The Morton Arb

Trees & Gardens

Use our Interactive Collections Map and our Plant Collections Map to identify where plants are located on our grounds.

Explore our Plant Database

Integrated data of The Morton Arboretum's living collections, herbarium, interactive collections map, and photographs. Search database

How Plants are Named
The words in the scientific name of a plant all mean something. Learn how plants get such interesting names. Click here

How To Read a Plant Label at the Arboretum

Gardens

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Herb Garden: Plants Known to Heal, Flavor, and Help at Home

Herb Garden

NOTE:  The Herb Garden patio will be closed for the winter season, reopening in March.

The Herb Garden is on the east side of the Research Building, just outside of the Botany Lab. It is quite small, yet contains roughly 50 different kinds of herbs, ornamental perennials, and shrubs chosen for their usefulness and place in herbal folklore.

When it comes to useful attributes, many of these plants have specific parts (leaves, flowers etc.) that were highly sought after and valued by our ancestors. They are also used by herbal practioners today. Some cure or provide relief for ailments, others add flavor and spice to food and beverages, and still others are used in household products such as soaps and insect repellants.

A few herbal plants that you will find in this garden are chives (Allium schoenoprasum), purple-flowered gas plant (Dictamnus albus 'Purpureus'), and gro-low sumac (Rhus aromatica 'Gro-low').