# North Carolina Arboretum > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/North_Carolina_Arboretum > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/North_Carolina_Arboretum.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Carolina_Arboretum > Source revision: 1355301659 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) The **North Carolina Arboretum** (434 acres (176 ha)) is an [arboretum](/source/Arboretum) and [botanical garden](/source/Botanical_garden) located within the Bent Creek Experimental Forest of the [Pisgah National Forest](/source/Pisgah_National_Forest) at 20 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, southwest of [Asheville, North Carolina](/source/Asheville,_North_Carolina) near the [Blue Ridge Parkway](/source/Blue_Ridge_Parkway).[1] It is open daily except for Christmas Day. There is no admission charge, but some parking fees do apply. Although the idea for the arboretum stretches back to landscape architect [Frederick Law Olmsted](/source/Frederick_Law_Olmsted) in 1898, who wished to create an arboretum at the nearby [Biltmore Estate](/source/Biltmore_Estate), today's arboretum was established by the General Assembly in 1986, as a facility of the [University of North Carolina](/source/University_of_North_Carolina). In 1989 the site was officially designated the North Carolina Arboretum. The arboretum is still under active development. It includes many hiking and bicycling trails, a [bonsai](/source/Bonsai) collection, a holly garden, and a stream garden. Its tree collection includes a fine set of *[Metasequoias](/source/Metasequoia)* planted in 1950, and now said to be the tallest in the south (over 100 feet (30 m) in height). In 2016, a certification from [Bee Campus USA](/source/Bee_Campus_USA) recognized the arboretum's efforts to teach about and support pollinators.[2][3] ## Gardens - Blue Ridge Quilt Garden - [parterre](/source/Parterre) reflecting quilt designs of the [Blue Ridge Mountains](/source/Blue_Ridge_Mountains).[4] - Cliff Dickinson Holly Garden - a variety of American and non-native [hollies](/source/Holly). - French Broad River Watershed Training Center - Educational programs relating to streambanks and waterways, pasture management, [stormwater runoff](/source/Stormwater_runoff), and erosion control. - Heritage Garden - a demonstration garden for plants used in traditional Western [North Carolina](/source/North_Carolina) crafts, including dye-making, basketry, paper-making, and broom-making. - National Native Azalea Repository - a streamside garden representing almost every [azalea](/source/Azalea) species native to the United States, with cultivated varieties and hybrids. This repository is part of the [North American Plant Collections Consortium](/source/North_American_Plant_Collections_Consortium). - Plant Professional Landscape Garden (2 acres) - a study, training, and testing site that contains 250+ ornamental plants from the Certified Plant Professional exam. - Plants of Promise Garden - residential demonstration gardens that include plants being evaluated for the Southern [Appalachian](/source/Appalachia) region. - Stream Garden - a formal setting of trees, shrubs and perennials. - Support Facility Perennial Border - perennial flowers. - Garden Railway ## Bonsai collection The arboretum's [bonsai](/source/Bonsai) collection was established in 1992 with the donation of a large number of plants and containers from Mr. and Mrs. George Staples. Curated by Arthur Joura, the collection includes approximately 100 display specimens, including traditional Asian trees such as Japanese [maple](/source/Maple) and Chinese [elm](/source/Elm); tropical plants such as willow leaf [fig](/source/Ficus); and American species such as [bald cypress](/source/Bald_cypress) and limber [pine](/source/Pine). The collection draws upon traditional roots of bonsai as well as features of a contemporary, Appalachian garden. [5] ## See also - [List of botanical gardens in the United States](/source/List_of_botanical_gardens_in_the_United_States) ## References 1. Shinn, Susan (2015-10-25). ["NC Arboretum showcases trees, plants and landscaping - Salisbury Post"](http://m.salisburypost.com/2015/10/25/nc-arboretum-showcases-trees-plants-and-landscaping/). *Salisbury Post*. Retrieved 2016-10-10.[dead link] 1. Chávez, Karen (June 2, 2016). ["NC Arboretum named nation's 7th 'Bee Campus USA'"](https://www.citizen-times.com/story/sports/outdoors/girls-gone-outdoors/2016/06/01/nc-arboretum-named-nations-7th-bee-campus-usa/85250272/). *Citizen Times*. Retrieved 2016-10-10. 1. ["Pollinators in the Landscape - The North Carolina Arboretum"](https://www.ncarboretum.org/plan-a-visit/garden-exhibits/pollinator/). *The North Carolina Arboretum*. Retrieved 2016-10-10. 1. Harpaz, Beth J. (June 22, 2015). ["Garden at North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville takes inspiration from quilts"](https://vancouversun.com/travel/travel-news/garden+north+carolina+arboretum+asheville+takes+inspiration+from/11121437/story.html). *Vancouver Sun*. The Associated Press. Retrieved 2016-10-10.[dead link] 1. ["Bonsai Exhibition Garden"](https://www.ncarboretum.org/plan-a-visit/garden-exhibits/bonsai-exhibition-garden/). *The North Carolina Arboretum*. Retrieved 2026-03-24. ## External links - [Official website](https://www.ncarboretum.org/) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [North Carolina Arboretum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Carolina_Arboretum) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Carolina_Arboretum?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.