New arboretum director named

Mark Weathington, a horticulturist with more than two decades of experience, has been named director of the acclaimed JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University.

Weathington had served as the arboretum’s assistant director since 2007, managing a wide range of responsibilities that included curating arboretum collections and writing grants. He began his career in 1991 as assistant manager for a private nursery, then joined the Atlanta Botanical Garden as horticulturist in 1996. In 1999, he became director of horticulture and facilities for the 155-acre Norfolk Botanical Garden in Virginia.

A frequent and popular speaker, Weathington holds bachelor’s degrees in horticulture and sociology and a master’s degrees in horticulture from Virginia Tech.

The Raulston Arboretum is part of NC State’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and its Department of Horticultural Science. A nationally and internationally noted public garden with one of the largest and most diverse collections of plants for landscape use in the Southeast, especially in the area of woody ornamentals, the Raulston Arboretum is perhaps most well known for plant introductions as well its innovative programs and outreach activities.