Chapman Field (Miami)
Chapman Field (officially the Subtropical Horticulture Research Station) is a horticulture and agronomy research facility of the Agricultural Research Service, a division of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), located in Miami, Florida. Dating from 1898, it is one of the oldest entities in South Florida. The USDA also refers to it as the Miami Station.
| Chapman Field | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 25°38′30.05″N 80°17′42.45″W |
| Area | 197 acres |
| Opened | 1898 |
| Founder | David Fairchild |
| Owned by | United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) |
| Collections | rubber, cacao, coffee, mango, palm, avocado |
| Website | Subtropical Horticulture Research Station |
The introduction of economically useful plants into the US is a three-step process: (1) explorers find the plants in foreign countries; (2) the plants are sent back to a USDA introduction garden where they are evaluated; (3) successful plants are distributed to farmers and nurserymen. Chapman Field is the original introduction garden for tropical plants.
Over 20,000 plant introductions have been registered at the Miami station since its establishment. Emphasis has been on rubber, cacao, coffee, mango, palm, avocado, lychee, and other plants.