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Current Plant Highlights

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April

Cornus mas, cornelian cherry dogwood, is a Eurasian species whose bright clusters of yellow flowers completely envelop the plant in early spring, prior to leaf emergence. Fruits are usually bright red and edible. The leaves can become purplish in the autumn. With maturity, the bark becomes flaky and attractive, but the tree remains relatively small, reaching only 20 to 25 feet in height. C. mas is located on the west side of Meadow Road, among the cork trees.

Cornus officinalis, Japanese cornel dogwood, is very much like C. mas, though its habit is more open and the bark more colorful, with hints of brown and orange among the gray patches. This species usually flowers up to a week earlier than C. mas, though its fruits ripen later. Though not as common as C. mas, the tree shows much promise for landscape use. C. officinalis is located on the west side of Meadow Road among the cork trees.

Corylopsis spp., winterhazels, as a group deserve much greater use, but C. spicata and C. pauciflora are virtually the only ones available commercially. All have similar attributes, however. Most noteworthy are the pendulous to upright clusters of flowers that range in color from creamy-yellow to golden. They are superb at woodland edges or when grown in masses. Leaves are green to blue-green, with heavy, coarse veins, and turn yellow in autumn. All have delicate habits and are fairly easy to grow, provided severe droughts do not persist. Because they bloom early, spring frosts can be a problem. The winterhazels are located on Chinese Path.

Forsythia x intermedia 'Karl Sax' is a fine selection from a cross between F. 'Arnold Giant' and F. x intermedia 'Spectabilis'. It is named for a former director of the Arnold Arboretum who conducted considerable research on the genus. This clone is shrubbier than some, perhaps not as graceful, but produces large yellowish-orange flowers. The arrival of forsythia flowers in the Arboretum is always a time of excitement for Bostonians, as spring and warmer temperatures can't be far behind. F. x intermedia 'Karl Sax' is located on the forsythia bank at the base of Bussey Hill Road to the west of Beech Path.

Prunus sargentii, sargent cherry, was named for the Arboretum's first director, Charles Sprague Sargent, and introduced by the Arboretum in 1890. Its leaves emerge with a reddish tint, turning green in summer and bronze-red in fall. The flowers, which bloom prior to leaf emergence, are single and pink. The bark is shiny and reddish-brown and is especially attractive on young trunks and branches. A large cherry, the tree reaches 20 to 30 feet in height at maturity. Sargent cherry is located on the slope immediately to the south of the Hunnewell Building.

The earliest viburnum to bloom in the Arboretum, Viburnum farreri 'Candidissimum', white fragrant viburnum, is a feast for the eyes (and nose) in early spring. Its flowers emerge from yellow buds, releasing a sweet, pleasant fragrance. Once open, however, the flowers are prone to frost damage, turning brown after a late freeze. The leaves have a bronze tint as they unfurl, turning green during summer, and reddish-purple in autumn. This viburnum is located on the west side of Valley Road near the planetrees at the Centre Street gate.

A native of Japan, Lindera obtusiloba var. obtusiloba, Japanese spicebush, is a wonderful species that is becoming more common in the trade. The plant is easily recognized by its oddly shaped leaves, reminiscent of sassafras (a close cousin). The leaves are a wine color in the spring, become grass green in the summer, and a vivid gold to lemon in autumn. The small, yellow flowers bloom before the leaves emerge. This is a good plant for full sun to partial shade, hardy through zone 6. Mature plants are generally 10 to 12 feet in height. Japanese spicebush is located on the north side of Bussey Hill Road adjacent to the sassafras grove.