The Hoyt Arboretum in Portland is a museum of living trees where plants and trees from around the world are grown and exhibited for the community to enjoy, while at the same time providing education about the importance of trees and plants and conserving plant biodiversity.
Established in 1928, the Hoyt Arboretum is located in Washington Park and is spread over 189 ridge-top acres that are home to more than 2,000 specimens of trees and plants from around the world, including 63 species of vulnerable or endangered species.
The Hoyt Arboretum is seen as a living laboratory for preservation, research, and education where students, scientists, and the general public can study trees and plants. The Arboretum is also a vital resource for conserving plant biodiversity and a famous sanctuary for more than 60 endangered and vulnerable species of plants and trees. The Hoyt Arboretum is a peaceful urban oasis that is accessible by a network of trails that can be enjoyed by walkers, hikers, bikers, and families with a love of nature and the outdoors.
The Hoyt Arboretum collection features over 2,000 species of plants and trees, with many specimens grown from seeds collected in the wild and used again to be used to replant native ecosystems that are at risk or have been destroyed. In addition to providing a plethora of benefits to the surrounding environment, these new native ecosystems will also provide in-depth research opportunities for learners and natural beauty for the community to enjoy for centuries to come.
The Hoyt Arboretum is home to over 2,000 species across 200 plant families, of which 63 are endangered or globally vulnerable and listed as so by the International Union for Conservation and Natural Resources (IUCN). The Arboretum’s collection begins with tracking and gathering wild seeds, planting and nurturing them to maturation and then using the collection for education and research purposes.
The Hoyt Arboretum works in partnership with the Leach Botanical Garden, which focuses on rare and unusual herbaceous species found in Oregon and offers a publicly accessible plant inventory with both common and Latin names of all the plants, their country of origin, and rarity status. The Hoyt Arboretum is also home to a special herbarium, which is open to the public.
The Hoyt Arboretum offers a variety of educational opportunities for both the community and students to learn about nature and the collection of plants and trees. Programs range from several children’s programs and tours, nature camps, guided and self-guided tours and walks, private docent-led tours, and partnership functions and events. Other educational entities include a variety of educational and self-guided trail brochures which can be found at the Hoyt Arboretum Visitor Center, as well as expert volunteers on hand to share their knowledge and answer any questions.
The Visitor Center also houses the Bill de Weese Classroom Research Library, which features over 800 horticultural books and periodicals ranging from beginner gardening books to technical floras, including the original Duncan Plan blueprint. The Library is open during the Visitor Center hours.
The Hoyt Arboretum is located at 4000 SW Fairview Boulevard in Portland..
The Hoyt Arboretum Visitor Center is located in the heart of Hoyt Arboretum and features a research library that is open to the public during Visitor Center hours. The Visitor Center also offers brochures, plant lists, maps and other publications that are free to the public. The Hoyt Arboretum Visitor Center also has a gift shop that carries a selection of gardening, horticultural and outdoor-related books, magazines and other publications.
The Hoyt Arboretum offers both guided and self-guided tours on Saturdays from April through October, and private tours at certain times of the year. Tours are led by informative guides who have a passion for nature and trees and bring a unique perspective to each 90-minute tour.
Both self-guided and guided tours of the gardens render a plethora of beautiful plants and trees to see, ranging from season to season. A fall festival of colors ranging from orange and yellow to blazing red and gold can be enjoyed between September and November, while breathtaking winter gardens can be explored from December through March. From April through May the Arboretum blossoms with cherries, dogwoods, and the heady scents of magnolias, while native wildflowers run riot in the meadows from June through August.
4000 SW Fairview Blvd., Portland, Oregon 97221, Phone: 503-865-8733, Map
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