CHASKA, Minn. — The Arboretum Herbarium contains 5,000 dried, pressed and catalogued species of plants, dating back to the 1950s — with a few hundred more on the backlog.
Some of those samples introduced by Dr. Leon Snyder, the Arboretum’s first director.
These include plant samples from Arboretum gardens, but also samples from natural Arb areas and even off-site areas. They give visitors an idea of what's at the Arboretum and goes hand in hand with the Arb's plant records systems.
The herbarium's preservation pressing process includes using a field press with straps to flatten the specimen with cardboard and newspaper. The specimens are then dried at about 100 degrees Fahrenheit before they are then frozen to kill any remaining pests. Acid-free glue and paper are then used for mounting, along with special gummed tape for added security.
Herbarium labels can include things like name/plant family; an herbarium reference number; an accession number; GPS coordinates; photos, if available/possible, to show true colors; name of the collector or person who took the sample; name of the determiner who identified the plant; and date of collection.
Major parts of the herbarium include the two accredited collections at the Arboretum; the Pine Collection (more than 700 specimens); the Grass Collection (more than 175 specimens); Peony Collection (more than 200 specimens); Lilac Collection (more than 200 specimens); Bennett-Johnson Prairie (more than 100 specimens); Bog Walk (more than 110 specimens); and the Oak and Nut Collection (more than 200 specimens, including stages of fruit and flower).
The team at the Arboretum is currently working toward digitizing the herbarium's records so they can be used worldwide for research.
The herbarium is open for tours by appointment only.
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