Arboretum of the University of Central Florida

The Arboretum of the University of Central Florida is located on the main campus of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida, United States. Covering 80 acres , it contains more than 600 species of plants, including more than 100 bromeliads, in cultivated gardens.

Established by President Trevor Colbourn in 1983, The Arboretum began with approximately 12 acres of a disturbed pond pine community on the east side of the developed part of campus, east of the present biology building. In 1988, at President Altman’s direction, the University expanded the Arboretum to include a 5-acre Cypress dome, an oak hammock of about 3 acres , and about 15 acres of sand pine and Florida scrub, connected to the original Arboretum by Sabal palmetto community and increasingly rare Florida longleaf pine flatwoods. During this time the director of the Arboretum was Dr. Henry O. Whittier. He would remain director of the Arboretum until his retirement in 2003, when Dr. Whittier was replaced as director by Dr. Martin Quigley, who served as director until 2009. In 2009, the Arboretum established a 0.15-ha organic community garden. In 2010, Dr. Patrick Bohlen was hired as the Director of Landscape and Natural Resources and Arboretum.

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