North Hills Arboretum

North Hills, established in 1927, is one of Knoxville's oldest neighborhoods and is the only neighborhood in the city to have a recognized arboretum.   Lining the boulevards and shading North Hills Park, trees are as big a part of the neighborhood as the many historic homes of North Hills.  The neighborhood, boulevards, and park exhibit a great diversity of trees, with over 40 labeled species of trees and more than 400 individual trees in the arboretum.  The Flowering Dogwoods (Cornus florida), a primary symbol of Knoxville and focus of a spring city-wide festival, lead the count with over 200 individuals.  Other common trees species include oak, hickory, maple, redbud, elm, crape myrtle, and magnolia, and the arboretum also contains many labeled shrub species. The North Hills Garden Club and the city urban forestry program continue to add to the total number and diversity of trees.  Also located in North Hills is a tree sanctuary recognized by the state with a collection of all the native magnolias.

The arboretum is open to the public and is located on city property.  Visitors can easily walk the arboretum and observe the quiet and inviting location of an older established community while learning about the various species of trees and shrubs.