Advancing Plants

We improve how plants are produced and used for food, recreation and environmental protection.

Worldwide Excellence

People depend on plants for food, environmental aesthetics and recreation. No matter where you live, work or play, what we do touches your life.

Our faculty and students conduct cutting-edge research that increases the quality and variety of fruits, vegetables and ornamental plants available to consumers worldwide. We are experts in the science, art, technology and business of growing plants. And the demand for our services is growing.

Whether through hands-on instruction in our greenhouses, field labs or community gardens, our work ensures the economic and environmental sustainability for horticulture across the state, the nation and the world.

Your Path to CALS

Did you know there’s more than one way to get into CALS? Initiatives like STEAM, ASPIRE, Community College Partnership Program and the Agricultural Institute (AGI) offer potential paths to agriculture and life sciences education at NC State.

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Undergraduate Programs

Explore two-year, four-year, certificate and horticulture minor programs.

Graduate Programs

Pursue an advanced degree where applied and basic science meet.

Online Programs

Take online undergraduate and graduate courses, certificates or earn a master of horticultural science.

Careers

See what’s possible with a horticulture degree from NC State University.

Scholarships

A variety of funding is available to make a horticulture education possible.

Faculty

Discover the expert faculty who enable the advancement of plant sciences.

a group of people stand outside greenhouses in Ivory Coast

Promoting Food Security in the Ivory Coast

CALS Professor Carlos Iglesias recently traveled to sub-Saharan Africa to help farmers in the Ivory Coast improve their agricultural practices and empower the country to potentially become the breadbasket of west Africa.

Sophia Mozgala Interns with NC State Extension’s Burke County Center

Mozgala’s internship shows how NC State Extension serves a student community at the NC State Extension Burke County Center.

Fall leaves surround the Belltower on a warm November day

Liu and Kon Promoted to Associate Professor

Promotions mark a major milestone in the academic lives of NC State faculty. Promoted faculty have met rigorous standards in their realms of responsibility and aim to make an impact in their discipline.

NC State Extension

Our Extension staff serves the community by delivering research-based knowledge

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Research

Discover the research and innovations that allow us to solve grand challenges in agriculture.

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Get the latest Horticultural Science News

Dec 02

Monday6:30 PM

Native Plants To Know And Love

Dec 03

Tuesday1:00 PM

Plant-lover’s Tour: Late Fall Color

Dec 04

Wednesday3:00 PM

Gardening 101: Cool Swags from the Garden

Ways to Give

Explore the various ways you can make a gift to the Department of Horticultural Science.

Support Horticulture

Man cradling 5 sweet potatoes in his arms, wearing an NC State t-shirt with their "Think And Do" slogan printed on it.

JC Raulston Arboretum

The JC Raulston Arboretum is a nationally acclaimed garden with one of the largest and most diverse collections of landscape plants adapted for landscape use in the Southeast.

Junior Level Botanic Garden Grotto Garden Pathway

Juniper Level Botanic Garden

One of the largest and most diverse plant collections in the world and is an 8-acre educational, research, and display garden.