U.S. NATIONAL ARBORETUM

What U.S. NATIONAL ARBORETUM does

The U.S. National Arboretum is a collections-based federal research facility and public garden operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) under the Research, Education, and Economics mission area. Established in 1927 and incorporated into USDA-ARS in 1953, the institution occupies a 446-acre campus in Washington, D.C. (headquarters at 3501 New York Avenue NE; visitor entrance at 2400 R Street NE) and combines the roles of public garden, plant gene bank, herbarium, and International Cultivar Registration Authority (ICRA) for Cercis and Lagerstroemia. Its scientific mission centers on plant breeding, hybridization, and genetic conservation, producing over 100 named cultivar introductions including Gold Medal winners, the Lagerstroemia ×egolfii crapemyrtle series, HWA-resistant hybrid hemlocks (Tsuga 'Traveler' and 'Crossroad'), disease-resistant American elm cultivars ('Valley Forge', 'Jefferson'), and conservation propagules from historically significant specimens such as the Tidal Basin 'Stumpy' Yoshino cherry.

Core offerings include the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum (established 1976, the world's first museum dedicated to bonsai), extensive themed garden collections (Asian, Azalea, Dogwood, Gotelli Conifer, National Boxwood, National Herb Garden, Fern Valley, Washington Youth Garden), the Arboretum Botanical Explorer (ABE) interactive plant database and visitor map, the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, USNA Herbaria research collections, and an internship/apprenticeship program. A proposed canopy trail attraction received a Finding of No Significant Impact in August 2024 and is not yet constructed. Plant cultivars developed at the Arboretum are released to the commercial nursery industry through licensing and propagating-nursery partnerships, while ground-level access for visitors is free and open every day except December 25, with extended summer hours supported by the Friends of the National Arboretum (FONA).

The business model is mission-driven rather than commercial: primary funding flows from federal congressional appropriations via USDA-ARS, supplemented by donations and FONA's nonprofit fundraising for extended hours, special programs, and capital improvements. Licensing royalties from patented plant cultivars are described as minimal. Customer segments span the general public and families (free garden access, educational programming), commercial nurseries and horticultural trade (cultivar licensing), researchers and academia (herbarium and gene bank access), and K-12 educational groups (curriculum-aligned field programming). The institution is led by Director Dr. Richard Olsen and operates with a unique mandate that is not directly comparable to commercial for-profit or venture-backed entities.

Name

U.S. NATIONAL ARBORETUM

Legal name

U.S. National Arboretum

Website

https://usna.usda.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1927

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The U.S. National Arboretum is a USDA Agricultural Research Service facility in Washington, D.C. that combines a 446-acre public garden with plant breeding, genetic conservation, and ICRA cultivar registration for Cercis and Lagerstroemia, serving visitors, researchers, and the commercial nursery industry.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Botanical Garden and Plant Research Facility

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130), Nursery and Floriculture Production (11142), Nursery and Tree Production (111421)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections) (THAJADAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Protected Cultivation of Specialty Crops (Orchids, Bonsai, Exotics) (AFAGAHAH), Forest Nurseries, Seed Orchards & Genetic Improvement (AFAMAAAD)

Keywords

• Public botanical garden
• Plant breeding research
• Horticultural collections
• Cultivar development
• Genetic conservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Federal Government Appropriation: The U.S. National Arboretum is a federal research facility under USDA's Agricultural Research Service, funded through congressional appropriations. Revenue is not generated from visitor admission as grounds are free.
2. Plant Introductions and Licensing: The Arboretum develops and releases improved plant cultivars to the nursery industry, generating minimal licensing revenue through plant patents and introductions. Examples include crapemyrtle, hemlock, redbud, and elm varieties.
3. Donations and Support Groups: Financial support through the Friends of the National Arboretum (FONA), a nonprofit partner that raises funds for extended hours, special programs, and capital improvements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The U.S. National Arboretum operates a 446-acre public garden and federal research facility that provides free public access to curated plant collections and botanical experiences while conducting scientific plant breeding, hybridization, genetic conservation, and cultivar registration. It develops and licenses improved plant varieties (crapemyrtles, hemlocks, redbuds, elms, maples, magnolias) to the commercial nursery industry and maintains authoritative plant databases including the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.

Product overview

The U.S. National Arboretum is a collections-based research facility and public garden operated by the USDA's Agricultural Research Service. It offers a unified portfolio of botanical experiences combining public garden access with scientific research programs. Core offerings include the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum (established 1976, the world's first bonsai museum), extensive garden collections (Asian, Azalea, Dogwood, Fern Valley, Conifers, Boxwood, Herb Garden, etc.), and the Arboretum Botanical Explorer (ABE) interactive plant database. The institution operates major plant breeding programs including the Lagerstroemia ×egolfii (crapemyrtle) series and hybrid hemlock program developing HWA-resistant cultivars. As an ICRA for Cercis and Lagerstroemia, it maintains comprehensive cultivar registration systems. The Arboretum preserves plant genetic resources through its gene bank function, recently including propagation of the historic Tidal Basin Yoshino cherry trees. Visitor admission is free, with grounds open daily except Christmas. A proposed Canopy Trail attraction is in development stages following FONSI approval in 2024.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• National Bonsai & Penjing Museum The world's first museum dedicated to bonsai art, open daily with free admission, showcasing comprehensive bonsai and penjing specimens for the general public.
• Arboretum Botanical Explorer (ABE) Interactive map and living plant database search tool designed for large-screened devices that helps visitors find plants and plan visits to the Arboretum grounds.
• Garden Collections Extensive curated living plant collections including Asian Collections, Azalea Collections, Dogwood Collection, Fern Valley, Friendship Garden, Gotelli Conifer Collection, Holly and Magnolia Collections, National Boxwood Collection, National Capitol Columns, National Herb Garden, Perennial Collections, and Washington Youth Garden.
• Lagerstroemia (Crapemyrtle) Cultivar Introductions Disease-resistant crapemyrtle cultivars developed through USNA's plant breeding program, licensed to commercial nurseries for ornamental landscape use.
• Hybrid Hemlock Cultivars (Tsuga 'Traveler' and 'Crossroad')
• Tree and Shrub Introductions
• Cercis (Redbud) Cultivar Registration Authority Official International Cultivar Registration Authority (ICRA) service maintaining comprehensive redbud and crapemyrtle cultivar checklists to promote nomenclature stability for the global horticultural community.
• USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map
• U.S. National Arboretum Herbaria
• Plant Introduction Fact Sheets and Award Documentation
• Genetic Conservation (Gene Bank) Services Gene bank operations preserving plants of conservation concern, genetic importance, and cultural significance through advanced propagation and preservation techniques.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully propagated 'Stumpy' Yoshino cherry tree material from Washington D.C.'s Tidal Basin, with trees flowering for the first time in Spring 2026
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Propagating NurseriesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2024Nurseries interested in propagating USNA-developed cultivars like 'Traveler' and 'Crossroad' hybrid hemlocks contact the Arboretum for licensing information. These partnerships distribute improved plant varieties to the commercial horticulture trade.
• Friends of the National Arboretum (FONA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFONA is the official nonprofit partner and support organization for the U.S. National Arboretum. Provides critical funding for extended hours, special programs, capital improvements, and visitor amenities. Publishes weekly 'FONA Field Notes' newsletter and organizes community engagement activities.
• National Park ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on preservation of Washington D.C.'s iconic Tidal Basin Yoshino cherry trees. USNA received plant material from 'Stumpy' tree (removed 2024) and successfully propagated new trees that will eventually be returned to NPS for replanting.
• USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe U.S. National Arboretum is part of USDA-ARS, the chief scientific in-house research agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Arboretum operates within the Research, Education, and Economics mission area.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Morris Arboretum: University of Pennsylvania's arboretum featuring extensive plant collections and applied horticultural research. Comparable to USNA as a collections-based public garden with research and cultivar-related work on woody plants.
• Chicago Botanic Garden: A large public garden in Illinois with active plant breeding programs, conservation science, and extensive display collections. Comparable to USNA in combining large-scale public visitation with research, cultivar development, and plant introduction activity.
• Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University: A research-focused arboretum in Boston that combines a public landscape with active plant science, herbarium collections, and cultivar introduction programs. Operates under a different funding model (university-affiliated) but shares the dual research-and-public-garden mission of USNA.
• New York Botanical Garden: A large public garden and plant science institution with active research programs, herbarium, and plant conservation work. Comparable to USNA in combining public garden visitation with scientific research and cultivar-related output.
• Morton Arboretum: A large Illinois-based tree-focused public garden and research institution with active tree breeding, conservation, and urban forestry programs. Directly comparable to USNA in tree-centered collections, applied tree research, and plant introduction activity.
• Longwood Gardens: A major public garden in Pennsylvania with extensive plant collections, applied horticultural research, and a leading display garden. Comparable to USNA in scale, public-facing botanical programming, and active plant breeding and introduction activity.
• United States Botanic Garden: The federal government's other major public plant display institution, also located in Washington, D.C. Shares USNA's federal character and mission of public education on plants, with overlapping visitor and educational audiences.
• Holden Forests & Gardens: A Cleveland-based arboretum and botanical garden combining research, plant collections, and public education. Comparable to USNA in tree-focused collections, conservation science, and dual research/public-garden operations.
• Missouri Botanical Garden: A major public garden with a global plant science program, herbarium, and active conservation and breeding initiatives. Comparable to USNA in scale, scientific output, and integration of public display with formal botanical research.

Broad incumbents

• Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: The world's leading botanic garden and a global authority on plant taxonomy, conservation, and seed banking. Comparable to USNA in mission scope and scientific plant work, but operates globally and at materially larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/u.s.-national-arboretum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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