Tucked away on the Coral Gables campus, the John C. Gifford Arboretum is a gem for anyone looking to escape the hustle and bustle of Miami’s urban jungle. Created in 1947 by UM botany professors Frank J. Rimoldi and Roy Woodbury, the Arboretum began with over 305 donated plants.
Named after John C. Gifford, the first graduate forester in the United States, an expert on tropical woods, and then professor of tropical forestry at UM, the space quickly grew to more than 500 plants by 1950. Today there are over 500 species of plants and 650 individual plants in the Arboretum. The space is maintained by the department of biology in the College of Arts and Sciences and with continued support from the University of Miami community, the collection of trees and plants are showcased for education and research purposes. Those interested in exploring the Arboretum can visit in-person at the San Amaro Drive and Robbia Ave, on the Coral Gables campus or explore digital maps and resources that have been compiled by UM experts.
Award of Appreciation
On April 26, the Coral Gables Landscape Beautification Advisory Board will present the Gifford Arboretum the Award of Appreciation at the city’s annual Arbor Day Celebration, held this year at George Washington Carver Elementary School.
Tim Perez, Ricardo Herran, and John Tallon will accept the award on behalf of UM for work performed at the Gifford Arboretum, in recognition of the improvements made to the landscape, as well as the selection and maintenance of the plant materials.
Tree Campus USALearn more
Due in part to the dedicated faculty, staff, students and volunteers behind the magical Arboretum, UM was recently designated as a “Tree Campus USA” for the fifth consecutive year by the Arbor Day Foundation. This award recognized the University’s dedication preserving nature and supporting green initiatives throughout each campus. In addition to variety of plants and trees found in the Arboretum, UM also boasts a total of 8743 trees on campus.
Learn more
Explore the Arboretum's Catalog of Plants to the learn more about the history and ongoing beautification or visit the Arbotetum website.
