The Arboretum at Laurel Hill is collaborating with Cornell University to grow hybrid oak trees at their cemetery in Bala Cynwyd. 

The project was started in the early 2000s by Nina Bassuk of Cornell University, School of Integrative Plant Science. Nina’s goal is to develop hybrid oaks that can withstand urban environments. Nina writes, “The idea was to create cold-hardy oaks that were tolerant of alkaline soils, drought, diseases such as powdery mildew, and that had good form.” 

Beginning in 2019, Cornell started to distribute these hybrid oaks from their trial nurseries into partner gardens and arboretums. Laurel Hill West Cemetery was fortunate to receive five hybrid oaks for their tree collection. 

Laurel Hill Arboretum Manager Aaron Greenberg says, “Part of our mission as an arboretum is to have our tree collection involved in scientific research, so we are thrilled to be part of Cornell’s study on the suitability of these hybrid oaks for urban landscapes.”

The Arboretum at Laurel Hill is a Level II accredited arboretum that includes both Laurel Hill East and Laurel Hill West. The arboretum has a curated living collection of over 6,000 specimen trees and shrubs representing over 700 unique species and cultivars, including several state champion trees, as well as a variety of display gardens.