University of Washington Botanic Gardens

“Scratch and Sniff”

1)  Abies amabilis (Pacific Silver Fir)

• Pacific Northwestern native growing up to 250 feet tall in the wild, but is often short-lived in gardens.
• Its crushed needles smell like orange peel.
• The easiest of the Arboretum specimens to find is on the Upper Trail below the Peony bed.

2)  Cupressus goveniana var. pygmaea (Mendocino Cypress)

• The “pygmy” stature occurs in this tree’s native habitat: infertile ancient sand dunes above the Pacific Ocean near Mendocino. In normal soil, it can exceed 100 feet.
• The crushed needles smell like lemon peel.
• It is located on Arboretum Drive near the south end.

3)  Laureliopsis philippiana

• Native to Chile and Argentina.
• Crushed leaves smell like orange.
• It is located in the Pacific Connections Entry Garden and on Arboretum Drive in grid  9-4E.

4)  Morella pensylvanica (Bayberry)

• Formerly Myrica, native to the east coast of North America from Canada to Florida.
• The fragrant, waxy berries were made into candles.
• Located in 43-B in the Arboretum’s Oak Collection.

5)  Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas Fir)

• For Northwesterners, this is the essential smell of Christmas in the winter and the forest in summer.  It is native to the North American west coast and self-sows freely in the Arboretum.

“Judge a Plant by Its Cover”:  Twigs and Bark

Photo of Acer buergerianum (Trident Maple) trunk (#1)

1)   Acer buergerianum (Trident Maple) – photo of trunk (to the right)

• Move over Stewartia pseudocamellia, at least for the time being.
• Exceptional mottled flakey, lighter gray-brown bark on this young Asian maple.
• Makes a good street tree in Seattle, tolerant of a wide-range of stress factors.

2)   Acer caesium ssp. giraldii

• Maple featuring young branches covered with a whitish bloom (DO NOT TOUCH)
• Native to the Himalaya region of China (Shaanxi and Yunnan provinces)
• Specimen located along Arboretum Drive in the Peonies

Photo of Betula albo-sinensis var. septentrionalis (Chinese Red Birch) trunk (#3)

3)   Betula albo-sinensis var. septentrionalis (Chinese Red Birch) – photo of trunk (to the right)

• “The bark is singularly lovely, being a rich orange-red or orange-brown and peels off in sheets, each no thicker than fine tissue paper, and each successive layer is clothed with a white glaucous bloom.”  – E.H. Wilson, Aristocrats of the Trees
• Please resist the temptation to tear, pull, rub… the bark.  It is disrespectful, potentially harmful to the tree, and a crime to deface public property.
• Grove located in the Witt Winter Garden.

Samples of #2, #4, and #5

4)   Cornus sanguinea   ‘Midwinter Fire’

• A multi-colored thicket-forming dogwood.
• Brightens up ones’ spirits on any dark and gloomy winter Seattle day.
• Located in the twig bed of the Witt Winter Garden.

5)   Prunus maackii   (Manchurian or Goldbark Cherry)

• Not as common as the Birchbark Cherry, but has brighter honey-brown bark.
• Located on the north toe of Yew hill, grid 30-3W.