Press Release

Philadelphia, PA—Construction for the new Morris Arboretum & Gardens Plant Science Lab is underway, following a groundbreaking ceremony October 1, 2024, at the arboretum in Chestnut Hill. The lab will significantly expand the Morris’s research capabilities in using DNA science to save native plants and trees that are being affected by harsher climate conditions.

“Scientific research in botany and horticulture has been one of the pillars of the Morris Arboretum & Garden’s mission since its founding in 1932,” said William Cullina, the F. Otto Haas executive director. “This research is more important than ever. A changing climate, resulting in shifting temperate zones, and other anthropogenic impacts have put immense stress on the life-sustaining plants that surround us.”

As a leading public garden and research institution, the Morris is building new lab facilities to accommodate current and additional research staff who are working to understand the genetics of rare as well as abundant species. The new facility will provide a wet lab space and equipment that researchers will use to complete plant molecular biology and anatomy studies.

“The Morris amplifies Penn’s fundamental mission of research,” said Michael Scales, vice president of the Division of Business Services University of Pennsylvania. “Good research needs good resources. The Plant Science Lab will no doubt be a vital resource to scientists grappling with some of the most crucial issues of our time, not least of which are the existential implications of sustaining life in this age of rapid climate change.”

The new lab is an important part of the Morris’s 20-year comprehensive site plan that includes providing a more accessible, welcoming, and enriching guest experience. Construction of the lab is expected to be completed in early 2025.