The UT Arboretum Society will host a special presentation on Zoom, Thursday, September 25, 7 p.m.  Peter Del Tredici, botanist, former senior research scientist, and former Director of Living Collections at Harvard University’s Arnold Arboretum, will trace his original research on hemlock trees over the past 40 years. He will cover everything from the history of Sargent’s weeping hemlock to the spread of the hemlock woolly adelgid and include the discovery of a new hemlock species in Korea.

During his 35 years at the Arnold Arboretum, he served as the assistant plant propagator, curator of the Larz Anderson Bonsai Collection, editor of Arnoldia, director of Living Collections, and senior research scientist. Del Tredici was also an associate professor in practice in the Landscape Architecture Department at the Harvard Graduate School of Design from 1992 to 2016, where he taught a range of courses from plant identification to soils to urban ecology and climate change. Since 2004, his work has focused on urban ecology and climate change. From 2016 through 2019, he taught in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning (DUSP) at MIT. In 2013, Peter was awarded the prestigious Veitch Gold Medal by The Royal Horticultural Society (England) “in recognition of services given in the advancement of the science and practice of horticulture.”

Valentine’s Weeping Hemlock at the University of Tennessee Arboretum, Oak Ridge, TN (photo by M.Campanis)

The UT Arboretum is home to its own special weeping hemlock specimen, Valentine’s Weeping Hemlock, which is over 80 years old. Join us as we explore this important plant family – the genus Tsuga.

The class is free, but you must register to receive the Zoom link and recording. Register at www.utarboretumsociety.org under Programs. Closed captions are available. Please contact Michelle at mcampani@utk.edu for any questions or registration issues.

The Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2024. It is one of the ten University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture AgResearch and Education Centers located throughout Tennessee. The Institute of Agriculture also provides instruction, research, and public service through the UT Herbert College of Agriculture, the UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch and UT Extension offices, with locations in every county in the state.

Melanie Staten is a public relations consultant with her husband, Vince.

To learn more about the Arboretum Society, go to website here.