Chicagoland Grows® a Greener World

Chicagoland Grows® is a non-profit plant introduction program that stems from a collaboration between Chicago Botanic Garden, Morton Arboretum, and the Ornamental Growers Association of Northern Illinois. Come learn about the trees introduced through Chicagoland Grows® from The Morton Arboretum, and how we strive to make the world a greener place through our New Plant Development Program.

Kim Shearer is the Tree and Shrub Breeder at The Morton Arboretum. She completed her M.S. degree at Oregon State University in Horticulture with a concentration in Plant Breeding and Genetics where she worked with Dr. Ryan Contreras. Her graduate degree projects focused on inducing and evaluating hereditary variation in maples, penstemon, and cape hyacinth. She completed her B.S. degrees in Horticulture and Plant Biology at North Carolina State University.  In North Carolina, Kim was mentored by Dr. Tom Ranney and Dr. Jenny Xiang.  As an undergraduate, Kim conducted research on cultivated dogwoods and native azaleas. In her role as breeder at Morton, Kim develops breeding strategies for improved trees and shrubs, conducts breeding research, focuses on native plant collecting, and manages the Haerther Charitable Trust New Plant Development Program.