The Arnold Arboretum's sesquicentennial Director's Series traces the Arnold’s significance in the landscape architecture movement, value for the people of Boston, and leadership in creating global connections between plants and people.

Panelists include:

• Dr. Michelle Kondo, Research Social Scientist, UDSA-Forest Service

• Rev. Mariama White-Hammond, Chief of Environment, Energy, and Open Space, City of Boston

• Laurence Cotton, Consulting Producer, “Frederick Law Olmsted: Designing...

Due to popular demand, we are offering another session of this free webinar. Led by naturalist and conservationist, Michael Wojtech, you'll learn to identify tree species by their bark and discover why such a variety of bark characteristics exist. Why do some species have smooth bark, while on others it is thick and broken? Why does bark peel? Join us to find out!

Learn more about and RSVP for "Bark: Get...

A plant that generates heat and attracts pollinators with its stink? Learn more about skunk cabbage in the Arnold Arboretum’s newest winter Wonder Spot, at the Arboretum meadow’s edge or online. Free and open to all.

Learn more about the Skunk Cabbage Wonder Spot.

The first person who will set foot on Mars is alive right now. We believe this, but even if we're wrong we know the first crew to arrive there will look nothing like the ones that landed on the Moon fifty years ago.

Our world has changed for the better, and ASTRONAUTS tells the story of the women who built this better world. The main character and narrator is Mary Cleave, an astronaut you may not have heard of. It's not because so many people have been to space; only a few hundred have! It’s because this graphic novel isn’t about fame. No astronaut you'll ever meet took the...

Learn about seed biology, embryo dormancy, and factors present in woody plant seeds. The class will focus on seed storage and various treatment techniques, including over-wintering and aftercare. Appropriate for those who have succeeded at growing some plants from seed and are ready for greater challenges. Post-class nurturing will be required. Fee $55 members; $68 non-members.

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Learn among the trees and discover the Arboretum on guided hikes for families. Seeds can fly. Find out which ones do and how they do it. One adult may bring a maximum of three children; suitable for children ages five through twelve. Meet in the Hunnewell Visitor Center.

Free, drop in, no registration required.

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Many plants that we consider to be weeds have rich ethnobotanical histories of their own that tie us closer to our environment. Your guides will explain how these "weedy" plants came to colonize this area while touching on cultural contexts and botanical identification of these wild species—as well as the cultivated medicinal species in the Leventritt Shrub and Vine Garden. Guides: John de la Parra, Associate, Harvard University Herbaria; Ernest Anemone, Co-Guide;...

Jeremy Jackson, Emeritus Professor of Oceanography, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Senior Scientist Emeritus, Smithsonian Institution

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Particles in our atmosphere, whether from the natural environment or from human-built engines, affect climate in ways we don’t yet fully understand. MIT Professor Dan Cziczo will speak of particles and clouds in our atmosphere and how climate is influenced by them. The evening will begin outdoors at Fog x Hill, a Fujiko Nakaya fog exhibit at the Arboretum and then shift indoors for a lecture about clouds and climate. Arrive promptly at 6:30pm to view Fog x Hill, a timed-release landscape...

James W. Porter, Josiah Meigs Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia

Coral reefs support more than a quarter of all marine life, yet many are critically endangered. In the Florida Keys, the once common elk horn coral (Acropora palmata) has experienced steep declines since the 1970s. Preliminary blame was attributed to global warming and coral bleaching, but in fact, a human bacterial pathogen associated with a wide range of serious infections was the culprit. James Porter will discuss how Key West residents are saving these reefs...

If you enjoy learning about plants and their unique characteristics, you can contribute to science as a participant in our Tree Spotters program. This citizen science project opens a window into the Arboretum's phenology: the timing of natural events, such as the leafing out and flowering of trees in the spring and changing foliage colors in the...

Did you know that almost all of the plants in the Arboretum begin their lives in the Dana Greenhouses? Get a behind-the-scenes look of the greenhouse growing process, from seed to sprout to seedling to tree. Meet at the Bonsai and Penjing Collection above the Leventritt Shrub & Vine Garden. There is a 15 person maximum.

Learn more and register for From Seed to...

Enjoy a free guided tour of the Arnold Arboretum landscape with a knowledgeable docent. Tours are appropriate for adults and last approximately 90 minutes. History, highlights of the landscape, seasonal interest and more!

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In this introductory workshop on plant structure and function, we will focus on temperate forest tree and shrub species found around the Arboretum. We will... Read more about Botany Blast: Woody Plant Basics

Colleen Hitchcock will speak about the value of taking note of natural phenomena and the contributions such actions can make to science, society, and... Read more about Taking Note: Connecting Citizen Science to Science Learning

This expansive collection occupies 24 acres and is arranged to facilitate the study of cone-bearing plants. Come out, brave the elements, and learn about... Read more about Collections Up Close: Conifer Collection

Without their leaves, trees can be challenging to identify in the winter. However, if you consider a tree’s branching structure and buds, you can often... Read more about Winter Tree Identification

Arboretum for Educators monthly explorations are a professional development opportunity for elementary and middle school teachers to introduce the... Read more about Arboretum for Educators