The National Arboretum is open to the public once more. Come take a walk — there is a lot to explore during late autumn! Little pops of color are beginning to dot the Camellia Collection, located inside the Asian Collections. The Arboretum’s camellias will bloom from now into spring, depending on the plant variety and weather. The Gotelli Conifer Collection’s evergreen-lined trails offer a pop of greenery when all other trees have lost their leaves. Or spy the U.S. Capitol building and Washington Monument from the top of Mount Hamilton, home of the Azalea Collections. This view is only visible during the fall and winter when the leaves have fallen.

Learn More About the Arboretum’s Collections >

The National Arboretum is the perfect place to walk and spend time with friends and family during the holiday season. The Arboretum is open every day from 8 AM to 5 PM, but is closed on December 25th. The National Bonsai & Penjing Museum is open every day from 10 AM to 4 PM, but is closed on all federal holidays from November through February. Admission and parking at the Arboretum are free.

Learn More About Visiting the Arboretum >

Join FONA and other partner organizations from the Anacostia River corridor for an Anacostia Volunteer Appreciation Party on Saturday, November 22nd. This event will take place from 1 PM to 4 PM at the Go-Go Museum & Cafe. There will be live music, refreshments, and celebration as we honor our amazing volunteers and the communities we take part in!

Learn More & Register >

Have you ever tried cooking with tatsoi? This is one of the vegetables we grow in the Washington Youth Garden that has a rich cultural connection with our D.C. community.

Tatsoi (Brassica rapa subsp. narinosa or rosularis) is a leafy cabbage green from the Brassica family that is closely related to bok choy. The name comes from the Cantonese word, 塌菜, for “drooping vegetable." It has also been called Chinese flat cabbage, rosette pak choi, and spoon/spinach mustard. It has a smooth texture and subtle nutty mustard flavor.

Tatsoi has been cultivated since the 6th century and was first documented in the 16th century by a Chinese herbalist Li Shizhen. Although tatsoi is native to a region near the Yangtze River in central China, over time it was spread into Korea and the surrounding countries where it is a common vegetable used for kimchi, a side dish consisting of salted and fermented vegetables.

In the early 20th century, tatsoi was transported to Japan by soldiers returning home after fighting in China during the Russo-Japanese War. Since then, it has been adapted into Japanese cuisine — referred to as tasai in Japan — and revered as an essential green. Today, tatsoi has become popular in North America and can be found throughout the world.

Tatsoi's delicious flavor and texture makes it a good substitute for spinach, but with a slightly spicy twist. When we give away produce from the Washington Youth Garden to students and parents at our partner schools, we also include suggested recipes. Here are some of our favorite recipes where tatsoi is the star of the show:

Baked Sweet Potato with Tatsoi Pesto >

Miso Soup with Tatsoi >

Tatsoi Salad with Sesame-Ginger Dressing>

Pre-orders are now available for Christmas trees, wreaths, and garlands in advance of our Christmas Tree Sale. You can have them delivered directly to your house or you can pick them up at the Arboretum during our sale from November 28th through December 7th. Pre-ordering is not required but guarantees you a great tree at the best price.

When you buy your tree and greenery from FONA's sale, 10% of your purchase is donated directly back to FONA. Please select "Friends of the National Arboretum" as the fundraising partner at checkout to ensure your purchase supports FONA.

Pre-Order Your Tree & Holiday Greenery >

There are many tax-smart ways to support FONA before the end of the year. These can include donations of appreciated securities (stocks, bonds, mutual funds), gifts through donor-advised funds, and donations of the IRA required minimum distribution.

Donations of any amount make you a FONA member. When you donate an annual gift of $1,200 or more to FONA, you also join our David Fairchild Society for one year. This group of supporters receives additional benefits and opportunities to engage with the National Arboretum’s work on top of the benefits that all FONA members receive. Email us to learn more about the different ways to give to FONA.

Email Us to Learn More >