Bickelhaupt Arboretum

Clinton, Iowa, United States

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Bickelhaupt Arboretum in Clinton, Iowa, is a 14-acre nationally recognized outdoor museum of trees, shrubs, ground covers, perennials, and annual flowers, founded in 1970 by Robert and Frances Bickelhaupt.

Motivated by the devastation caused by Dutch Elm Disease, the couple transformed their homestead into a lush educational arboretum with collections grouped by genus, including one of the top garden conifer collections in the country with over 600 cultivars.

The arboretum features native prairie grasses, flowering trees, shrub roses, wildflowers, a monarch butterfly station, a bird haven, a herb garden, and an American Hosta Society National Display Garden. Since being donated to Clinton Community College in 2014, the arboretum has continued to serve as a community resource, offering extensive educational programs and events.

Plans are underway to renovate the Bickelhaupt family home into an accessible education and events center, incorporating artistic installations and sustainable landscaping, ensuring the arboretum's legacy endures as a natural and cultural landmark.