Charles Sprague Sargent

author

Charles Sprague Sargent

1841–1927

A leading American botanist and dendrologist, he spent more than half a century building Harvard’s Arnold Arboretum into a major center for the study of trees. He is best remembered for ambitious reference works that helped shape how North American trees were documented and understood.

1 Audiobook

Manual of the Trees of North America (Exclusive of Mexico) 2nd ed.

Manual of the Trees of North America (Exclusive of Mexico) 2nd ed.

by Charles Sprague Sargent

About the author

Born in Boston in 1841, Charles Sprague Sargent became one of the most important American authorities on trees. After serving in the Union Army during the Civil War, he turned to botany and horticulture, fields in which he would make his lasting mark.

In 1872 he became the first director of Harvard University’s Arnold Arboretum, a role he held for more than 50 years. Under his leadership, the arboretum grew into a major scientific institution, and he became known for his deep knowledge of woody plants and for his exacting standards as a scholar and organizer.

Sargent also wrote major works including The Silva of North America and The Manual of the Trees of North America. He died in 1927, leaving behind a legacy that still matters to botanists, gardeners, and anyone interested in the study of trees.