Trees and Plants

The Ratrie Arboretum has more than 2000 trees and shrubs that represent over 100 distinct species. Most are native to our region, but there is a healthy population of unusual non-native trees.

There are four champion trees of West Virginia within the Arboretum. All contribute to the health of the Kanawha Valley by manufacturing oxygen, sequestering carbon dioxide and some airborne pollutants, and preventing stormwater runoff. They provide food and shelter for birds and wildlife. They support and are supported by a multitude of insect, bacterial, and fungi species. The Arboretum itself can be thought of as a complex organism.

The overriding aim in starting the Arboretum was to make a living museum of the trees of West Virginia as an educational resource. Adding to the existing trees already growing at Spring Hill this goal is nearing completion. The challenge is to manage the stock and add successional plantings overtime so future generations can enjoy mature trees in perpetuity.

In addition, the Arboretum has slowly been making new plantings to start collections of these species, not limited to but found mostly in the areas listed:

• Aesculus / Buckeye/ Horse chestnut – Carter Lane
• Asian Circle – Davis and Lilly Drive
• Cercis / Redbud – Sunset Drive, Jacks Road
• Cornus / Dogwood – Old Circle
• Hammamelis/ Witch Hazel – Old Circle
• Magnolia – Barber, Shanklin, Muldoon Roads
• Syringa / Lilac – Brawley Road
• Viburnum – Rollins Road, Old Circle