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.

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.

Acer griseum (Franch.) Pax (paper-barked maple), bark, John Hagstrom, 2005-2012, From the collection of: The Morton Arboretum
,
Acer griseum (Paper-barked Maple), habit, fall, Deborah J. G. Brown, 2016, From the collection of: The Morton Arboretum
,
Paper-barked maple (Acer griseum), The Morton Arboretum, 2014-10-01, From the collection of: The Morton Arboretum
Show lessRead more

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.

Ginkgo biloba (Ginkgo), leaf, mature, Deborah J. G. Brown, 2017, From the collection of: The Morton Arboretum
,
Ginkgo biloba Linn., Ernest Henry Wilson, 1908, From the collection of: The Morton Arboretum
Show lessRead more

Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) (2011-09-22) by Ed Hedborn, The Morton ArboretumThe Morton Arboretum

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.

Ulmus glaucescens var. lasiocarpa (Gansu Elm), habit, spring, Edward A. Hedborn, Jr, 2012, From the collection of: The Morton Arboretum
,
Gansu elm (Ulmus glaucescens var. lasiocarpa), Ed Hedborn, The Morton Arboretum, 2012-05-17, From the collection of: The Morton Arboretum
,
Gansu elm (Ulmus glaucescens var. lasiocarpa), Ed Hedborn, The Morton Arboretum, 2012-05-17, From the collection of: The Morton Arboretum
Show lessRead more

Gansu Elm at 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.

Bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa), acorn, Ed Hedborn, The Morton Arboretum, 2009-08-30, From the collection of: The Morton Arboretum
,
Bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa), habit, J. Nachel, The Morton Arboretum, 2000/2010, From the collection of: The Morton Arboretum
,
Bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa), The Morton Arboretum, 2008-10-05, From the collection of: The Morton Arboretum
Show lessRead more

Quercus macrocarpa (Bur Oak), habit, summer (2007-09-27) by Brown, Deborah J.G.The Morton Arboretum

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.

Malus coronaria (L.) Mill. (wild sweet crabapple), growth habit, tree form, John Hagstrom, 2005-2012, From the collection of: The Morton Arboretum
,
Wild sweet crabapple (Malus coronaria), Ed Hedborn, The Morton Arboretum, 2010-04-27, From the collection of: The Morton Arboretum
Show lessRead more

Malus coronaria (L.) Mill. (wild sweet crabapple), growth habit, tree form (2005/2012) by John HagstromThe Morton Arboretum

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.

Japanese zelkova (Zelkova serrata), Ed Hedborn, The Morton Arboretum, 2008-10-31, From the collection of: The Morton Arboretum
,
Japanese zelkova (Zelkova serrata), The Morton Arboretum, Collected by Gerld B. Straley, 1968-09-27, From the collection of: The Morton Arboretum
Show lessRead more

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.

Cercidiphyllum japonicum Sieb. & Zucc. (katsura tree), tree form, John Hagstrom, 2005-2012, From the collection of: The Morton Arboretum
,
Katsura (Cercidiphyllum japonicum), Deb Brown, The Morton Arboretum, 2014-10-08, From the collection of: The Morton Arboretum
,
Katsura tree (Cercidiphyllum japonicum), The Morton Arboretum, 1920-04-23, From the collection of: The Morton Arboretum
Show lessRead more

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.

Kentucky coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus), Habit in Fall, Ed Hedborn, The Morton Arboretum, 2012-10-08, From the collection of: The Morton Arboretum
,
Kentucky coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus), Ed Hedborn, The Morton Arboretum, 2007-07-01, From the collection of: The Morton Arboretum
Show lessRead more

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.

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
Explore more
Related theme
Natural History
The beautiful, the dangerous, the endangered. Up close.
View theme
Google apps