Great and Ancient Trees

Annual Lisina & Frank W. Hoch Lecture

Great and Ancient Trees of the North Temperate World

Sponsored by Bartlett Tree Experts

Paul Meyer, Executive Director of the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania, will discuss northern temperate tree species that achieve great size and live for many centuries, focusing on trees that he has become acquainted with during his travels in North America and Europe, and his numerous collecting trips to natural habitats in Asia. The talk, illustrated with artful photos of outstanding specimens both in the wild and in cultivation, will cover the natural history, garden adaptability, and economic uses of these great and ancient trees. Outstanding trees at the Morris Arboretum will also be highlighted.

Paul Meyer is The F. Otto Haas Executive Director of the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania.  He has played a major role in the Arboretum’s restoration of its historic gardens, architecture, and vistas with notable plant collections.  He has taught Urban Horticulture in the University of Pennsylvania’s Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning Department and is a frequent contributor to horticultural publications. Meyer is a leader in the field of plant exploration and evaluation. He has completed twelve expeditions to countries including China, Korea, Taiwan, Armenia and the Republic of Georgia, where he has collected plants from various sources to introduce greater genetic diversity. He has received recognition for his leadership and accomplishments at both the Morris Arboretum and in the public garden community.  Recent awards include the Wyck-Strickland Award in 2010, the Award of Merit from the American Public Gardens Association in 2013, the Liberty Hyde Bailey Award from the American Horticultural Society in 2014 and the Montgomery County 2016 Planning Advocate Award. Meyer is a co-author of Philadelphia Trees: A Field Guide to the City and the Surrounding Delaware Valley (Spring 2017).