arboretum Committee funds new horticultural equipment
Through a $10,000 gift from Arnold Arboretum Committee, a Jamaica Plain non-profit advocacy organization, the Arboretum has acquired an air compressor that will enable staff to deploy the air knife more extensively for plant health and maintenance initiatives in the Arboretum landscape. more »
Arboretum announces Putnam Fellowship award
The Arnold Arboretum is pleased to announce that Dr. Guang-You Hao was awarded a Putnam Fellowship to conduct independent research utilizing the Arboretum's living collection. more »
Remembering Professor Shiu-Ying Hu
Professor Shiu-Ying Hu, Emeritus Senior Research Fellow of the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, passed away in Hong Kong on May 22 at age 102. An eminent scholar and plant taxonomist, Professor Hu was also a beloved teacher who served as Honorary Professor of Chinese Medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Senior College Tutor of Chung Chi College. more »
Mobile initiatives at the Arboretum
The Arnold Arboretum is actively developing mobile applications to facilitate use and expand access to the living plant collections. In order to improve access to the collections for the public and scientists alike, the Arboretum's information technology staff are developing strategies to share our data through easy-to-use technologies. This week, the Arboretum marks an important milestone in this effort with the release of test versions for two software applications for mobile devices. more »
2012 Arboretum research awards announced
The Arnold Arboretum is pleased to announce that it has granted several research awards to support studies that utilize the institution’s collections of living plants, herbarium specimens, and extensive library and archival resources. more »