Trees and Plants

The Ratrie Arboretum has more than 1,400 trees that represent 109 distinct species. Most are native to our region, but there is a healthy population of unusual non-native trees.

There are four champion trees of West Virginia within the Arboretum. All contribute to the health of the Kanawha Valley by manufacturing oxygen, sequestering carbon dioxide and some airborne pollutants, and preventing stormwater runoff. They provide food and shelter for birds and wildlife. They support and are supported by, a multitude of insect, bacterial, and fungi species. The Arboretum itself can be thought of as a complex organism.