In 2004, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden entered into an agreement with Virginia Commonwealth University to establish a joint herbarium collection housed in the Garden's Education and Library Complex. The collection consists of approximately 17,000 dried plant specimens compiled by VCU, representing mostly native plants collected in the Eastern United States, and around 4,000 specimens of mostly ornamental plants from the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden plant collection.

The herbarium provides a valuable resource for plant specialists - including taxonomists, ecologists, students, teachers, botanical artists, visiting scientists and amateur naturalists who use it for projects ranging from DNA research to studies of biodiverstiy. VCU students and Garden volunteers work in the herbarium to mount, repair and label specimens. Future plans include the establishment of a database and digital "virtual herbarium" collection.

Access to the herbarium is by appointment with either the librarian or with the contact professor at VCU (currently this position is unfilled).

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