About

The Muhlenberg Botanical Club of Lancaster PA was founded in 1932 by botanical enthusiasts “with the idea of stimulating an interest in botany and to aid in the conservation of wildflowers.” The large collections of two founding members, William Auxer and Louise Tanger, were later donated to the Franklin & Marshall herbarium in the North Museum. Mr. Auxer's collection was donated when the North Museum was being built in 1952. Mrs. Tanger's collection was donated by her son in 1967. The Muhlenberg Botanical Club was inactive in the 1950's and early 1960's, but was revived by Marcia Sutter as the Muhlenberg Botanical Society in 1967, and has been conducting regular field trips and holding meetings at the North Museum ever since.

The name honors botanist Gotthilf Heinrich Ernst Muhlenberg (1753-1815) of Lancaster PA.

The primary missions of the Muhlenberg Botanical Society are:

  • To help members and the general public learn about and appreciate native plants in South-central and South-eastern Pennsylvania, with emphasis on the identification and ecology of plants.

  • To share knowledge of the phylogeny, biogeography, and ecology of plants and flowers in the Mid-Atlantic region and around the world.

  • To help preserve native plants through cultivation and habitat restoration.

Or as it was pledged in an old Muhlenberg Bulletin from the 1930's:

  • “To encourage the study of Botany and disseminate the results of such study; and secure by the cultivation of public sentiment the preservation of our natural scenery, forests and innocuous plants.”

The main activities of the Muhlenberg Botanical Society in recent years have been informational meetings with presentations by outside speakers or knowledgeable members, guided field trips, and workshops on botanical subjects.

One special project of the Society is the Muhlenberg Meadow of Lancaster County Central Park just off Golf Road. This native meadow planting contains some beautiful stands of native meadow flowers along the banks of Mill Creek. Tim Draude, a long time active member and past president of the Society, was the driving force behind collecting seeds from various areas of Lancaster County and coordinating volunteers for planting. The Muhlenberg Meadow reaches its peak period of bloom in late July and August and is lovely place to walk and admire native plants.