Arb Tour
The Oswald Visitor Center is one of the largest public buildings in Minnesota to do what?
A) Use solar panels for all its energy needs B) Display seasonal floral designs C) Harness the power of squirrels to run fans for summer cooling D) Use geothermal technology for heating and cooling
D) By tapping into the natural temperatures just below the Earth's surface, this geothermal heating and cooling source is a free, renewable and low-impact system and a sustainable alternative to burning fossil fuels.
What pesky challenge did we face in the greenhouse this year?
A) a nosey raccoon B) hungry squirrels C) an inquisitive deer D) seed-stashing nuthatches (birds)
B) Hungry squirrels digging up plants. Time for a greenhouse cat?
What does the Arboretum have 12 of?
A) Waterfalls B) Greenhouses C) Miles of trails D) Gardens
C) The Arboretum has 12 miles of walking trails and paths to explore! The experience changes seasonally so check them out!
In what year was the HRC (Horticultural Research Center) established?
A) 1908 B) 1958 C) 1962 D) 1974
A) The HRC was established in 1908, (before the Arboretum was born) making it one of the oldest horticultural research institutions in the upper midwest.
What plant is on the Plant Conservation Program's logo?
A) Small yellow lady's-slipper B) Small white lady's-slipper C) Greater yellow lady's slipper D) Showy lady's-slipper
A) Small yellow lady's slipper [According to Native American folklore, the lady's slipper is associated with a legend about a woman who braved harsh winter conditions to bring medicine back to her village, leaving behind footprints that turned into lady's slipper flowers]
In what year was the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum was established?
A) 1908 B)1956 C)1958 D) 1974
C) The Arboretum was established in 1958, 2 years after the Garden Club of Minneapolis approached the Horticultural Society with the idea for an aboretum in 1956.
What University of Minnesota program is one of the oldest continuous programs in North America, dating back to 1878?
A) Fruit Breeding B) Plant Conservation C) Landscape Plant Research D) Weeding
A) The fruit breeding program has introduced over 100 fruit varieties that thrive in cold northern climates
In 2024, what does 3,100 represent?
A) Number of non-orchid seedlings that were potted. B) Number of Showy Lady's-slipper seedlings that were potted. C) Both non-orchid and orchid seedlings potted by PCP. D) All of the potted plants in the HRC greenhouse.
B) There were 3,100 showy lady's-slipper seedlings that were potted in 2024! And another 2,600 non-orchid seedlings potted!
When bringing a newly prepared seed accession from the top floor seed cleaning station to the basement seed bank freezer, how many steps will you need to go down?
A) 24 steps B) 27 steps C) 29 steps D) 33 steps
D) 33 steps of stair-blasting exercise! It's 17 steps to the second floor, 7 steps to the first floor, and 9 steps to the basement.
The oldest rare book or journal in the Anderson Horticultural Library collection dates back to when?
A) 1800's B) 1700's C) 1600's D) 1500's
D) The library has rare books and journals on horticulture, botany, garden design, botanical art and illustration, trees, birds, flowers, and other natural history subjects from the early 1500s to the present.
The University of MN HRC is known for its apple variety research, and has released 29 apple varieties since its inception. Which of the following is NOT the name of an apple variety introduced by the HRC?
A) Oriole B) Zestar C) Flame D) Gala
D) Although the HRC has developed many notable apple varieties (Honeycrisp!), the Gala apple was not one and was developed in New Zealand.
Excluding orchids, which species of our 2024 seed collections had the highest total seed count altogether?
A. Besseya bulli (Kittentails) B. Oxypolis rigidior (Cowbane) C. Nuttalanthus canadensis (Old-field Toadflax) D. wait, why can't we include orchids?
B) Oxypolis rigidior (Cowbane) is an uncommon wetland species. We collected (and counted!) 18,408 seeds this year, with Besseya bullii (Kittentails) coming in second with 12,823 seeds.
Who was the first Director of the Aboretum?
Dr. Leon Snyder [Previously the head of the Department of Horticultural Science and superintendent of the University Fruit Breeding Farm].
What is the name of the newest apple variety released in 2023?
Kudos on the new Kudos apple!
How many fungal cultures were subcultured (subplated) in 2024? (not counting plates that were subcultured more than once)
A) 370 B) 470 C) 570 D) Enough to fill the cabinet, but there wasn't mush-room!
B) 470 fungal subplates! Whew, that's a lot of fun with the fungi!
How many new volunteers joined the PCP onsite team this year?
4 new volunteers! (Robert Edstrom, Daniela Mejia, Skyla Lewis, Laura Baxley)