As a botanical garden, Mt. Cuba Center holds living collections of plants, much like a museum houses collections of art or historical artifacts. Mt. Cuba Center’s collections are focused on plants native to the Eastern Temperate Forests of the United States with a particular emphasis on the Appalachian Piedmont, an area that spans nine states from New York to Alabama.

In addition to native plant specimens, Mt. Cuba Center maintains historic collections that include non-native plants important to the character and cultural history of the property and the Copeland family legacy. Mt. Cuba Center also holds special collections representing extensive compilations of certain species of plants. Our North American hexastylis and trillium collections are of national significance and have been accredited by the Plant Collections Network.

Mt. Cuba Center’s collections conserve genetic diversity and display the native beauty of the flora of the eastern United States. Through the lens of the plant collections, Mt. Cuba Center builds its gardens, conducts research initiatives and conservation efforts, and educates the public on the important role these plants play in our delicate ecosystem.