Memphis Botanic Garden’s 96 acres were certified by the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council (TUFC) as the first Level 4 Arboretum in West Tennessee in 2007 and recognized as the first TUFC Center of Excellence for the state of Tennessee in 2012. Memphis Botanic Garden now holds the distinction as the only TUFC designated Center of Excellence in Tennessee. TUFC’s Center of Excellence program is designed to provide extra depth to TUFC’s outreach and education programs. Centers assist with arboretum development and certification, provide ongoing educational programs, and give citizens a local resource for arboriculture. In 2022, Memphis Botanic Garden achieved accreditation as a Level II Arboretum by The Morton Arboretum’s ArbNet Program for satisfying high standards in arboretum management and maintenance. Our collection features thousands of trees representing over 170 species, including 19 species of oak.

Trees are important to urban communities for many reasons. They sequester carbon from the atmosphere, help regulate air quality, control stormwater run-off, increase property value, and offer food and shelter to wildlife. To ensure that our trees continue to provide these important services, we maintain our collection with the highest quality of care. Our goal is to showcase their natural beauty while providing a suitable environment for our trees to maximize their ecological impact.