Scott Arboretum & Gardens

Scott Arboretum & Gardens "garden of ideas" to sustain the body, enchant the eye, & soothe the spirit

September at the Arboretum feels like a slow exhale between seasons. Mornings carry a hint of crispness, the light shine...
09/03/2026

September at the Arboretum feels like a slow exhale between seasons. Mornings carry a hint of crispness, the light shines softer, and the garden begins its subtle shift from green to gold.

It’s a good month to slow down and enjoy the change of seasons. Swipe through for a glimpse of what September has in store ➡️

Full details are on our calendar, scottarboretum.org/calendar. Most events are free and open to the public. 🌸

September has arrived, and while gardeners are swapping out summer containers and tucking beds in for fall, Colchicum au...
09/01/2026

September has arrived, and while gardeners are swapping out summer containers and tucking beds in for fall, Colchicum autumnale has other plans.

Colchicum autumnale will soon be sending up its leafless, goblet-shaped flowers across campus, a welcome burst of lilac-pink color. Commonly called autumn crocus, it is not a true crocus at all. It belongs to the family Colchicaceae rather than the iris family, and its flowers carry six stamens compared to a true crocus’s three.

Its growth cycle runs in reverse of what visitors might expect. Broad, strap-like leaves emerge each spring and die back by early summer, leaving the corm dormant underground until autumn, when the bare flower stems appear on their own.

Every part of the plant is toxic, a trait that keeps deer and squirrels from bothering it and makes it a reliable, low-maintenance performer in the fall landscape.

Keep an eye out over the coming weeks as these flowers begin to open. The garden is open dawn to dusk, 365 days a year. 🌸

08/31/2026

Planning a visit? The Scott Arboretum’s Explorer Map is a free interactive tool that lets you search our entire collection by scientific or common name and pinpoint exactly where each plant is growing on campus. Whether you are chasing a specific bloom or just want to wander with a plan, it is the easiest way to scout the grounds before you arrive, or to look something up while you are here.

Try it yourself: arboretumexplorer.scottarboretum.org.

Open dawn to dusk, 365 days a year.

What if it all works out?
08/29/2026

What if it all works out?

08/26/2026

Slow down and breathe deep in the Crum Woods. Join Campus Engagement Manager Sue MacQueen on September 18 from 10:00 to 12:00 pm for a guided shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) walk, a gentle Japanese practice built around noticing the forest through all five senses.

This adults-only outing keeps an easy pace, and takes you 1.5 miles into the woods along uneven trails, with plenty of moments to settle onto the forest floor and just be still. A members-only treat, so bring your curiosity and register at HTTPS://tinyurl.com/2TUKBX4C 🌿

Rhus spp., commonly known as sumac, is an underutilized native worth a closer look, and you can find it growing across t...
08/25/2026

Rhus spp., commonly known as sumac, is an underutilized native worth a closer look, and you can find it growing across the Arboretum’s collection this season.

Four species are native to the United States, each with its own habit. Fragrant sumac (Rhus aromatica) stays low and shrubby at around six feet, with leaves that release a pleasant scent when crushed. Smooth sumac (Rhus glabra) grows into a large shrub or small tree up to fifteen feet and was historically used to produce black dye. Staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina), the largest of the group, can reach thirty feet and is easily identified by the velvety hairs coating its new stem growth. Winged sumac (Rhus copallinum) rounds out the group as a sun loving large shrub to small tree, also reaching about fifteen feet. All four are drought tolerant.

We recently harvested this year’s sumac fruits to brew a tart, citrusy tea, one of the plant’s many underappreciated uses.

But the real show is still ahead. Come fall, sumac puts on some of the most spectacular color of any native plant. Mark your calendar and come back to see it for yourself. The garden is open dawn to dusk, 365 days a year.

Three Garden Treats 1. & 2. Euphorbia corollata — flowering spurgeEuphorbia corollata is one of the perennials that are ...
08/24/2026

Three Garden Treats

1. & 2. Euphorbia corollata — flowering spurge
Euphorbia corollata is one of the perennials that are currently blooming in the Rose Garden. When I first saw this plant in the Rose Garden I thought it was Gypsophila paniculata, also known as baby’s breath. However, since baby’s breath is an invasive plant in the United States, flowering spurge is a common native alternative. Blooming from June through August, this plant loves full sun and attracts many pollinators. Flowering spurge can also tolerate many soil types, making it adaptable to different environments. Next time you pass through the Dean Bond Rose Garden, appreciate the beauty of the perennials interplanted amongst the roses.

3. & 4. Physostegia virginiana ‘Vivid’ — obedient plant
Located in the Cut-Flower Display Garden is a striking plant named obedient plant, featuring beautiful pink blooms. When you first think of an obedient plant, you may think of one that doesn’t spread too much. However, that is not the case for Physostegia virginiana ‘Vivid’ since it spreads in clumps and by rhizomes. In actuality, the common name comes from the flowers’ ability to stay in place after gently pushing them to the side. Instead of springing back like most plants, they return back to normal over the course of a few hours. Pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds love visiting Physostegia virginiana ‘Vivid’, so keep an eye out for these vibrant visitors.

5. & 6. Helianthus × multiflorus ‘Sunshine Daydream’ — double perennial sunflower
While this plant may appear as a dahlia, it is actually Helianthus × multiflorus ‘Sunshine Daydream’ — a type of sunflower. It originated as a genetic mutation from Helianthus ‘Capenoch Star’ and was discovered by Tim McGinty in 2006 at North Creek Nurseries. What makes this particular perennial sunflower stand out from the others is its longer flowering season from summer into fall. Not to mention, it forms in clumps and is drought tolerant. At your next visit to Scott Arboretum, make sure to check out this gorgeous sunflower in the Upper Biostream.

Text and image credit: N. Ipock

As southeastern Pennsylvania summers grow hotter and drier, how we water, mulch, and select plants matters more than eve...
08/20/2026

As southeastern Pennsylvania summers grow hotter and drier, how we water, mulch, and select plants matters more than ever.

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