University of Nebraska

D.A. Murphy Panhandle Arboretum

Take The Tour

The University of Nebraska D.A. Murphy Panhandle Arboretum is designed to display plant material in groups or collections. This gives you, the visitor, the opportunity to view several specimens of the same plant in a common location. We invite you to use the map and the associated descriptions as a guide for your walking tour. Start at the flag pole to the east of the University Complex and then walk to the north, then to the east along the ditch bank then back to the south side of the building. Enjoy the tour.

1–Linden Lane

The Redmond Linden is a variety of the Crimean Linden. It has a medium to fast growth rate, a medium life expectancy, and maintains a dense pyramidal shape. Leaves are roughly heart-shaped and turn a yellow-brown in the fall. Small, inconspicuous, yellowish, fragrant flowers are produced in July. It is resistant to wind, snow or ice damage and has few insect or disease problems.

2–Juniper Hill

Rocky Mountain Juniper is similar in appearance to the Eastern Redcedar. It is somewhat shrubby in appearance and will often have a divided trunk. It grows slowly but can reach twenty feet in height. It is drought resistant, prefers slightly alkaline soils, and retains a bluish-green color throughout winter.

3–Scotch Pine Mountain

The Scotch Pine is a native of Europe and is widely planted here as a Christmas tree. It is well adapted to the high plains and is tolerant to many different soil conditions. It has short needles borne in sheathed clusters of two. The Scotch Pine crown is irregular in shape and its bark is orange-red in color.

4–Nuland Groundcover Collection

Groundcovers serve as nature’s carpet. Selected plants are suitable as wall-to-wall covering for large areas, others for room size dimensions and still others to serve as throw rugs. Color and texture differences in groundcovers allow the gardener to create beautiful plant patterns throughout the growing season. Twenty four selections make up the David Nuland Groundcover Collection.

5–Trails West Iris Collection

The Trails West Iris Collection is an iris connoisseur’s delight. Iris plantings include miniature dwarf, standard dwarf, intermediate and border bearded, miniature tall and tall bearded as well as several arilbreds and beardless selections. This collection of more than 300 varieties blooms over a six to eight week period and is a virtual rainbow of color each spring. Some even rebloom in the fall.
6–The Park
Kentucky Bluegrass is the most widely used turfgrass species in Nebraska. It forms a dense, medium-textured, high quality turf. It is quite variable in texture, color, shoot density, growth habit, disease resistance and adaptation. This experimental lawn area is composed of 33 different varieties in 132 four by six foot plots.

7–Pine Forest

Ponderosa Pine is well adapted to the western Nebraska climate where summer rainfall is limited. It can withstand prolonged drought, and is the best pine to use on severe sites. It has long needles borne in clusters of two or three. The Ponderosa is open in its branching structure and grows slowly. It is one of the largest pine species.

8–Olive Grove

The Russian Olive was introduced from Europe. It is a fast-growing, short-lived tree. Hardy and vigorous, it grows on a variety of soils and appears shrub-like due to its low branching habit. Small fragrant, inconspicuous flowers appear in June, and more noticeable small yellow fruit appear in August.
9–Panhandle Prairie Transition
This collection of plants represents six of the major plant habitats found in the Panhandle of western Nebraska. Those habitats include the badlands, the wetlands, the short grass prairie, the tall grass prairie, the shrub and grass transition and the pine hillsides. These plants have adapted well to the soils and climate of each of the identified sites in this high plains region. These native plants are drought and cold tolerant. They are a hardy lot. The grasses are mostly warm season perennials and many of the forbs bloom in spring or early summer.

10–Austrian Pine Parkway

Austrian Pine is a native of Europe. It was originally introduced as an ornamental and has considerable value as a Christmas tree. The Austrian Pine is symmetrical with thick, stout spreading branches. The needles are generally dark green, stiff and its buds are silver colored in winter and early spring.

11–Diana Harms Cottonwood Collection

Cottonwood, Poplar and Aspen are all members of the populus family and are represented in this collection. The Eastern Cottonwood is “Nebraska’s State Tree” and is the largest and one of the most popular trees in the arboretum. It’s glossy leaves are triangular in shape and turn a golden-yellow in the fall. The tree grows best in rich, moist river bottom soil. Cottonwoods have a medium to long length of life and a fast rate of growth. They grow well in the Panhandle.

12–The Hillside

The concept of water-efficient landscaping is called xeriscape. It is popular in the west because it presents a great opportunity to plant shrubs and small tress and still live in balance with our semi-arid environment. The plants on this hillside were selected for their drought hardiness but also for their growth habitat. They are vigorous, fast growing trees and shrubs that produce a dense thicket which provides excellent cover for small wildlife. The plants include Mountain Mahogany, Rubber Rabbitbrush, Skunkbush Sumac, Scrub Oak and Obold Blanket Flower.

13–The Patio

This areas serves as a welcome gathering spot for meeting and conference participants. It is an example of the use of soil berms to screen and to add variety to the landscape. Plants in this area were selected for their spring time blooms or year round color. They include the Black Maple, Indian Magic Flowering Crabapple, Blue Chip Creeping Juniper, Buffalo Savin Juniper, Northstar Sour Cherry, Mugo Pine and the Compact European Cranberry Bush Viburnum.

14–Honeylocust Park

Thornless Honeylocust is a variety of the common Honeylocust. The tree is very hardy and tolerates a wide range of soil and moisture conditions. It has a medium to long length of life, a medium to fast rate of growth, and a round form. Some produce seed pods.

15–Spruce Row

The Spruce is one of the most admired and widely known of all North American evergreens. It grows naturally within the central Rocky Mountain region. The pyramidal crown and cool, crisp, silvery blue or green foliage of the young trees are frequently striking features of the landscape. Growth is often slow. The stiff, sharp-pointed, four angled, single needles are a half inch to an inch long. They range from dull gray-green to blue-green.