Tree Collections: Living Collections of Trees, Shrubs, and Other Plants

The Morton Arboretum's living collections represent one of the most comprehensive collections of woody plants in North America. Throughout the Arboretum's history, it has acquired plants from 40 countries in the northern temperate zone of the world. The collections today include over 222,000 live plants representing nearly 4,300 taxa. Specimens are arranged according to five groups: taxonomic collections (e.g. elms and oaks), geographic collections (e.g. trees and shrubs from China), special habitats (e.g. Plants of Acid Soils), horticultural collections, and collections of rare and endangered plants.

The collections are displayed in beautiful landscape settings and are designed for both enjoyment and educational purposes. Plants are selected for their ability to perform well in Northern Illinois' challenging climate of hot summers and freezing cold winters, as well as for their adaptation to our soils. The collections represent a diversity of plants from around the world and here in the U.S. Additionally, 90 different kinds of plants on the grounds are considered threatened or endangered on state, federal, or world lists.