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Current Plant Highlights

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October

Fothergilla, also called witch alder, is closely related to the witchhazels. Both members of the genus are native to the southeastern United States. Prized for their brilliantly colored fall foliage, their leaves range from yellow to orange to red late into autumn. In spring, their white, apetalous flowers are arranged in bottlebrush inflorescences and release a sweet, honey-like scent. The large fothergilla, F. major, reaches 6 to 10 feet in height. F. gardenii 'Mount Airy', a cultivar of dwarf fothergilla, reaches only 3 to 5 feet in height and is known for its hardiness, surviving temperatures as low as minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit. A mass of large fothergilla is located on Chinese Path, and Fothergilla gardenii 'Mount Airy' can be seen growing in front of the Hunnewell Building.

A native of Korea, Acer triflorum, three-flower maple, was introduced to the West in 1917 by Ernest Henry Wilson. Wilson, one of the Arnold Arboretum's legendary plant explorers, declared three-flower maple one of his favorites. The tree's leaves turn yellow and red in fall, seeming to appear orange from a distance. The ash-brown bark exfoliates as it ages, adding additional character. Though its yellow flowers are not particularly showy, they are arranged in clusters of three, as the common and Latin names suggest. This relatively small maple reaches 20 to 30 feet in height at maturity. Three-flower maple is located in front of the Hunnewell Building, as well as in the maple collection.

The fragrant blooms of Oxydendrum arboreum, sourwood, emerge in July. The small, white, urn-shaped flowers hang in panicles reminiscent of lily-of-the-valley; hence its other common name, lily-of-the-valley tree. Bees are strongly attracted to the flowers, and sourwood honey is a specialty in the tree's native southern Appalachian Mountains. Fall foliage color can be stunning, ranging from yellow to red to purple, even in some instances taking on a pink tone. The tree reaches 25 to 30 feet in height. A sourwood is located on the west side of Meadow Road, just past the horse chestnut and buckeye collection.

Of all the trees in the arboretum, the katsura tree, Cercidiphyllum japonicum, may be one of the most endearing. The heart-shaped leaves, clustered along the branches, are burgundy-green when they first appear in spring, become blueish in summer, and then, in autumn, a spectacular apricot to golden yellow. Coincident with the autumn color change, the leaves emit the strong aroma of caramelized brown sugar. Some trees in their native Japan or China have been known to reach heights of over 130 feet and—because of their natural multistemmed habit—widths of nearly the same. However, most trees in cultivation are much smaller. The collection of katsura trees along Meadow Road includes several of the very earliest introductions from 1878. A young specimen of the pendulous Cercidiphyllum japonicum 'Morioka Weeping' also grows in this area.

The stunning purple fruits of the Chinese beautyberry, Callicarpa dichotoma, are so intense in color as to seem unnatural. They are profusely borne in clusters along the arching stems. Beautiful as the fruits are, the pinkish flowers that precede them are nondescript, as are the leaves. Several Chinese beautyberries grow on the east side of Bussey Hill Road across from the lilacs.

Korean mountain ash, Sorbus alnifolia, is one of the most beautiful of the mountain ashes. It is densely branched and foliated, with dark green simple leaves (unlike most Sorbus). The white flowers of spring become bright red-orange berries in autumn, complementing the brilliant yellowish-orange leaves. This species may be one of the most robust of mountain ashes for cultivation in eastern North America. Not only is it cold hardy, but it also tolerates the heat, drought, and insect stresses that commonly plague the genus. A wonderful old specimen can be found growing among the oak trees, between Bussey Hill and Valley Roads.