Mark Weathington is the director of the JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University in Raleigh, North Carolina and author of Gardening in the South: The Complete Homeowner’s Guide. Mark is a frequent FG contributor, covering a wide range of topics including magnolias, redbuds, compact shrubs, and unexpected replacements for overused plants.  Some of Mark’s most fascinating work at the arboretum has involved his extensive travel to collect, preserve, and distribute plants from around the world. In this episode he discusses the unexpected path that led to a career in horticulture and the international collaborations that are helping to conserve endangered species and bring diversity to American landscapes.

In 2022 a plant collecting trip to the northern mountains of Vietnam yielded a wealth of new plant material for distribution and study.

Scientist from the Vietnamese Institute of Biological and Ecological Resources were essential collaborators on the 2022 collecting trip.

Uruguay is mostly grassland, and filled with horticultural delights.

During the Uruguay trip, the team encountered at least a dozen different species of Eryngium.

More horticultural diversity in Uruguay.

Nine-Bent Stream in southeastern China offered incredible views, but little interesting plant material.

A beautiful view of the Qinling mountains in southern Shanxi Province in China.

A very dicey river crossing in China.

Paperbark maple (Acer griseum, Zones 4–8 ) growing wild in Taiping Mountain Forest Reserve in China.

Local delicacies are sometimes a bit less appetizing than the typical hotel meal.

To read more about the 2017 China trip, visit here: