what is the Tree of the Sad Night?

The Miller Library has Augustine Henry’s own copy of the seven-volume The Trees of Great Britain and Ireland (co-written with Henry John Elwes, 1909-1913) , and we discovered his handwritten note referring to the tree of the Noche Triste (Sad Night) in Mexico, citing an 1896 article describing the Tree of the Sad Night as Cupressus mexicana. We wanted to know what a note about Cupressus was doing in among the Taxodium pages (instead of in volume 5, with Cupressus species, including C. mexicana).

The placement of that note turns out to be meaningful, because the classification of C. mexicana has fluctuated over the years and in 1906, Henry himself was responsible for naming Taxodium distichum var. mucronatum, which was at one time called Cuprespinnata mexicana, with common names such as Mexican cypress or Montezuma cypress. The scientific name is still contested: “Most authorities continue to call the ahuehuete Taxodium mucronatum, although there is also widespread support for the name T. distichum var. mexicanum due to molecular studies showing an extremely close similarity between all taxa of Taxodium.” The tree’s name in Nahuatl is ahuehuete, meaning old man of the water, and there are some specimens of impressive vintage in Mexico. The reference to water reflects the ability of this tree to thrive in swampy conditions.

The night in the tree’s name is June 30, 1520, when the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés failed to overcome the Mexica warriors, and was said to have sat down and wept by this tree in Popotla. It is worth noting that conflicts are often complex: Cortés had allies among the indigenous Tlaxala, who were captured or killed along with the Spaniards. The tree was renamed Árbol de la Noche Victoriosa in 2021, marking the 500th anniversary of victory over the Spanish. The preserved remnants of the tree may or may not belong to the tree of legend, but it continues to be an important symbol of Mexican identity.

Cupressus, Mexican plants, Taxodium

Mexican Flowering Trees and Plants

Helen Fowler O’Gorman (1904-1984) grew up in Wisconsin but graduated in fine arts and architecture from the University of Washington. She began her career as sculptor and went to Mexico in 1940 to continue her studies with painter Diego Rivera. He encouraged her to concentrate on painting and over the next two decades, she developed a passion for illustrating the native and garden plants of her adopted country, leading to the publication of “Mexican Flowering Trees and Plants” in 1961.

At the time of their meeting, Rivera was married to painter Frida Kahlo. Together, they lived in a house designed by the Irish-Mexican architect (and painter) Juan O’Gorman, Helen’s future husband. Together, the O’Gormans designed and built Casa Cueva, their home and landscape that partially encompassed a natural cave.

Helen O’Gorman’s book demonstrates not only her skill as a painter, but in the text her knowledge of Mexican botany and horticulture. She was particularly interested in the gardening heritage of the Aztecs and other pre-Hispanic peoples. “Innumerable plants were sacred to the Aztecs and certain flowers were set aside by the priests for religious rituals.”

While she includes the ethnobotanical uses of plants for food, medicines, and dyes, she emphasizes the passion these civilizations had to grow flowers for ornamental purposes and as perfumes. The latter use was considered especially important for reducing fatigue or providing a mild stimulant. This practice was picked up by the conquering Spanish, a fact O’Gorman discovered in a surviving administration document on the “treatment of the weary office holder of the 16^th Century.”

The author regards this book as an attempt to introduce “the most noticeable flowering plants” to her readers. Most are natives, while a few are popular introductions. Each entry includes some botanically distinguishing features, but this is less a field guide and more an invitation to share the appreciation and various uses of these plants across the breadth of Mexico.

For example, most species of cosmos are native to Mexico. Referring to our common garden cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus), she describes: “In the state of Michoacán one sees a breathtaking sight: solid pink fields of them, often bordered with the yellow of wild mustard.” She also highlights how a decoction of another species found in North American gardens, C. sulphureus, “is employed to fight the effects of the sting of the scorpion” with small cup given the sting victim every hour.

Excerpted from the Winter 2021 issue of the Arboretum Bulletin

Deppea splendens plant culture and care

I have a plant, Deppea splendens, purchased through a special offer from Pacific Horticulture. It is a native of Mexico. This year (I’ve had it for about 2 years) it looks very healthy and has gotten quite a bit bigger. It is supposed to flower, but it has yet to do so for me. Any answers?

Deppea splendens is such a rare (previously almost extinct) plant that none of our standard sources have any cultural information. However, there was an article written about it in the April 2000 issue of Pacific Horticulture by Kathy Musial which mentions that it needs a frost-protected spot if it is to flower. The article recommends growing it in a container in colder regions so it may be brought into a sheltered area. Overly dry conditions will also cause the flowers to abort.

Excerpts from the article are included in University of British Columbia Botanical Garden’s “Botany Photo of the Day” web page.