The JC Raulston Arboretum is a "nationally acclaimed" botanical garden and arboretum maintained by the Department of Horticultural Science at NC State University. Besides serving as a teaching garden for NC State, it is open to the public and frequently used as a subject and backdrop for photographers; certain parts can be rented for events like weddings or meetings.

The garden hosts over 5,000 types ('taxa') of plants; it is often used to study the suitability of a plants for the Piedmont climate, but plant from around the world are present. The site is divided into different gardens like the Japanese Garden (with Zen garden of contemplation), the Butterfly Garden (attracts butterflies and moths), or the Klein-Pringle White Garden (only white-flowered or white foliage plants).

The arboretum was founded in 1976 by J. C. Raulston, according the the arboretum Web site "a major force behind the horticultural renaissance in the U.S. nursery industry". J. C. Raulston encouraged area growers to take propagation cuttings, an unusual step at the time.

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