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  • Plan Your Visit
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  • Discover
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News & Blog

Kurchi and Daniel Wedding

December 23, 2022

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2026 Alfresco Gala raises $500,000

Houston Arboretum’s 2026 Alfresco Gala, honoring Main Street Capital, raised $500,000 to fund conservation and education programs.

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Arboretum receives $50,000 grant from The John M. O’Quinn Foundation for free parking

The first Sunday of free parking is April 12, in honor of Earth Month. After that, free parking will be available on the second Sunday of every month through March 14, 2027.

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Houston Arboretum & Nature Center awarded Level 1 Accreditation by ArbNet Accreditation Program

The Houston Arboretum has been awarded a Level 1 Accreditation by The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and The Morton Arboretum.

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Richard King Mellon Foundation Awards $90,000 Grant for Fall 2025 Conservation Project

The grant will fund the removal of invasive plant species and support hiring Student Conservation Association program participants, who will help restore the Arboretum’s woodland habitats.

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Reflecting on 20 Years at the Arboretum

20 years ago, I stepped into my role at the Arboretum with a deep love for nature and a desire to help more people experience its beauty.

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Houston Monarch Story arrives at the Arboretum

Houston Arboretum & Nature Center is excited to announce the opening of the Houston Monarch Story, an interactive art installation celebrating Monarch butterflies and their vital habitat.

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A Beginner’s Guide to Composting

If you’d like to do your part for the planet and begin composting, here are some simple steps to get you started. 

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Board Spotlight: Dr. Cullen Geiselman Muse

As her Board service draws to a close, it is with deep gratitude that we acknowledge the unparalleled leadership of Dr. Cullen Geiselman Muse.

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Inside a Prescribed Fire

Prescribed fire is vital for ecosystem health and community safety. Find out what is it like to be on the ground for one.

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The Great Owl Rescue

On a cool February morning, a visitor spotted three white puffballs. They were Great Horned Owl chicks, and they were in trouble!

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Experiencing Fall Migration

Happy Fall Migration! It may have just started to feel like autumn, but for birds, the subtle change in daylight hours at the end of August was enough to trigger their urge to travel.

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The Dog Days of Summer

We’re entering the Dog Days of Summer in a much more literal way this year – with multiple coyote and fox sightings!

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#HoustonArboretum

The Arboretum may seem large at 155 acres, but it The Arboretum may seem large at 155 acres, but it is just big enough to support ONE pair of Pileated Woodpeckers. These striking birds are the size of a crow, but they eat mostly carpenter ants, and it takes a lot of carpenter ants to feed such a huge bird. A single pair of Pileated Woodpeckers must forage over 100-400 acres of woodland to find enough insects to feed themselves, let alone a nest full of hungry babies. It’s amazing to watch the Arboretum’s resident pair raise brood after brood of nestlings and care for them for up to five months after the young leave the nest. If you ever wonder why the Arboretum leaves dead and dying trees standing or laying around the trails, it’s because we want to feed these incredible woodpeckers and other wildlife! Look for these majestic birds (and especially listen for their wild, laughing calls) along the Outer Loop and Ravine Trails. #BeakOfTheWeek #WildlifeWednesday

📸 Rosemary Brooks
Have you been wanting to explore the Arboretum on Have you been wanting to explore the Arboretum on the weekend but don't want to pay for parking? Head on over this Sunday, June 14 for our monthly Free Second Sunday!

If you can't make it this weekend, remember that Arboretum Members get free parking every day, and Free Second Sundays run April 12, 2026 - March 14, 2027 thanks to a generous grant from The John M. O'Quinn Foundation.

Learn more at https://houstonarboretum.org/free-second-sundays/
The Tufted Titmouse is both adorable and somewhat The Tufted Titmouse is both adorable and somewhat controversial. They have nothing to do with mice: “tit” was an old English word for “small,” and “mase” was an even older English word for “small bird,” so “titmase” was a “small, small bird.” Over time, the pronunciation shifted to titmouse, and now we’re stuck with a problem. What is the plural of titmouse? Some insist it should be “titmouses,” while others say “titmice” sounds better, even though it is grammatically incorrect. Either way, you can spot these cheerful little birds at any of the Arboretum’s bird feeders, especially the one at the Nature Playscape bird blind! #BeakOfTheWeek #WildlifeWednesday

📸 Joe Liggio
It's no secret that y'all LOVE our Summer Nature C It's no secret that y'all LOVE our Summer Nature Camps! Most weeks are already sold out, but we do have a few spots left in the following weeks:

☀️ July 6-12: 9-12 year old full-day
☀️ July 13-17: 4 year old half-day
☀️ July 20-24: 9-12 year old full-day

Check out each week's topic and learn more at https://houstonarboretum.org/programs-trips/childrens-programs/camps/summer/
Common Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) is a Common Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) is a spectacular plant. The tiny white flowers bloom in large, spherical clusters that look just like fireworks on a summer night. They bloom through the hottest months (June-September) and attract an incredible variety of pollinators, from the tiniest bees to the largest butterflies. Buttonbushes grow as large shrubs in part to full shade and prefer moist to wet soil – they’ll even grow in standing water! If you need a beautiful pollinator plant for that challenging damp, shady spot in your yard, consider the Common Buttonbush.

📸 and observation by Kelsey Low, Naturalist II

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