Dr. John Ruter
Live and Let Die:
Life in a University Trial Garden
Dr. Ruter will discuss how the UGA Trial Garden functions, some of the challenges, and plants that have survived during the past decade.
Date & Time: Feb. 16th, Social Hour 6:30 PM, Presentation 7:30 PM
Location: St. Dunstan's Church, 4393 Garmon Road NW, Dunwoody
Dr. John M. Ruter is the Allan M. Armitage Endowed Professor of Horticulture at The University of Georgia and serves as Director of the Trial Gardens at UGA. Before his current position, Dr. Ruter was the nursery crop research and extension specialist for UGA and Director of the Coastal Plain Research Arboretum on the Tifton Campus. Dr. Ruter’s research focuses on breeding and introducing herbaceous and woody ornamental cultivars through advanced breeding techniques focused on improved plant aesthetics, resilience, and sustainability, as well as developing Camellia oleifera as a new oilseed crop for the United States. Dr. Ruter’s program has licensed over 50 cultivars, and his work has resulted in 30 issued U.S. plant patents, with additional domestic and international patents pending, all of which have been licensed to industry partners.
Dr. Ruter teaches classes on herbaceous plant identification and current topics in horticulture, and instructs the Trial Gardens Interns. He mentors graduate students working with diverse genera, such as Castanea, Hibiscus, Lagerstroemia, Pycnanthemum, and Salvia. He is involved in community education through outreach programs such as Experience UGA, the Trial Gardens, and other cooperative extension programs.
Dr. Ruter has been recognized by organizations such as the American Conifer Society, the Holly Society of America, The Garden Clubs of Georgia, the Georgia Green Industry Association, Georgia Author of the Year, and the Southern Nursery Association. He is a Fellow of both the American Society for Horticultural Science and the Southern Region International Plant Propagators’ Society. Dr. Ruter is an award-winning author of four books and over 500 scientific and popular publications.
Dr. Ruter has received numerous honors, including the Julian C. Miller Senior Distinguished Research Award from the American Society for Horticultural Science, the UGA Inventor of the Year Award, the Plant Licensing Innovation Award from UGA’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and the D.W. Brooks Faculty Award for Excellence in Research. Dr. Ruter was recently named a Fellow of the American Society for Horticultural Science and has received their Outstanding Graduate Educator Award. In January of this year, Dr. Ruter was elected a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors. Election to NAI fellowship is the highest professional distinction accorded to academic inventors. Fellows are recognized for prolific innovation that has had tangible impacts on quality of life, economic development, and the welfare of society.
You can purchase an advance One Day Guest Pass to hear Dr. Ruter in person or via Zoom here: One Day Speaker or Event Membership 2026 Zoom passes are not available 48 hours or less before the meeting.
