|
“The
Arboretum at Penn State
. . . an outreach, teaching, and research facility dedicated
to preserving the beauty and ecological functions of vegetated
landscapes in an urbanizing society.”
Welcome
Helleborus orientalis (Lenten rose)
We
hope you were able to attend our plant sale! We are leaving
our plant
sale catalog link here for several days
so that those who bought plants can refer to it.
The H.O.
Smith Botanic Gardens in the Arboretum are adjacent to the
University
Park campus near the intersection of Park Avenue and Bigler
Road. The entrance to the parking lot is on Bigler Road, facing
the parking lot for the Lewis Katz Building which houses the
Dickinson School of Law. Phase
I, which
was constructed in 2009 on a tract of approximately 35 acres,
contains over 17,000 individual plants representing over 700
species.
The gardens are open daily from
dawn until dusk, and there currently is no fee for admission.
Please observe our garden
regulations, Arboretum
rules, and photography
policy as you enjoy the gardens.
Next Development
Phase: Children's Garden in 2013
The conceptual design for the Children's
Garden was completed in 2010. On
January 9, 2012, the University announced
that a gift from Edward R. and Helen S. Hintz will fund construction
of this facility, and a gift from Charles H. 'Skip' Smith will
create an endowment to maintain the garden and develop its educational
programs. Endowment support for children's education will also
be provided by a previously announced gift from Marcia Day.
Construction of this new feature will be under way in the spring
and continue throughout 2013. For more information, please read
the news
story.
Our
planning
pages contain information about projects or endeavors elsewhere
in the Arboretum:
- Air
Quality Learning and Demonstration Center - Outdoor teaching
facility about monitoring air pollution in "Happy Valley"
- Arboretum
Ecological Restoration Group - Volunteers who are trained
to recognize and remove invasive, nonnative plants to restore
natural areas in the Arboretum
- Bellefonte
Central Rail Trail - Crushed limestone trail (approximately
one mile) that officially opened in 2006 and is currently
being extended another 3/10 of a mile
- Hosler
Oak - First official tree planted in the Arboretum to
honor meteorologist Charles L. Hosler
- Hybrid
Chestnut Seed Orchard - A cooperative initiative between
Penn State and The American Chestnut Foundation dedicated
to developing a blight-resistant chestnut to re-introduce
this species to American forests
I hope that you return regularly to
find out the latest news, and encourage others to visit us,
as well! You may share suggestions or comments about the site
by e-mailing me or Kate
Reeder.
Kim C. Steiner,
Director
The Arboretum at Penn State
Even in winter, there
are colors and textures of interest for garden visitors to enjoy.
Above is a plant (Hamamelis mollis
'Wisley Supreme' - witchhazel) that blooms in spite of the snow.
(February 14, 2013)
Frequently asked Questions
The plant illustrated in the banner at the top of this Web site's pages,
Panex quiquefolius L. (ginseng) is an herb that bears greenish flowers
in May and red fruit from September to October. Although it was once encountered
frequently in Pennsylvania's woodlands, its abundance has declined greatly due
to excessive collecting. Illustration: Rae Dickson Chambers. | 
