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The Morton Arboretum @mortonarboretum.bsky.social · 23h

Asters, goldenrods, and white snakeroot are blooming in the woodlands, while golden grasses set seed in the prairies. Acorns and walnuts are dropping, keeping squirrels, chipmunks, and blue jays busy stocking up for winter. 🐿️ Fall color is on its way! 🍁 🔗 Fall Color Report: arb.eco/3W3TJZH

Lush garden scene at The Morton Arboretum with vibrant orange and green pumpkins displayed on hay, surrounded by greenery and a metal trellis structure under a clear blue sky.

Three people walking on a dirt path through a scenic field of yellow flowers, surrounded by lush green trees and a clear blue sky.

A squirrel with a bushy tail is sitting on grass, holding food in its paws. The background is a grassy area with a mix of sunlit and shadowed patches.

A close-up of a tree branch with green leaves, one of which is turning red, set against a softly blurred background of other branches and leaves.

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The Morton Arboretum @mortonarboretum.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

It’s officially fall, and we’re here to answer your burning questions about peak fall color! 🍁 🔗 Learn more about the unpredictability of fall color: arb.eco/4xzPmTj.

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The Morton Arboretum @mortonarboretum.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

We all need a little self-care—even Great Blue Herons! 🧖‍♀️🪶

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The Morton Arboretum @mortonarboretum.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Just a few of our favorite wildlife shots from this month. 🐿️ 🪶 🦋

A chipmunk is clinging to the side of a tree in a forest. The background is blurred, showing greens and browns, indicating foliage and trees.

A heron stands gracefully on a thin branch, surrounded by lush greenery and a calm body of water.

A small, white butterfly rests on a green leaf, with large white hydrangea flowers in the background.

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The Morton Arboretum @mortonarboretum.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Don’t fly past this video! Let’s learn about one of nature’s greatest athletes. 🏅🪻

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The Morton Arboretum @mortonarboretum.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

🧬 Science rules! 🔬 Join our Community Science in Your Backyard course to explore opportunities in your area to turn your curiosity about nature into meaningful observations. 🔎 🌎 📆 Saturday, Aug. 29 ⏰ 10 a.m. to noon All experience levels are welcome! 🔗 Register here: arb.eco/3SYHrRh.

A person in a blue shirt and a hat leans against a tree while holding a notebook. They appear to be looking upwards thoughtfully. The background features lush, green foliage.

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The Morton Arboretum @mortonarboretum.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Buckle up your waders! The Morton Arboretum is diving into Meadow Lake for its second year of @denverbotanic.bsky.social Waterlily Weigh-Off! 🪷 Unfortunately, out of the 475 species mentioned, only one can vote. 🙃 Lift us up by giving us your vote! 💚 #WaterlilyWeighOff26

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The Morton Arboretum @mortonarboretum.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Another photo dump from our Horticulturists and Arborists! 🤳🪻 Drop some nature-themed emojis in the comments if you are enjoying these photo dumps. 🌸 🐦 🦋

A cluster of light purple wisteria flowers hangs from a vine, surrounded by lush green leaves.

A bird is perched on a sign that reads "Oaks," with a grassy field and trees in the background.

A large, weathered tree stump in a forest, surrounded by green grass and small purple flowers. Sunlight filters through the tall trees in the background.

A cluster of blooming purple irises with fringed petals and raindrops, surrounded by lush green leaves in a garden setting.

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The Morton Arboretum @mortonarboretum.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

Blooming now! 🌿 Bottlebrush buckeye (Aesculus parviflora) is putting on a spectacular summer show! 🦋 The blooms attract pollinators, while the nuts provide food for wildlife in fall. Its lush green leaves also turn a beautiful buttery yellow later in the fall. Learn more: arb.eco/4ftXAqj.

A lush cluster of flowering plants with tall, white blooms stands in front of a stone building. Large green leaves are visible beneath the flowers. Trees with green foliage are in the background under a clear blue sky.

A close-up of a white flowering plant. The flower has numerous long, thin white stamens tipped with orange. Green leaves are in the background.

A lush garden scene featuring a large bottlebrush buckeye shrub with numerous white flower spikes, surrounded by dense greenery and tall trees in the background. Sunlight filters through the leaves.

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The Morton Arboretum @mortonarboretum.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Let's help 10 million fireflies light up the world! ✨

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The Morton Arboretum @mortonarboretum.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

Extreme heat is hard on people—and plants, too. 🥵 🪴 💧 First and foremost, be careful – only tend to your gardens if it is safe for you to do so. Try to stay out of the sun! Read the Arboretum's blog for more on how to help plants during the extreme heat: arb.eco/4eE49q5.

A person is watering plants in a garden using a yellow watering can.

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The Morton Arboretum @mortonarboretum.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

🐝 "Every flower you plant in your garden helps some pollinator," said Plant Knowledge Specialist Sharon Yiesla. "Plant lots of different kinds of flowers and help a lot of different pollinators." 🌳 Learn more about trees and plants that attract pollinators using this list: arb.eco/43qv3uR.

A bee is perched on a cluster of vibrant orange flowers.

A bee is perched on delicate white blossoms against a blurred green background.

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The Morton Arboretum @mortonarboretum.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

Rainy day views at the Arboretum. 🌧️

Dense trees silhouetted against a foggy backdrop, creating a mysterious and moody atmosphere.

A serene river flows through lush green vegetation under an overcast sky, with dense trees lining the water's edge and a small wooden bridge visible on the right side.

Close-up of evergreen branches with water droplets hanging from the tips after rain, set against a blurred background.

A serene forest scene with a winding wet road reflecting the lush, green canopy of tall trees.

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The Morton Arboretum @mortonarboretum.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

For real though, pollinators are S-tier. 🐝 🪻 Learn what to plant in your yard to attract pollinators: arb.eco/43qv3uR.

Millennial Social Team
Happy #WorldBeeDay! Today, we celebrate these busy, buzzing bugs who are crucial to our green spaces. Bees are pollinators! Pollinators help plants to reproduce by transferring pollen from one plant to another. This bumblebee is pollinating a crabapple tree, which can be found in our Crabapple Collection closest to parking lot P-5.
Gen Z Social Team
ok period. bestie girl ate fr. literally mother.

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The Morton Arboretum @mortonarboretum.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

On #EndangeredSpeciesDay, we’re celebrating global conservation partnerships protecting threatened trees like Guaiacum unijugum in Mexico. 🌳 Collaborative efforts helped grow the documented population from 29 to 53 known trees, with nearly 500 seedlings propagated to support recovery.

Close-up of a plant with small, vibrant green leaves and a few bright red and yellow seed pods. The background is blurred, highlighting the details of the foliage and pods.

A person in a green shirt holds a small seedling with a soil plug over a tray of black planting pots.

A thick green tree with small leaves and clusters of bright orange seed pods is under a clear blue sky.

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The Morton Arboretum @mortonarboretum.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

A landmark study following 15+ years of collaboration by researchers at the Arboretum, @duke-university.bsky.social, @harvard.edu, and partners in Mexico published this week on @pnas.org. It reveals what made the mountains of Mexico and Central America a hotspot for oak biodiversity: arb.eco/4tVWclh

A tree with a broad canopy of green leaves stretches out over a rocky slope under a clear blue sky. In the background, there are rolling hills covered with dense vegetation.

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The Morton Arboretum @mortonarboretum.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

Happy Earth Day from The Morton Arboretum! 🌎 🌳

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The Morton Arboretum @mortonarboretum.bsky.social · 29/03/2026

The Arboretum has witnessed the positive outcomes of dedicated collaboration with local partners on active conservation projects around the world, including in Mexico to protect the endangered arroyo oak, pictured. Effective conservation requires global cooperation. (1/2)

A group of people is gathered in a shaded greenhouse, surrounded by many small potted plants, with greenery in the background. They are smiling at the camera.

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The Morton Arboretum @mortonarboretum.bsky.social · 21/03/2026

As green tips sprout their way to the surface, winter weather can still return. 🌱❄️ 🌷 Here are some tips to protect your plants through the ups and downs of spring weather: arb.eco/4rNB2E7. #SpringBlooms #Spring #Plants #PlantHealth #MortonArboretum

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The Morton Arboretum @mortonarboretum.bsky.social · 04/03/2026

Ever wondered why some trees keep their leaves in the winter? Let’s hear from Research Assistant, Brendon Reidy. 🍂 🔗 Learn more: arb.eco/4rdp9qK. #Leaf #Leaves #Marcescence #MortonArboretum #TreeScience

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The Morton Arboretum @mortonarboretum.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

Celebrating #WorldWildlifeDay with some beautiful wildlife at the Arboretum! 🐦 🦌 🐿️ #Wildlife #Animals #MortonArboretum #Nature

A cardinal perches on a tree branch with brown, leafless twigs against a clear blue sky.

A deer stands on a grassy area in a forest, surrounded by tall trees. The background shows foliage with warm colors. The deer is looking towards the camera, with the early evening light creating a soft ambiance.

A squirrel with a bushy tail perched on a tree branch, illuminated by sunlight in a natural outdoor setting.

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The Morton Arboretum @mortonarboretum.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

Calling all bird watchers! 🐦 Join the Great Backyard Bird Count Feb 13–16. Spend 15+ minutes watching birds, count what you see, and submit to eBird or Merlin to help scientists protect birds worldwide. 🐦🌎 Learn more: www.birdcount.org.

A robin with a reddish-orange breast perches on a branch in a tree with numerous small twigs. It holds a small leaf in its beak, and the background is filled with thin, bare branches.

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The Morton Arboretum @mortonarboretum.bsky.social · 11/02/2026

Let’s go, girls! 🙂‍↕️ Today is #InternationalWomenAndGirlsInScienceDay, and we are celebrating by hearing from just a few of the amazing women scientists at The Morton Arboretum! 👩‍🔬 Drop a 🔬 in the comments to celebrate women in science—or tag a woman or girl who’s interested in tree science. 💚

“What I’ve enjoyed most so far about my work at the Arboretum is connecting research and fieldwork with real-world impact, and being part of such a supportive and passionate community in tree science.”

Razieh Yazdani, PhD | Research Scientist, Plant Pathology

“The best part of my job is collaborating with global partners who recognize the Arboretum's scientific leadership and dedication to tree conservation. From urban forestry in China to conserving threatened trees in Southeast Asia, I love using science as a universal language to protect the world’s most vulnerable natural treasures.”

Chai-Shian Kua, PhD | Senior Officer, Center for Species Survival: Trees
Global Tree Conservation Specialist

“I have the honor of studying the genetics and natural history of burr oaks in collaboration with global researchers to gain a fuller understanding of the trees and the ecosystems they support. Sometimes, we inadvertently find something not previously documented in science!”

Rebekah Mohn, PhD | Postdoctoral Researcher, Oak Population Genomics

I love working with herbarium specimens, researching and learning more about species, and teaching people about the herbarium.”

Lindsey Worcester, MS | Herbarium Coordinator

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The Morton Arboretum @mortonarboretum.bsky.social · 28/01/2026

Bark is beautiful. 🌳 Come see for yourself! Each species has a characteristic color and texture to its bark. 🌈 Bark isn’t just for looks—it’s a tree’s armor! 💪 🔗 Learn more and discover some distinctive bark textures across the Arboretum: arb.eco/3LIvzPX.

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The Morton Arboretum @mortonarboretum.bsky.social · 22/01/2026

With cold temps ahead, you may hear about “exploding trees” — but it’s not that explosive. 🌳❄️ Sudden cold rarely causes this. What’s more common is frost cracking, when bark warms in the sun, then cools and shrinks faster than the inner wood, creating a vertical crack. Learn more: bit.ly/4a9Lb8k.

A serene winter landscape in a forest with tall trees and a ground lightly covered in snow.

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Reposted by The Morton Arboretum

Andrew Hipp @andrewlhipp.bsky.social · 15/01/2026

Snowy songbird trail, @mortonarboretum.bsky.social this morning.

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The Morton Arboretum @mortonarboretum.bsky.social · 15/01/2026

Undergrads: strengthen your research skills with a summer at the Arboretum! Gain the guidance of staff scientists through the National Science Foundation’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates program at The Morton Arboretum. Apps due Jan. 31! bit.ly/49t9pZD #SummerInternship #TreeScience #STEM

A person examining plant specimens laid out on a newspaper-covered table in a laboratory setting.

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The Morton Arboretum @mortonarboretum.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

The Arboretum is pleased to have been mentioned among @wttw.bsky.social’s most-read nature stories in 2025, for an important article on stopping the spread of invasive buckthorn in Chicago-region forests. ICYMI, read more here: bit.ly/4q8xWKE

A person wearing a hat carries branches amidst lush greenery in a wooded area.

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