2025 Woody Plant Conference Schedule

7:30 am - 9:00 am

7:45 am - 8:45 am

Explore the grounds of Scott Arboretum

Explore the campus-arboretum of Scott Arboretum & Gardens on a guided tour.

9:00 am - 9:05 am

Live Stream opens for those joining us virtually.

9:00 am - 9:15 am

Welcome from Interim Executive Director of the Scott Arboretum & Gardens and Grounds Jeff Jabco

9:15 am - 10:15 am

Many invasive plants in the United States are woody non-natives that were introduced with the best of intentions but escaped from past or current cultivation. Only a small number of these introduced woody species have become invasive over time, but those that have severely disrupt natural areas and ecosystems with huge economic costs. A new approach to reduce these impacts is to identify plants in their earliest stages of spread, using data being collected today by public gardens across North America. Gardens within this network, known as Public Gardens as Sentinels against Invasive Plants (PGSIP), are now using a standardized process to report their problematic plants and share that information with one another. In this presentation, we will learn which up-and-coming woody species are of greatest concern within gardens today and how this information can be applied outside of the garden community, including by land managers, gardeners, landscape architects, and the nursery industry.

10:15 am - 10:40 am

Browse and purchase books sold by the Hardy Plant Society-Mid-Atlantic Group and purchase raffle tickets to win items donated by sponsoring organizations (in-person participants only).

10:40 am - 11:30 am

Join edible landscaper, author, and permaculture designer Michael Judd for an engaging exploration of some of the easiest and most rewarding fruits and berries to grow in the Mid-Atlantic region. This presentation will focus on low-maintenance, naturally resilient plants that thrive with minimal effort, making them perfect for home gardens and landscapes. Michael will also share simple food forest design techniques to help you create a thriving, productive ecosystem that supports both biodiversity and abundance. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced grower, you will gain valuable insights into growing delicious, sustainable food with ease.

11:30 am - 12:20 pm

Beech trees are important components of our forests and landscapes, but these are troubling times for beech! Challenges include native pests and pathogens, beech bark disease, and now beech leaf disease. This presentation will explore these challenges and focus on the fascinating foliar-feeding nematode that causes beech leaf disease, the resulting mortality of beech trees, and current management options.

12:20 pm - 1:20 pm

Browse and purchase books sold by the Hardy Plant Society-Mid-Atlantic Group and purchase raffle tickets to win items donated by sponsoring organizations (in-person participants only).

1:20 pm - 2:10 pm

As trees face increasing threats from climate change and novel pests and diseases, the need to protect and future-proof our landscapes has never been more urgent. Mt. Cuba Center staff will discuss their strategies for safeguarding the garden’s tree canopy for generations to come. George Coombs and Nicole DeLizzio will explain their science-driven approach to selecting resilient species, including the models and thought processes behind it, their list of recommendations, and the methods that will be used to track their resilience over the coming decades. These insights will also help you make informed, sustainable choices for your own landscape.

2:10 pm - 3:00 pm

How did oaks become such important and beloved trees across the northern hemisphere? What are oak species? What are oak hybrids, and how important are they? How do oaks shape the forest? This lecture, based on Hipp’s Oak Origins: From Acorns to Species and the Tree of Life (University of Chicago Press, 2024), answers these questions and many more. It touches on the natural history and biology of reproduction in oaks; the origins of oak species and their hybrids; and the estimated 56 million years of oak evolutionary history. The presentation covers research spanning more than a century and illustrates it with trees we all know and love.

3:00 pm - 3:25 pm

Browse and purchase books sold by the Hardy Plant Society-Mid-Atlantic Group. Visit the Perennials Showcase, featuring cut specimen plants of interest from sponsoring organizations.

3:25 pm - 3:30 pm

3:30 pm - 4:30 pm

This presentation offers a captivating journey through gardens crafted in France, with a special focus on a unique collaboration between experts in Philadelphia and France. It highlights the exchange of invaluable cultural insights and professional expertise across the Atlantic. The centerpiece of the discussion will be an in-depth case study of a garden meticulously designed and planted in Normandy, situated along a beautifully restored historic creek. This story will explore the thoughtful integration of horticultural practices and ecological restoration, with tangible insights for horticulture professionals and home gardeners.

4:30 pm - 4:35 pm

4:30 pm - 5:30 pm

Join the reception with speakers for an additional $20 (in-person participants only).

7:30 am - 9:00 am

7:45 am - 8:45 am

Explore the grounds of Scott Arboretum

Explore the campus-arboretum of Scott Arboretum & Gardens on a guided tour.

9:00 am - 9:05 am

Live Stream opens for those joining us virtually.

9:00 am - 9:15 am

Welcome from Interim Executive Director of the Scott Arboretum & Gardens and Grounds Jeff Jabco

9:15 am - 10:15 am

Many invasive plants in the United States are woody non-natives that were introduced with the best of intentions but escaped from past or current cultivation. Only a small number of these introduced woody species have become invasive over time, but those that have severely disrupt natural areas and ecosystems with huge economic costs. A new approach to reduce these impacts is to identify plants in their earliest stages of spread, using data being collected today by public gardens across North America. Gardens within this network, known as Public Gardens as Sentinels against Invasive Plants (PGSIP), are now using a standardized process to report their problematic plants and share that information with one another. In this presentation, we will learn which up-and-coming woody species are of greatest concern within gardens today and how this information can be applied outside of the garden community, including by land managers, gardeners, landscape architects, and the nursery industry.

10:15 am - 10:40 am

Browse and purchase books sold by the Hardy Plant Society-Mid-Atlantic Group and purchase raffle tickets to win items donated by sponsoring organizations (in-person participants only).

3:00 pm - 3:25 pm

Browse and purchase books sold by the Hardy Plant Society-Mid-Atlantic Group. Visit the Perennials Showcase, featuring cut specimen plants of interest from sponsoring organizations.

10:40 am - 11:30 am

Join edible landscaper, author, and permaculture designer Michael Judd for an engaging exploration of some of the easiest and most rewarding fruits and berries to grow in the Mid-Atlantic region. This presentation will focus on low-maintenance, naturally resilient plants that thrive with minimal effort, making them perfect for home gardens and landscapes. Michael will also share simple food forest design techniques to help you create a thriving, productive ecosystem that supports both biodiversity and abundance. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced grower, you will gain valuable insights into growing delicious, sustainable food with ease.

11:30 am - 12:20 pm

Beech trees are important components of our forests and landscapes, but these are troubling times for beech! Challenges include native pests and pathogens, beech bark disease, and now beech leaf disease. This presentation will explore these challenges and focus on the fascinating foliar-feeding nematode that causes beech leaf disease, the resulting mortality of beech trees, and current management options.

12:20 pm - 1:20 pm

Browse and purchase books sold by the Hardy Plant Society-Mid-Atlantic Group and purchase raffle tickets to win items donated by sponsoring organizations (in-person participants only).

1:20 pm - 2:10 pm

As trees face increasing threats from climate change and novel pests and diseases, the need to protect and future-proof our landscapes has never been more urgent. Mt. Cuba Center staff will discuss their strategies for safeguarding the garden’s tree canopy for generations to come. George Coombs and Nicole DeLizzio will explain their science-driven approach to selecting resilient species, including the models and thought processes behind it, their list of recommendations, and the methods that will be used to track their resilience over the coming decades. These insights will also help you make informed, sustainable choices for your own landscape.

2:10 pm - 3:00 pm

How did oaks become such important and beloved trees across the northern hemisphere? What are oak species? What are oak hybrids, and how important are they? How do oaks shape the forest? This lecture, based on Hipp’s Oak Origins: From Acorns to Species and the Tree of Life (University of Chicago Press, 2024), answers these questions and many more. It touches on the natural history and biology of reproduction in oaks; the origins of oak species and their hybrids; and the estimated 56 million years of oak evolutionary history. The presentation covers research spanning more than a century and illustrates it with trees we all know and love.

3:25 pm - 3:30 pm

3:30 pm - 4:30 pm

This presentation offers a captivating journey through gardens crafted in France, with a special focus on a unique collaboration between experts in Philadelphia and France. It highlights the exchange of invaluable cultural insights and professional expertise across the Atlantic. The centerpiece of the discussion will be an in-depth case study of a garden meticulously designed and planted in Normandy, situated along a beautifully restored historic creek. This story will explore the thoughtful integration of horticultural practices and ecological restoration, with tangible insights for horticulture professionals and home gardeners.

4:30 pm - 4:35 pm

4:30 pm - 5:30 pm

Join the reception with speakers for an additional $20 (in-person participants only).