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Saturday, February 27, 2010

Arboretum Review : University of Tennessee Gardens

The University of Tennessee Gardens
Department of Plant Sciences
252 Ellington Plant Sciences Bldg
2431 Joe Johnson Drive
Knoxville, TN 37996
Phone: (865) 974-8265
Fax: (865) 974-1947
Email: utgardens@utk.edu
Website: http://utgardens.tennessee.edu/

Date Visited: 04-26-2009

We visited the UT Gardens last spring on our way home from the Smoky Mountains. The Gardens are free to visit and pretty easy to get to from the highway. Had we known how big and beautiful the gardens are we would have allowed more time for our visit. We were able to spend a couple of hours there and still did not have enough time to see everything.



There is a large plaza at the entrance to the gardens. Families with picnics gathered around the tables on this beautiful spring day.

The gardens include a variety of spaces to explore with interesting plants and artwork around every corner. On the day we visited several photographers were taking advantage of the beautiful sceanery. We even saw a bride and her bridesmaids in full dress out for some photos.

Tucked under the shade of the trees is a large Outdoor Classroom.

Some local birds have taken up residency in a birdfeeder in the gardens.

One of the most interesting aspects of the gardens was the large collection of different cultivars. Nearly every tree in the gardens was a selected cultivar. Among these were over a dozen different Japanese Maples, several distinct Falsecypresses and a variety of Spruces, Pines and Redbuds, just to name a few.

For more photos of the UT Gardens visit Early Forest on Facebook.

Observed Trees:
Acer japonicum 'Aconitifolium' - Dancing Peacock Maple
Acer palmatum 'Butterfly' - Butterfly Japanese Maple
Acer palmatum 'Emerald Lace' - Emerald Lace Japanese Maple
Acer palmatum 'Goshiki Kotohime' - Goshiki Kotohime Japanese Maple
Acer palmatum 'Ko No Ito' - Ko No Ito Japanese Maple
Acer palmatum 'Orangeola' - Orangeola Japanese Maple
Acer palmatum 'Orido Nishiki' - Orido Nishiki Japanese Maple
Acer palmatum 'Sango Kaku' - Sango Kaku Japanese Maple
Acer palmatum 'Tana' - Tana Japanese Maple
Acer palmatum 'Villa Taranto' - Villa Taranto Japanese Maple
Acer palmatum var. atropurpureum 'Bloodgood' - Bloodgood Japanese Maple
Acer palmatum var. dissectum 'Tamukeyama' - Tamukeyama Japanese Maple
Cedrus deodara 'Snow Sprite' - Snow Sprite Dwarf Deodar Cedar
Cercidiphyllum japonicum 'Pendula' - Weeping Katsuratree
Cercis canadensis 'Covey' - Covey Weeping Redbud
Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy' - Forest Pansy Redbud
Cercis canadensis 'Hearts of Gold' - Hearts of Gold Eastern Redbud
Chamaecyparis nootkatensis 'Van den Akker' - Van den Akker Nootka Falsecypress
Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Spiralis' - Spiralis Hinoki Cypress
Chamaecyparis pisifera 'White Pygmy' - White Pygmy Sawara Falsecypress
Chamaecyparis thyoides 'Meth Dwarf' - Meth Dwarf Atlantic White Cedar
Cladrastis kentukea 'Perkins Pink' - Perkins Pink American Yellowwood
Cornus kousa 'Kristin Lipkas Variegated Weeper' - K. L. Var. Weeper Korean Dogwood
Corylus avellana 'Contorta' - Contorted Filbert
Corylus avellana 'Red Majestic' - Red Corkscrew Hazel
Cotoneaster microphyllus 'Cooperi' - Cooper's Rockspray Cotoneaster
Cryptomeria fortunei - Fortune's Japanese Cedar
Cryptomeria japonica 'Taisho Tamasugi' - Compact Japanese Red Cedar
Cupressus arizonica 'Blue Spire' - Blue Spire Arizona Cypress
Ginkgo biloba 'Chase Manhattan' - Chase Manhattan Dwarf Ginkgo
Juniperus chinensis 'Blue Point' - Blue Point Chinese Juniper
Juniperus chinensis 'Kaizuka Variegata' - Variegated Hollywood Juniper
Juniperus communis 'Gold Cone' - Gold Cone Juniper
Kerria japonica 'Picta'- Variegated Japanese Kerria
Liriodendron tulipifera 'Aureomarginata' - Variegated Tulip Tree
Magnolia acuminata x 'Brenda' - Brenda Hybrid Cucumbertree Magnolia
Magnolia acuminata x 'Yellow Bird' - Yellow Bird Hybrid Cucumbertree Magnolia
Magnolia 'Sun Sprite' - Sun Sprite Magnolia
Metasequoia glyptostroboides 'Miss Grace' - Weeping Dawn Redwood
Picea abies 'Acrocona' - Acrocona Norway Spruce
Picea abies 'Cupressina' - Fastigiate Norway Spruce
Picea omorika 'Pendula' - Weeping Serbian Spruce
Picea orientalis 'Skylands' - Yellow Oriental Spruce
Picea pungens 'Glauca Globosa' - Globe Colorado Blue Spruce
Picea pungens 'Mesa Verde' - Mesa Verde Colorado Spruce
Pinus bungeana 'Temple Gem' - Temple Gem Lacebark Pine
Pinus mugo 'Corley's Mat' - Corley's Mat Mugo Pine
Pinus ponderosa 'Big Boomer #111' - Big Boomer Ponderosa Pine
Pinus thunbergiana 'Thunderhead' - Thunderhead Japanese Black Pine
Pseudolarix amabalis - Golden Larch
Sciadopitys verticillata - Umbrella Pine
Taxodium distichum 'Peve Minaret' - Dwarf Bald Cypress
Thuja plicata 'Green Giant' - Green Giant Arbotvitae
Ulmus parvifolia 'Bosque' - Bosque Lacebark Elm
Viburnum plicatum tomentosum 'Summer Snowflake' - S. S. Doublefile Viburnum
Wisteria flori 'White Blue Eye' - White Blue Eye Wisteria

Photo : Ko No Ito Japanese Maple Leaves

Ko No Ito Japanese Maple Leaves Ko No Ito Japanese Maple Leaves

View all Japanese Maple Posts & Photos

Photo : Ko No Ito Japanese Maple Tree

Ko No Ito Japanese Maple Ko No Ito Japanese Maple

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Tree List : Native Trees of Indiana

Native Trees of Indiana:

Acer negundo - Box Elder
Acer nigrum - Black Maple
Acer rubrum - Red Maple
Acer saccharinum - Silver Maple
Acer saccharum - Sugar Maple

Aesculus glabra - Ohio Buckeye
Aesculus octandra - Yellow Buckeye

Amelanchier arborea - Downy Serviceberry

Aralia spinosa - Devil's Walkingstick

Asimina triloba - Common Pawpaw

Betula alleghaniensis - Yellow Birch
Betula nigra - River Birch
Betula papyrifera - Paper Birch

Bumelia lycioides - Smooth Southern Buckthorn

Carpinus caroliniana - American Hornbeam

Carya cordiformis - Bitternut Hickory
Carya glabra - Pignut Hickory
Carya illinoensis - Sweet Pecan
Carya laciniosa - Shellbark Hickory
Carya ovalis - Red Hickory
Carya ovata - Shagbark Hickory
Carya pallida - Sand Hickory
Carya tomentosa - Mockernut Hickory

Castanea dentata - American Chestnut

Catalpa speciosa - Northern Catalpa

Celtis laevigata - Sugarberry
Celtis occidentalis - Hackberry

Cercis canadensis - Eastern Redbud

Cladrastis kentukea - American Yellowwood

Cornus florida - Flowering Dogwood

Crataegus mollis - Downy Hawthorn

Diospyros virginiana - Persimmon

Fagus grandifolia - American Beech

Forestiera acuminata - Swamp Privet

Frangula caroliniana - Carolina Buckthorn

Fraxinus americana - White Ash
Fraxinus nigra - Black Ash
Fraxinus pennsylvanica - Green Ash
Fraxinus profunda - Pumpkin Ash
Fraxinus quadrangulata - Blue Ash

Gleditsia aquatica - Water Locust
Gleditsia triacanthos - Honey Locust

Gymnocladus dioica - Kentucky Coffeetree

Juglans cinerea - Butternut / White Walnut
Juglans nigra - Black Walnut

Larix laricina - Eastern Larch

Liquidambar styraciflua - Sweetgum

Liriodendron tulipifera - Tulip Tree

Magnolia acuminata - Cucumbertree
Magnolia tripetala - Umbrella Magnolia

Malus spp. - Crabapple

Morus rubra - Red Mulberry

Ostrya virginiana - American Hophornbeam

Oxydendrum arboreum - Sourwood

Pinus banksiana - Jack Pine
Pinus strobus - Eastern White Pine
Pinus virginiana - Virginia Pine

Platanus occidentalis - Sycamore

Populus deltoides - Eastern Cottonwood
Populus grandidentata - Bigtooth Aspen
Populus heterophylla - Swamp Cottonwood
Populus tremuloides - Quaking Aspen

Prunus americana - American Plum
Prunus pensylcanica - Pin Cherry
Prunus serotina - Black Cherry

Quercus alba - White Oak
Quercus bicolor - Swamp White Oak
Quercus coccinea - Scarlet Oak
Quercus ellipsoidalis - Northern Pin Oak
Quercus falcata - Southern Red Oak
Quercus imbricaria - Shingle Oak
Quercus lyrata - Overcup Oak
Quercus macrocarpa - Bur Oak
Quercus marilandica - Blackjack Oak
Quercus michauxii - Swamp Chestnut Oak
Quercus muehlenbergii - Chinkapin Oak
Quercus pagoda - Cherrybark Oak
Quercus palustris - Pin Oak
Quercus prinus - Chestnut Oak
Quercus rubra - Northern Red Oak
Quercus shumardii - Shumard Oak
Quercus stellata - Post Oak
Quercus velutina - Black Oak

Robinia pseudoacacia - Black Locust

Salix nigra - Black Willow

Sassafras albidum - Sassafras

Taxodium distichum - Bald Cypress

Thuja occidentalis - Arborvitae / Eastern White Cedar

Tilia americana - American Basswood

Tsuga canadensis - Eastern Hemlock

Ulmus alata - Winged Elm
Ulmus americana - American Elm
Ulmus rubra - Slippery Elm
Ulmus thomasii - Rock Elm

Nyssa sylvatica - Black Tupelo / Blackgum

Source : http://www.in.gov/dnr/forestry/files/fo-NativeTreesofIndiana_08.pdf

Photo : Kristin Lipkas Variegated Weeper Korean Dogwood Leaves

Kristin Lipkas Variegated Weeper Korean Dogwood Leaves Kristin Lipkas Variegated Weeper Korean Dogwood Leaves

Photo : Kristin Lipkas Variegated Weeper Korean Dogwood Tree

Kristin Lipkas Variegated Weeping Korean Dogwood Tree Kristin Lipkas Variegated Weeper Korean Dogwood Tree

Friday, February 12, 2010

More Photos Every Day

As I begin to make plans this spring I took a moment to look over what I still have on hand from last year. I seem to have collected a lot more photos than I realized. In the past I have generally posted one photo per day, but that doesnt seem to make sense anymore considering the backlog of photos that I have.

Starting tomorrow, rather than posting one photo per day, I am going to post one tree per day. That way you will get the whole set of photos at once. When photographing a tree we typically try to capture as many detail areas as possible such as leaves, bark, fruit, flowers, and so on. Depending upon the tree, the season photographed, and other factors that could mean one photo or 20 photos, but for now I would expect 2 to 5.

Photo : Spiralis Hinoki Cypress

Spiralis Hinoki Cypress Spiralis Hinoki Cypress

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Arboretum Review : Potawatomi Greenhouses & Conservatories

Ella Morris & Muessel-Ellison Botanical Conservatories and Potawatomi Greenhouses
2105 W Mishawaka Ave.
South Bend, Indiana 46615
(574) 234-7632
http://www.botanicalsocietyofsouthbend.org/index.html

Date Visited : 05 Feb. 2010


The view of the front of the Greenhouses from Mishawaka Ave.

The image above captures the essence of Winter in Northern Indiana fairly well. Overcast skies, snowy grounds, and very little color to speak of. Not to mention the bitter cold and wind that cuts through your layers of clothes. On days like this outside is not where most people want to be. Fortunately, we happened to be visiting South Bend, Indiana and had the opportunity to see some trees and color while staying warm inside.

We entered at the Ella Morris Conservatory, one of several greenhouses that are linked together. The doors were locked tight, but a sign under a doorbell urged us to ring for entry. A woman promptly welcomed us and offered to assist us with any questions.


Ella Morris & Muessel-Ellison Botanical ConservatoriesFountain in the Ella Morris Conservatory

Inside the Ella Morris Conservatory we were immediately drawn toward a large Calamondin Citrus tree that had both fruit and flowers upon it. The woman working there offered to let us pick some fruit and try it. The little oranges had been sprayed with an insecticide, so I took them home and washed them first. They were very soft and sour, and only after researching them at home discovered that the orange colored fruit is often over ripe.


The Ella Morris Conservatory is one large open room with several large tropical trees with assorted undergrowth in the raised beds on each side of the path. We passed under a couple of large Rubber Trees and entered the next room, The Muessel-Ellison Conservatory.


A large palm dominates the entrance to the Muessel-Ellison Conservatory. I was disappointed to find that most of the trees throughout the Conservatories and Greenhouses are without proper identification tags. Many do not have any name tags at all, and those that do often lack scientific nomenclature.

An upper terrace in the Muessel-Ellison Conservatory overlooks the gardens below.


I was slightly disturbed by the artificial landscape inside the Muessel-Ellison conservatory. The green astro turf and blue creek begin to take on the character a minature golf course. It is disappointing because the gardens have so much potential and with a little work could really shine.

This beautiful Bird of Paradise flower was a welcome splash of color to brighten up our day.

Moving on from the Muessel-Ellison Conservatory we entered the Arizona Desert Dome.


The dome shaped building has a path that wraps around the exterior with the planted area in a depressed pit in the center. Kids will enjoy the acoustics of the room, the round walls create perfect echoes.

Visitors will find two large trees in the Desert Dome, a Monkey Puzzle Tree and a Pencil Tree.

Just outside of the conservatories stands a tall stone. The plaque infront of the stone identifies it as a stone from Mt. Sinai.

Our visit to the conservatories was a welcome escape from the winter blues. While the plant identification is lacking, the conservatories have huge potential that I am optimistic will be seen in the near future. I encourage you to visit the Botanical Society of South Bend's website where you can become a member and volunteer your time.

To see some behind the sceanes photos of these Greenhouses, please jump over to our Facebook Page.

Observed Trees:
Araucaria araucana - Monkey Puzzle Tree
Averrhoa carambola - Star Fruit
Beaucarnea recurvata - Ponytail Palm
Callistemon spp. - Bottlebrush Tree
Citrus mitis - Calamondin Orange
Crassula ovata - Jade Plant
Euphorbia tirucalli- Pencil Tree
Ficus elastica - Rubber Tree
Schefflera actinophylla - Umbrella Tree