By Hannah Hunt
Spring is officially here and wildflowers aren’t the only thing popping up at Bernheim!
In an effort to increase our sustainability efforts in all areas of the Arboretum, we are replacing our plastic botanical signage with black anodized aluminum. Look for these signs on the east side of each tree within the Arboretum to learn more information about it!Each sign carries 5 pieces of information; common name, botanical name, native range, IUCN status if applicable (endangered, threatened, vulnerable, etc.), and an accession number.
Since the 1950s, every tree planted in the Arboretum has been designated with an accession number. This number corresponds to a record in the Plant Records office containing information about the nursery it came from, when it was planted, where it was planted, and how it has performed over the years. These records help us keep count of how many plants we have, identify gaps in our conservation goals, and exchange plant material with other institutions throughout our region and beyond. As always, more information can be found online by visiting our website and clicking on Plant Database in the upper right-hand corner of the homepage.