The State Arboretum of Virginia (also known as the Orland E. White Arboretum) occupies the central 172 acres of Blandy Experimental Farm. Started in the 1930s, it now contains over 5000 woody trees and shrubs from around the world. It is a reference garden for the Southeast Region of the American Conifer Society and includes the American Boxwood Society’s Memorial Garden.


Notable Collections
    Total Species
  • Pine: 28
  • Oak: 32
  • Viburnum: 28
  • Dogwood: 23
  • Maple: 23
  • Fir: 16

  • Boxwood: 162 kinds
  • A 300-tree ginkgo grove
  • A 36-tree Cedar of Lebanon allee

Search Our Database to find your favorites.
Create your own map to plants in the arboretum.

Image of the Native Plant Trail
Visit the Native Plant
Trail
Image of the Herb Garden
Visit the Herbaceous Gardens
visitor map
Visitor map to The Arboretum

News From The Arboretum

Dial-A-Tree interpretation will start at Garden Fair (May 12th) with 9 trees having 1-minute voice recordings describing the cultural and ecological importance of the tree species. During early April we solicited auditions from people interested in being the voice of our trees, and 100 people sent in auditions. We chose 5 and recorded them reading the text for the trees. Starting at Garden Fair, these trees will have signs with their phone numbers (QR codes for smart phones) so that visitors can take advantage of a new medium to learn about our trees.

Black locust explodes into bloom

Wild bleeding hearts, Dicentra eximia

Carolina silverbell, Halesia carolina

Pawpaw, Asimina triloba

Eastern red columbine, Aquilegia canadensis

Trifoliate orange, Poncirus trifoliata

photo of conifer trail trunks