Research

Woman examining plant Just as in any museum, we maintain careful records on each of the plants in the Arboretum's collection. These records include:

the correct scientific and common names of the plant
the plant family to which it belongs
when and where seeds or cuttings were collected in the wild
other plants with which the plant was associated in its native site
when and how the seeds or cuttings were propagated
the success rate of the propagation method
when and where it was planted in the garden
horticultural, culinary, medicinal, or economic uses of the plant

These records are part of a Geographic Information System (GIS) and linked to computerized maps. If we know the name, we can instantly find any plant's location in the garden, or if we know the location, we can look up information on any plant.

The Arboretum's documented plant collections are used by researchers in a variety of fields. Recent studies have focused on natural pest control methods, DNA testing to determine evolutionary relationships among groups of plants, and plant-insect interactions. Other researchers study the wildlife in the Arboretum, the water quality in the creek, the history of the site, or the ways people use the gardens.

For more information about research at the Arboretum, contact the curator at (530) 752-3150.