Walk & Talk: Azalea Collection Tours
May 10, 10:00am-12:00pm   (Bring Mom - it's Mother's Day!)

Walk through our collection of tens of thousands of brilliant blooming azaleas and witness one of Washington's premier spring attractions. The network of rustic woodland trails allows you to view the blossoms at close range, while providing sweeping views of the arboretum grounds. Fee $19. Registration is required.

Imaging Native Plants
April 1-May 29, 8:00am-4:30pm
Administration Building Lobby

Come into the lobby to see this exhibit of striking images by Andrea Ottesen, plant scientist and award-winning photographer. Ottesen’s unique style joins together art, science and photography to create plant portraits which highlight the unique qualities of each plant, giving a modern spin to the traditional style of scientific illustration. This exhibit focuses on plants native to the Eastern United States. Free admission.

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HORTICULTURE

Three-Flower Maple (Acer triflorum) - Three Times a Charmer

Acer triflorum, the three-flower maple, is interesting all year round; but in three seasons it truly shines, and has almost limitless landscape use.

First, the bright velvety new leaves emerge from brownish-black buds late enough in spring to be eagerly anticipated. Following soon after, flowers appear in three-flowered clusters, hence its botanic and common names.

In late autumn, the leaves color spectacularly, ranging from golden yellow to pumpkin orange bordering on red, rivaling even the famous sugar maple (Acer saccharum) for brilliance. In winter, the tree displays exfoliating bark in shades of cream, beige, pearly gray, or brown with orange undertones, and a waxy sheen especially on younger stems and trunks.

This ornamental tree (eventually reaching 20 – 30 feet high with a similar spread over many years), with its beautiful foliage, exquisite bark and graceful habit, can be used as a lovely grove, a fine lawn specimen, or a focal point in a border planting.    Read Full Story.

RESEARCH

USDA Grant Awarded for Development of a Microarray System
for Universal Detection of Plant Viruses

A USDA National Research Initiative grant was recently awarded to Dr. John Hammond and Dr. Ramon Jordan of the U.S. National Arboretum's Floral and Nursery Plants Research Unit, in collaboration with scientists at several other institutions. The grant is for $999,735 over a period of three years, with the goal of developing the capability to detect and identify plant viruses, from any type of plant, to at least the viral genus level.