From the Department Chair

Welcome to the Department of Horticulture at Iowa State University! As a new Department Chair, I am truly humbled/honored to serve our students, faculty, staff, stakeholders, industry partners, and individuals and communities that engage with horticulture in some form or other. Horticulture plays a crucial role in our day—to-day lives as it touches vital pieces of our ecosystem such as food production, landscape management, environmental conservation, and enhancing urban spaces and landscapes. It combines knowledge of biology, ecology, and technology to create sustainable and aesthetically pleasing environments.

Our department is proud of its rich and impactful horticultural legacy and has been producing horticulturists for over a century. Here in the department we are excited to share our passion for plants, sustainability, and the science of cultivation with you. Whether you are a prospective student, a current student, or a member of our community, you will find a wealth of resources, opportunities, and inspiration here. The department strives to create a positive learning environment, within which students engage in gathering knowledge, work effectively in teams, and acquire life-long learning skills. Our students learn the best way to grow fruits, vegetables, and ornamentals in the field or controlled environments, plan and build beautiful landscapes, install and maintain turfgrass, and search for new plants with superior pest resistance and tolerance to climatic variability. Our department is dedicated to exploring innovative practices and fostering a deep appreciation for the natural world. With a diverse range of courses, hands-on experiences, and research initiatives, we strive to prepare our students for successful careers in horticulture and related fields. The department has a strong research portfolio that encompasses a wide range of studies aimed at improving plant cultivation, crop improvement, sustainability, and management practices. Our robust extension and outreach program synthesizes products of scientific processes in ways that lead to evidence-informed practice at the local level. We are proud of our mission to serve citizens of Iowa and beyond.

We invite you to explore our programs, engage with our faculty, and discover the vibrant community we have built. Thank you for visiting, and we look forward to connecting with you!