Arboretum Wespelaar
Encyclopedia
Arboretum Wespelaar is an arboretum
in Wespelaar
, Belgium
.
The arboretum
was started in 1984, as an extension of the dendrological collections of Philippe de Spoelberch, to the north of his estate of Herkenrode.
In 2007, the arboretum
and its collections were donated to the Foundation Arboretum Wespelaar which was set up to guarantee the future of the collections and arrange for their opening to the public in 2011. Some 2000 different taxa can be seen on the 20 hectare grounds.
The arboretum brings together trees and shrubs from around the world which can survive in the temperate Belgian climate. Arboretum Wespelaar houses many woody species large and small, including common and rare species, especially those that are threatened in the wild.
Some genera are particularly well represented: Acer, Magnolia
, Rhododendron
and Stewartia. In addition to these, you will find good collections of other genera such as: Betula, Carpinus, Euonymus
, Ilex, Tilia
, Viburnum
, Quercus, Styrax
etc.
Arboretum Wespelaar is a member of Botanic Gardens Conservation International
, an international non-profit organisation that exists to ensure the world-wide conservation of threatened plants.
Arboretum
An arboretum in a narrow sense is a collection of trees only. Related collections include a fruticetum , and a viticetum, a collection of vines. More commonly, today, an arboretum is a botanical garden containing living collections of woody plants intended at least partly for scientific study...
in Wespelaar
Wespelaar
Wespelaar is a borough of the municipality of Haacht, located between Kampenhout - Tildonk and Haacht centre in Belgium.Official Homepage:...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
The arboretum
Arboretum
An arboretum in a narrow sense is a collection of trees only. Related collections include a fruticetum , and a viticetum, a collection of vines. More commonly, today, an arboretum is a botanical garden containing living collections of woody plants intended at least partly for scientific study...
was started in 1984, as an extension of the dendrological collections of Philippe de Spoelberch, to the north of his estate of Herkenrode.
In 2007, the arboretum
Arboretum
An arboretum in a narrow sense is a collection of trees only. Related collections include a fruticetum , and a viticetum, a collection of vines. More commonly, today, an arboretum is a botanical garden containing living collections of woody plants intended at least partly for scientific study...
and its collections were donated to the Foundation Arboretum Wespelaar which was set up to guarantee the future of the collections and arrange for their opening to the public in 2011. Some 2000 different taxa can be seen on the 20 hectare grounds.
The arboretum brings together trees and shrubs from around the world which can survive in the temperate Belgian climate. Arboretum Wespelaar houses many woody species large and small, including common and rare species, especially those that are threatened in the wild.
Some genera are particularly well represented: Acer, Magnolia
Magnolia
Magnolia is a large genus of about 210 flowering plant species in the subfamily Magnolioideae of the family Magnoliaceae. It is named after French botanist Pierre Magnol....
, Rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
and Stewartia. In addition to these, you will find good collections of other genera such as: Betula, Carpinus, Euonymus
Euonymus
Euonymus , often called spindle or spindle tree, is a genus of flowering plants in the staff vine family, Celastraceae. It comprises about 170–180 species of deciduous and evergreen shrubs and small trees...
, Ilex, Tilia
Tilia
Tilia is a genus of about 30 species of trees native throughout most of the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The greatest species diversity is found in Asia, and the genus also occurs in Europe and eastern North America, but not western North America...
, Viburnum
Viburnum
Viburnum is a genus of about 150–175 species of shrubs or small trees in the moschatel family, Adoxaceae. Its current classification is based on molecular phylogeny...
, Quercus, Styrax
Styrax
Styrax is a genus of about 130 species of large shrubs or small trees in the family Styracaceae, mostly native to warm temperate to tropical regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with the majority in eastern and southeastern Asia, but also crossing the equator in South America...
etc.
Arboretum Wespelaar is a member of Botanic Gardens Conservation International
Botanic Gardens Conservation International
Botanic Gardens Conservation International is a plant conservation charity based in London, England. It is a membership organisation, working with 800 botanic gardens in 118 countries, whose combined work forms the world's largest plant conservation network.Founded in 1987, BGCI is a registered...
, an international non-profit organisation that exists to ensure the world-wide conservation of threatened plants.