Späth Arboretum

The Späth Arboretum of the Humboldt University Berlin is a botanical garden dedicated to trees and shrubs. It is home to thousands of different trees and shrubs, as well as aquatic, alpine, medicinal and bog plants.

The 3.5-hectare Späth Arboretum originated as part of the Späth horticultural business, founded in 1720, which Franz Späth relocated to what was then Neu-Britz in 1864 and expanded over the course of four decades into the world's largest tree nursery. This laid the foundation for the flourishing of Baumschulenweg.

From testing site for new plant varieties to cultural hub

In 1879, the arboretum was laid out in the style of an English landscape park according to plans by Gustav Meyer, Berlin's director of city parks. It served not only as a private park but also as a testing ground for new cultivars and newly introduced trees and shrubs, as well as a display garden for clients. In 1961, the arboretum was transferred to the newly founded Institute for Special Botany at the Humboldt University in Berlin. The former manor house was converted into the institute's building. The valuable collection of trees and shrubs was thus preserved for the scientific community and incorporated into the university's teaching and research. In 1966, it opened to the public. Since then, the Sunday tours - held four times a year, some of which feature a morning concert - have been a traditional part of cultural life in the Treptow-Köpenick district.

4,000 plant species in the Späth Arboretum

Today, the Späth Arboretum is part of the Institute of Biology in the Faculty of Life Sciences at Humboldt University in Berlin. It is home to approximately 1,200 species and cultivars of woody plants, including many of Späth's own cultivars. The park features a rock garden and a pond complex. The Systematic Section displays a collection of herbaceous plants grouped according to their phylogenetic relationships and includes a section dedicated to medicinal and aromatic plants, bringing the total number of plant species on display to approximately 4,000.

Address, Opening Hours and Contact Information

• Address:
  Späthstraße 80
  12437 Berlin
  City map
• Phone: [phone]
• Internet: www.biologie.hu-berlin.de
• Opening Hours: April through October: Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Admission Fee:
  €1.50, concessions €1
• Please note: Due to the renovation of the irrigation system, most of the Späth Arboretum will be temporarily closed. The Systematic Section will remain open during regular hours. The entire arboretum is scheduled to reopen in mid-August 2026.