University of Iowa

The University of Iowa in Iowa City Iowa has strived to make the entire campus an arboretum, making it an inviting connection to the natural world offering opportunities for teaching, research, public education, and recreation while caring and preserving the trees using best practices. The University received the Tree Campus USA designation in 2009 and every year since.

The campus arboretum consists of over 8,000 trees comprised of 330 species (and counting). There are seven current or former state champion trees residing on campus. Plantings of interest include: A Quercetum with 60+ species of Oaks, two American Conifer Society Reference Gardens, a Literary Grove featuring trees with connections to famous authors at the world famous International Writer’s Workshop, A Gingko collection with over 75 cultivars, and an orchard featuring rare and historic fruit trees.