Our Collections

We are stewards of a living plant collection that contains more than 10,000 taxa. Like museums who manage and acquire objects, we are continually seeking to strategically expand our collections, while caring for our plants and sharing plant materials with other horticultural institutions.

The origins of the collection date back to 1798, when the Peirce family began planting trees on the land—long before the establishment of Longwood Gardens. Many of these trees can still be found in Peirce’s Park, and represent the oldest cultivated section of the Gardens. Several are Pennsylvania state champion trees.

These trees provided the inspiration for Longwood Gardens founder and visionary, Pierre S. du Pont, who purchased the property to conserve the trees, while the surrounding land provided the template for Gardens expansion. After Longwood Gardens was established in 1906, Mr. du Pont rapidly built collections of his favorite plants from around the world. This original collection established by Mr. du Pont provided the template for our modern collections, which are defined and categorized by seven broad roles that serve the interests of the Gardens.

Plant Collections 

  • Bonsai 
    Closeup of windswept bonsai tree, against a dark wall covered with shadows of branches.

    Bonsai 

    With more than 143 bonsai in our collection, we showcase the highest level of the Japanese bonsai tradition, blending time-honored techniques with masterful stewardship.

  • Boxwood
    Fountain jets soar high above a fountain with a circular section of green boxwood hedges in front of it.

    Boxwood

    Boxwood was a favorite of founder Pierre S. du Pont.  With 183 successions, representing distinct morphological characteristics and growing environments, Longwood's Boxwood collection has grown into one of the largest in the U.S. 

  • Camelia
    A white camellia with a yellow center blooms amidst dark green foliage

    Camelia

    The camellia collection of 236 living accessions blends heritage with innovation through dedicated research and breeding to find a cold-hardy, and longer flowering varieties
     

  • Chrysanthemum
    A large chrysanthemum plant of 1000 blooms is in a conservatory surrounded by green plants

    Chrysanthemum

    Chrysanthemums have been prominently displayed for generations at Longwood and remain central to our autumn programming. A Plant Collections Network Accredited collection, with 62 Japanese-origin or Japanese-style cultivars, we maintain cultural horticultural techniques.

  • Legacy Collections 
    Spikes of blue flowers stand out amidst a backdrop of green foliage and windows.

    Legacy Collections 

    These plants are integral to our history, guest experience, and aesthetic.

  • Magnolia
    A white magnolia flower blooms amongst large green leaves.

    Magnolia

    The Magnolia Collection honors a legacy that heralds back to the Peirce family, preserving historic plantings while showcasing and researching diverse species for display, education, and conservation.

  • Orchid
    A vibrant orchid blooms in colors of pink, purple, white, and yellow.

    Orchid

    The Orchid Collection includes a wide range of tropical and hardy species of the family Orchidazeae, ranging from Cattleya Hybrids and Cultivars (893 living accessions), Disa (15 living accessions), and US. Native Orchids (45 living accessions). It is one of our most extensive collections in terms of number of accessions and numbers of plants.  

  • Oak
    A paved path cuts through a fall landscape with trees with orange and red foliage on the right side, and a green tree on the left.

    Oak

    Our Oak Collection showcases a diverse array of Quercus species and horticultural selections, with more than 296 accessions representing 57 oak species planted across our grounds.

  • Peirce's Trees
    A branch full of bright green leaves of Tilia cordata against a blue sky.

    Peirce's Trees

    The Peirce’s Trees Collection includes trees originally found in Peirce’s Park at the time when P.S. du Pont purchased Longwood Gardens, trees found in or near Peirce’s Park that can be accurately dated to the time of the Peirce Family, and trees cultivated in the Philadelphia region during the Victorian and Federal eras. 

  • Rhododendron and Deciduous Azalea
    A close-up of white and blush flower blooms with green leaves

    Rhododendron and Deciduous Azalea

    This distinguished collection of 209 collections emphasizes both the conservation and advancement of U.S. native deciduous azalea species and their hybrids, as well as a diverse array of evergreen rhododendrons.

  • Water-platter
    Multiple large green water-platters float in a pool amidst smaller aquatic plants

    Water-platter

    Our Victoria Core Collection stands as a centerpiece of our summer waterlily displays—and with four living accessions, it serves a benchmark in global conservation and cultivation efforts. 

  • Waterlily
    A bright pink and yellow waterlily bloom in a pond

    Waterlily

    The Waterlily Collection includes over 178 horticultural selections of the genus Nymphaea developed by North American breeders during the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries.