At the Morris Arboretum & Gardens in northwestern Philadelphia, tucked behind the only remaining free-standing Victorian fernery in North America, plant propagator Kyra Matin is hard at work in a cramped greenhouse and plant nursery. The greenhouse cat, Buzzy, hunts mice and chipmunks in between naps on the windowsill next to Matin’s workstation.
Investing in Nature
As climate change threatens regional tree species, the Morris Arboretum & Gardens is expanding its plant propagation and research facilities
Published: February 18, 2025
Expanding for the Future
Recently, the Morris announced a transformative expansion of their plant science lab and nursery to the Bloomfield Farm side of the grounds. This new two-acre site will put plant propagation adjacent to plant researchers, fostering an organic cross-pollination of ideas and potential discoveries. A generous $500,000 gift from Ed Kane and Marty Wallace, along with an anonymous $75,000 gift, has allowed the project to enter the feasibility study stage. However, the Morris is seeking additional philanthropic support to reach the $2.1 million goal and complete the plant propagation expansion and enhancement project.
A rendering of the planned nursery expansion at the Morris Arboretum & Gardens, designed to enhance plant propagation, research, and sustainability efforts.
“You can’t have a world-class restaurant without a world-class kitchen,” says Bill Cullina, the F. Otto Haas Executive Director at the Morris. “Similarly, a cutting-edge nursery is essential so that future generations of our plants and trees are cultivated, studied, and cared for.”
Plans for the expansion include new office and work space, more room for growing and studying plants and trees, and additional greenhouses. Cullina and his team are designing the new facility to maximize efficiency and sustainability while increasing plant and tree production.
The Role of Research in a Changing Climate
These expansion efforts are a part of a 20-year plan at the Morris to deepen its impact on plant science research. The improvements also position Penn as a leader in interdisciplinary excellence and in addressing pressing environmental challenges, like climate change.
“I worry about what trees we’ll have left in another 50 years,” says Cullina. “Forests are in trouble, but we have a way to help.”
Research is already underway to identify regionally native trees with more climate adaptability. “We’re thinking about the future of the tree canopy in our region,” says Cullina. “There’s a real need for climate-adapted species that can handle heat, drought, and insects. They are our future street and park trees.”
Cullina and his team are engaging world-renowned Penn faculty, including Doris Wagner, DiMaura Professor of Biology, who leads the School of Arts & Sciences’ Plant Adaptability and Resilience Center, or Plant ARC. “Plants sustain all life on Earth and are crucial for ecosystems and climate regulation,” said Wagner at the Plant ARC launch event. “By safeguarding essential species interactions, understanding how climate change affects plant physiology and development, and developing climate-resistant crops, we can devise scalable, research-driven solutions that boost food security and ecosystem resilience—from urban farms in Philadelphia to global agricultural systems.”
There has already been success, and with more space and an improved infrastructure, the Morris team is eager for what lies ahead. “In our tree propagation program, we’re excited about the Southern Live Oak and the Mexican Cloud Forest Maple, which is similar to the sugar maple but better suited for this region’s changing climate,” says Matin. She has grown a handful of Mexican Cloud Forest Maple from seed, and they now stand two feet tall. “In the new nursery, we’ll be able to grow a hundred trees, make observations, and propagate the best specimens.”
Supporting the Future of Plant Science
Through this expansion—along with the construction of the new plant science lab—Cullina’s vision of establishing the Morris as a research campus at the Bloomfield Farm side is taking root. “When Lydia Morris bequeathed this property to Penn, she envisioned it being a botanic lab. We owe it to Penn to build up the research impact here while also honoring the original intent of Morris’ gift.”
For more information or to support the plant propagation expansion project, contact Mira Zergani, Director of Development, by email or at (215) 247-5777.
