The W.J. Beal Botanical Garden is located just north of the Red Cedar River off West Circle Drive between the MSU Library and Intramural Sports Circle.  Within its five acres are living plant collections representing plant diversity, threatened and endangered plants of Michigan, and plants used in our daily lives. The entire MSU campus encompasses the Campus Arboretum.

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Venue offerings:

• Virtual talk: "Plants Important in Human History"
  Plants that have figured in endeavors of nations and economies since the start of civilization.
   
• In garden tour: "Edible Wild Plants of Spring"
  Join Beal Botanical Garden curator Peter Carrington for a tour of the Beal Botanical Garden to showcase the edible plants that tempt us into the fresh menu of spring wild vegetables. How to gather them safely and keep everyone asking for more.
   
• In garden tour: "The Food Plants of Our Indigenous Predecessors"
  The Indigenous Americans, on whose ancestral lands the Beal Garden and Michigan State University now stand, have a deep understanding of the food uses of all potential plants that could contribute to their support. Join the Beal Garden curator Peter Carrington on a walk through the “pantry” that helped keep the First Nations alive for countless millennia.
   
• In garden tour: "The War of the Weeds—The Silent Battle for Unpaved Ground"
  The plants we lump into the category called weeds have an ongoing fight for unmaintained ground that started in the distant past. Join Beal Garden curator Peter Carrington as we find out who the troops are, where the newest armies are from, and why this matters to civilization.
   
• In garden tour: "Our Botanical Medicinal Heritage"
  One hundred fifty years ago, almost all our medicines came from plants. Today, the percentage is somewhat less, but still hugely significant. Join Beal Garden curator Peter Carrington as we remember where some of our species’ most important medical developments came from, and where some of the newest discoveries of promise are now being found in plants today.
   
• In garden tour: "The Tomato Family: Friend and Foe"
  The tomato family is enormous and includes both our favorite vegetables and most subtle poisons. Join Beal Botanical Garden curator Peter Carrington as we explore who our allies are, who poses the persistent challenges, and how nicotine shows up in the strangest places.

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