Michael Dirr
Encyclopedia
Michael A. Dirr, Ph.D is a horticulturist and a professor of horticulture
at the University of Georgia
. He is an expert on woody plants.
and a Masters in Science degree in Plant Physiology from Ohio State University
and a Ph.D in Plant Physiology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst
, in 1972. Upon graduation from the University of Massachusetts, Dirr was an Assistant Professor of Ornamental Horticulture at the University of Illinois, Urbana, where he continued to work until 1978. He then became a Mercer Fellow at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University
though 1979. In 1979, he became the Director of the University of Georgia Botanical Garden
. In 1981, he returned to teach at the University of Georgia
and was promoted to Professor
in 1984.
Dirr's Georgia Plant Introduction Program has introduced over 40 new cultivars into the nursery trades.
and Landscape Architecture
. It has sold over 250,000 copies. Major works include:
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
at the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
. He is an expert on woody plants.
Education and Experience
Dirr has earned a Bachelors in Science degree in Plant PhysiologyPlant physiology
Plant physiology is a subdiscipline of botany concerned with the functioning, or physiology, of plants. Closely related fields include plant morphology , plant ecology , phytochemistry , cell biology, and molecular biology.Fundamental processes such as photosynthesis, respiration, plant nutrition,...
and a Masters in Science degree in Plant Physiology from Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
and a Ph.D in Plant Physiology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public research and land-grant university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States and the flagship of the University of Massachusetts system...
, in 1972. Upon graduation from the University of Massachusetts, Dirr was an Assistant Professor of Ornamental Horticulture at the University of Illinois, Urbana, where he continued to work until 1978. He then became a Mercer Fellow at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
though 1979. In 1979, he became the Director of the University of Georgia Botanical Garden
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia is a botanical garden with a conservatory operated by the University of Georgia. It is located at 2450 South Milledge Avenue, Athens, Georgia....
. In 1981, he returned to teach at the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
and was promoted to Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
in 1984.
Dirr's Georgia Plant Introduction Program has introduced over 40 new cultivars into the nursery trades.
Publications
Dirr has published over 300 scientific and popular publications and has authored seven books. His book, Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture and Propagation and Uses has become one of the most widely adopted reference text in the education of HorticultureHorticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
and Landscape Architecture
Landscape architecture
Landscape architecture is the design of outdoor and public spaces to achieve environmental, socio-behavioral, or aesthetic outcomes. It involves the systematic investigation of existing social, ecological, and geological conditions and processes in the landscape, and the design of interventions...
. It has sold over 250,000 copies. Major works include:
- Dirr, M.A. 2002. Dirr's Trees and Shrubs for Warm Climates: An Illustrated Encyclopedia. Timber Press, Portland, Or. (448 p.) ISBN 978-0-88192-525-8
- Dirr, M.A. 1998. Manual of Woody Landscape Plants. Stipes Publishing Co., Champaign, IL. (1453 p.)
- Dirr, M.A. 1997. Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs - An Illustrated Encyclopedia. Timber Press, Portland, OR. (494 p.) ISBN 978-0-88192-404-6
- Dirr, M.A. 1997. Michael A. Dirr's Photo-Library of Woody Landscape Plants on CD-ROM. PlantAmerica , Locust Valley, NY. (4 CDs)
Awards and honors
- Silver Medal for Excellence in Horticultural Writing
- Jackson DawsonJames Frederick DawsonJames Frederick Dawson was an American landscape architect. His father, Jackson Thornton Dawson, was superintendent of the Arnold Arboretum, and Dawson himself was actually born in the arboretum. Dawson graduated from Harvard University in 1896 and joined the Olmsted Brothers landscape design...
Medal for Outstanding Contributions to Plant Propagation (Massachusetts Horticultural SocietyMassachusetts Horticultural SocietyThe Massachusetts Horticultural Society, sometimes abbreviated to MassHort, is an American horticultural society based in Massachusetts. It describes itself as the oldest, formally-organized horticultural institution in the United States...
) - Silver Seal (National Federation of State Garden Clubs)
- Medal of Honor (1993, Garden Clubs of AmericaThe Gardeners of America/Men's Garden Clubs of AmericaAlso known as TGOA/MGCA, TGOA, MGCA, Gardeners of America, and Men’s Garden Clubs of America, it is a national organization with 45 affiliated clubs located in 17 states across America. The organization has its headquarters in Johnston, Iowa, a city that is a business suburb of Des Moines...
) - Scott Medal (Swarthmore CollegeSwarthmore CollegeSwarthmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college in the United States with an enrollment of about 1,500 students. The college is located in the borough of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia....
) - Honorary Doctorate (1998, University of MassachusettsUniversity of MassachusettsThis article relates to the statewide university system. For the flagship campus often referred to as "UMass", see University of Massachusetts Amherst...
) for significant contributions to Horticulture and the University.