Calycanthus x raulstonii ‘Hartlage Wine’
With the majority of our Rhododendron collection blooming right now, many other blossoming plants can be overshadowed – like this small shrub, the Calycanthus x raulstonii “Hartlage Wine’ which sits outside the Graham Visitors Center.
These gorgeous dark maroon flowers caught my eye the other day. The Calycanthus is a deciduous shrub that likes sun/part shade, can be a vigorous grower (though not taller than 8′), and bears long lasting flowers in the spring. The cultivar ‘Hartlage Wine’ is fairly new to gardens, it is a cross between a SE US species and a Chinese species. Although the 3″-4″ flowers last a long time, they do not bear the scent of their parent plants. The common name for these plants is Allspice, although they are not related to the pepper bearing Allspice which is the genus Pimenta. Free weekend walks for the month of May will feature many special flowers in our collection.
The Red or Swamp Maple, Acer rubrum, is always noticed for its intense flame color in the fall, but I love these trees best right now – when they are covered in flowers prior to foliation.
There are several species of Witch Hazel, genus Hamamelis, featured in the Witt Winter Garden, which is in all its glory this month. The colors range from yellow to orange to red and their scent is incredibly heady.
People often think that because it is winter there isn’t much to see in the park right now. But this is a great time of year to walk through the arboretum with family and friends. With the leaves gone from most of the trees, other features stand out that may not normally catch the eye. Beautiful colors and patterns in bark are exposed, as are bird’s nests. Interesting seed pods, berries, fruits and delicate catkins stand out.
The WPA guides and education staff recently visited Seattle’s Dunn Garden on one of our enrichment tours. We visit local gardens regularly as part of our commitment to further education so that we, as guides, can provide WPA visitors a great tour experience.
The Fothergilla major is a deciduous shrub native to the Southeastern U.S. where its common name is Witch Alder. Though not an alder, it is in the Hamamelidaceae family and, like its relative Witch Hazel, is a wonderful deciduous shrub for any garden.
These 3-parted pods contain the seeds of the Koelreuteria paniculata or Golden Rain Tree. This tree is native to East Asia, China & Korea and is used as an ornamental for its flowers, leaves and seed pods. Although it is considered an invasive in the SE United States. The Arboretum’s free Sunday walks for the month of September will feature the “Fruits & Nuts” of this tree and many others in the collection. Come on our free walk with a knowledgeable guide – every Sunday, 1:00 pm at the Graham Visitors Center