Great Trees
Trees are at the core of everything we do at The Morton Arboretum. Take this virtual tour to learn more about some of our great trees.
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The Morton Arboretum is a 1,700-acre living tree museum located just outside of Chicago. Join us on a virtual tour of a living laboratory designed to plant and protect trees.
Paper-barked maple
Paper-barked maple is treasured as an ornamental tree for its coppery, flaking bark and three-lobed leaves. It is endangered in the wild in China, but scientists from The Morton Arboretum are conducting fieldwork to identify and conserve pockets of genetic diversity.
Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) (2011-09-22) by Ed Hedborn, The Morton ArboretumThe Morton Arboretum
Ginkgo
Ginkgo is a long-lived tree and the species is a "living fossil" that first evolved over 200 million years ago. Ginkgo is one of the most commonly cultivated trees because of its tolerance to urban conditions, but it is endangered in its native range in China.
Gansu elm
The Gansu elm is another tree that comes from China. The specimen at The Morton Arboretum came from a seed from the Beijing Botanical Garden in 1976. Hopefully, because of its resistance to Dutch elm disease and ornamental bark, we will see more of these trees in the future.
Quercus macrocarpa (Bur Oak), habit, summer (2007-09-27) by Brown, Deborah J.G.The Morton Arboretum
Bur oak
This tree has a perfectly rounded shape, with branches that swoop all the way to the ground. When you see a bur oak, look for the large, hairy, capped acorns it produces. Bur oaks are fairly tough trees that should be used more often in the large-scale urban environment.
Wild sweet crabapple
In the spring, pink-white flowers clothe these trees, filling the air with their beautiful perfume. Year-round, their low, gnarly form is quite impressive. Native crabapples like these can be found throughout the upper midwest, woodland edges and clearings, and along fencerows.
Japanese zelkova
Examine this magnificent tree’s trunk to see an orange inner-bark below the gray surface. In fall, you can also enjoy a stunning mix of orange and burgundy leaves. When used as a street tree, it will form cathedral-like archways that were once created by American elms.
Katsura
Looking for a true giant? The katsura tree is a medium to large tree that is native to Japan and China. It has thick, flaking bark and beautiful, heart-shaped leaves that turn bright colors in the autumn, making it a popular ornamental tree around the world.
Kentucky coffeetree
Kentucky coffeetree leaves out later in the spring but the form of the gnarly branches are attractive even without leaves. The seeds were once used as a coffee substitute. The Morton Arboretum has a Kentucky coffeetree planted in 1922, the year the Arboretum was founded.
Christine Carrier looking at tree core samples through a microscope at The Morton Arboretum (2014-01-15) by The Morton Arboretum and Michael Hudson, independent contractorThe Morton Arboretum
Our scientists continually hunt for new trees, breed new varieties, and protect rare and endangered species. We hope these few extraordinary examples inspire you to explore more and support the Arboretum's efforts to champion our world's trees.
