Download Information Plant Selections MEMBERS` PLANT

2015 Plant Giveaway
Information
Acer macrophyllum
Magnolia salicifolia
The Members’ Plant Giveaway is a special event for
Arnold Arboretum members and supporters, and will
be held in the landscape on Saturday, September 19,
2015 from 10:00am to noon. Members may select
a quantity of free plants based on membership level:
Individual ($35)
Household ($50)
Sustaining ($100)
Sponsor ($200)
Patron ($500)
Benefactor ($1,000)
Magnolia seiboldii
Syringa vulgaris
Schizophragma hydrangeoides
Rhododendron calendulaceum
1 plant
2 plants
3 plants
4 plants
6 plants
8 plants
As a current Arboretum member (membership
valid through September 2015 and beyond), you
will receive a plant coupon indicating the number of
free plants available at your member level. Use your
plant coupon to enter the Giveaway tent starting at
10:00am. Your free plant coupon can be redeemed
for any plant in the Giveaway tent. Simply present
your plant coupon to staff and bring home the
plant(s) of your choice.
This is a rain-or-shine event. You may send a proxy
with your plant coupon if you cannot attend. If
you misplace or lose your coupon, please visit the
membership tent and a replacement coupon will be
issued to you. For the safety and convenience of all
our members, dogs will not be permitted in the
Giveaway tent.
Plant Drawing
Diospyros virginiana
Cornus sericea
The Friends of the Arnold Arboretum
MEMBERS' PLANT
Saturday, September 19, 2015
10:00am to 12:00noon
After choosing your plant(s) in the Giveaway tent,
join our horticultural experts for a free drawing of
additional plants from the Dana Greenhouses. If
you wish to participate in the plant drawing, you
may request a drawing ticket when you enter the
Giveaway tent; the drawing time will be announced
during the event. Staff will describe these special
plants and randomly draw winners from submitted
entries. You must be present at the drawing to claim a prize.
Magnolia kobus (1199-77-E)
2015 Plant Giveaway
(Kobus magnolia) Zones 4-7
Plant Selections
Seeds for these plants derived from a specimen collected in
Hokkaido, Japan by Steven Spongberg and Richard Weaver
during a 1977 expedition to Korea and Japan. An early
bloomer, its white, 4-inch, faintly sweet-scented blossoms
completely envelop the tree. Kobus magnolia may take a
decade or more to begin flowering, but the spectacular
display is well worth the wait. Until then, enjoy its dark green
summer foliage, widespread and rounded habit, and silverygray bark. Kobus magnolia may attain 25 feet in height with
up to a 35 foot spread, and grows well in full sun and adapts
to most soil types. [45]
Selections propagated from seed or cuttings
of Arboretum plants feature the source
plant's accession number in parentheses
next to the scientific name. Numbers in
brackets following the descriptions denote
quantities available at press time.
Magnolia salicifolia (86-98-A)
(Anise magnolia) Zones 4-7
TREES
Acer macrophyllum (305-2014)
(Bigleaf maple) Zones 6-7
Considered the grandest of the North American maple
species, bigleaf maple can attain a height of over 100 feet in
its native Pacific Northwest. However, since it is marginally
hardy in our region, you can anticipate a 20–40 foot tree.
Seeds were wild-collected last autumn in Washington State
by Plant Records Manager Kyle Port. As its name suggests,
bigleaf maple exhibits the largest leaves among our native
maples—they are five-lobed, 8–12 inches long and wide, and
glossy-green in summer changing to burnt yellow-orange
in fall. Bark is gray to deep brown and furrowed. Given
adequate moisture, it will make a noteworthy specimen tree
in a sheltered location or a Cape Cod yard. [45]
Diospyros virginiana (250-2013)
(Common persimmon) Zones 4-9
This tough native tree has been cultivated for its fruit and wood
for centuries. Reaching 30–60 feet in height, persimmon will
thrive in less than ideal conditions, including partial shade,
drought, and low fertility soil. Although it can be trained
as a single specimen, its natural habit allows it to colonize
in stands. Seeds for this offering were collected in southern
Illinois by Curator of Living Collections Michael Dosmann
on expedition in 2013. We are told that the yellow-orange
fruits, which are borne on female trees in late fall, provided
some delicious sustenance for the weary collecting team. [20]
Anise magnolia promises a truly head-turning show for
front-yard landscapes. Its white, perfumed, 4-inch wide
flowers open in early spring for a striking early-season
display. Lustrous green leaves emerge after flowering, and
blossoms give way to 3-inch-long pink fruits containing
brilliant red seeds. When crushed, stems emit a nice lemony
scent. Smooth, gray bark provides interest year round, and its
slim, pyramidal habit is also very attractive. Anise magnolia
may attain a height of 20–30 feet. The much-anticipated
flowering of M. salificolia trees near the Hunnewell Building
and in the Explorers Garden should not be missed, and in
time will grace your own landscape as a reward for enduring
our New England winters. [60]
Magnolia sieboldii (404-97-C)
(Oyama magnolia) Zones 6-8
Short on space but still desire a flowering tree? This
relatively rare small tree can easily fit into an established
garden. Nodding, white, saucer-shaped flowers with magenta
stamens are fragrant and produced in abundance from May
to June and occasionally afterward. Fruits are 2 inches in
length and contain ruby red seeds. Oyama magnolia flowers
at a young age and the bloom period may extend to six weeks.
Dark green leaves with lighter undersides are attractive in
summer. Growing 10–15 feet in height, Oyama magnolia is
stunning in a shaded shrub border. Provide partial shade and
moist, well-drained soil. [45]
Nyssa sylvatica var. biflora (257-2013)
(Swamp tupelo) Zones 4-9
The genus name Nyssa is a derivation of Nysa, the mythological
water nymph, and the species epithet sylvatica means “of the
PlantGiveaway_Brochure_FINAL.indd 1
Directions and Parking
For directions to the Arnold Arboretum, visit our
website at arboretum.harvard.edu and follow the
2015 Plant Giveaway link. Please bring your event
ticket/plant coupon or your membership card to
gain entry. You may arrive at the Arboretum on
foot, via MBTA, or by car. Members driving to the
event may park along the perimeter and walk to the
Giveaway tent, or drive into the Arboretum via the
Bussey Street Gate and park on the inner roads of
the Arboretum beginning at 9:30am; staff will direct
you to parking and the event location. Cars parked
inside the Arboretum exit via the Centre Street Gate,
which will close at 1:00pm. For the safety of all our
visitors, please drive cautiously, and do not exceed
the 5 mph speed limit on Arboretum roads.
Membership Info and Special Promotion
To join or renew your Arboretum membership, or
to find out more about the 2015 Plant Giveaway,
please call the membership office at 617.384.5766
or email [email protected]. On the
day of the event, you may also renew or upgrade your
membership at the membership tent. Upgrade your
membership to qualify for an additional plant(s);
purchase a gift membership at any level at the
event and receive a coupon for an additional free
plant for yourself in the Plant Giveaway.
Plant Information
Arboretum horticulture staff and expert volunteers
will be available to answer questions related to planting
and caring for woody plants. Look for them circulating
as you wait in line, as well as inside the Giveaway tent.
See this listing of plants with links to plant images and
find basic planting and care information for temperate
woody plants at arboretum.harvard.edu.
woods.” Hence, the swamp tupelo is appropriately named, as
it often grows along stream banks throughout the eastern half
of the US. However, it is adapted to both wet and dry sites,
and grows well in full sun and partial shade. Swamp tupelo’s
leathery leaves are dark green, turning a spectacular array of
colors in fall—fluorescent yellow, orange, scarlet, and purple.
This tree will reach 40–50 feet in height, somewhat smaller
than the species. Requires consistently moist soil. [20]
Styrax japonicus
(Japanese snowbell) Zones 5-8
Native to China, Japan, and Korea, Japanese snowbell is
prized for its drooping clusters of fragrant white flowers
that appear in May to June. Flowers are five-petaled, waxy,
and bell-shaped, and are followed by tan, oval drupes that
typically drop in late fall. Upright foliage shows off flowers
and fruits, and is a lustrous medium-deep green in summer.
Bark is smooth and grayish brown, and mature specimens
may exhibit fissures revealing orange inner bark for winter
interest. This graceful 20–30 foot tree works well as a
specimen or in a border planting, sited to allow walking
beneath the crown to view the dangling flowers. Visit several
flourishing accessions in our Centre Street beds, near the
hickory collection. Grow it in full sun to moderate shade in
moist, but well-drained, acidic soil. [95]
Taxus canadensis (574-2008, 576-2008)
(Canadian yew) Zones 2-6
This yew is native to the forests and mountains of New
England. Cuttings to produce these plants were taken from
specimens in northern New York, collected by Arboretum
staff on the 2008 Adirondack Expedition. Canadian yew
bears lustrous, dark green summer foliage that may develop a
purplish brown cast in winter. Forms a low thicket, 3–6 feet
tall by 6–8 feet wide, with a prostrate, spreading habit. Ideal
for use as a groundcover in a shaded location and perfect for
low maintenance landscapes, as it is extremely hardy and has
no serious problems with disease or pests (except deer). Grow
in moist, well-drained, sandy soil with some shade. [70]
SHRUBS
Aesculus parviflora f. serotina (12514-A)
(Late bottlebrush buckeye) Zones 5-9
Outstanding summer flowers, good fall color, and shade
tolerant—what more could a gardener
Continued
want in a shrub? This form of bottlebrush
8/13/2015 1:22:36 PM
8/13/2015 1:22:37 PM
buckeye features showy, cylindrical, bottlebrush-like
panicles, composed of four-petaled white flowers. Bloom
time is early July to August, and light brown capsules ripen
in September to October as its dark green leaves transform
to a bright yellow. This spreading, multi-stemmed shrub
can reach 8–15 feet in height, and performs well as an
understory plant or sited at the edge of a woodland as it is
in our Aesculus collection. Grown from seed collected from
the Arboretum’s type specimen of A. parviflora f. serotina,
collected in Alabama in 1919. [40]
Calycanthus chinensis (607-94-C)
(Chinese sweetshrub) Zones 6-8
Not as common as our native sweetshrub (Calycanthus
floridus) but just as sweet, Chinese sweetshrub is a rare
and exceptional shrub for use as a specimen or in a mixed
border. It is indigenous to Zhejiang Province in China,
and outstanding examples thrive in the Leventritt Shrub
and Vine Garden and at the intersection of Oak and Beech
Paths. Chinese sweetshrub features 2–3 inch diameter,
nodding flowers with thick, white, waxy outer tepals and
smaller pale yellow to white inner tepals with wine stains.
Bloom period starts in mid to late spring and lasts for nearly
a month. The large, shiny leaves are dark green in summer,
changing to yellow in fall. Upright and rounded in habit, it
will reach 6–8 feet in height with a 4–6 foot spread. Plant
in full sun to partial shade in average garden soil, and relish
Chinese sweetshrub’s delightful blossoms. [70]
Cornus sericea ‘Flaviramea’
(Yellowtwig dogwood) Zones 3-8
This four-season shrub has it all and can withstand the test of
time—a 1928 accession near Faxon Pond is still in excellent
condition after 87 years! Flat-topped cymes of creamy white,
fragrant flowers are borne in late May to June, and often
appear sporadically throughout the summer. Small white
drupes follow in early autumn and attract birds. Foliage is
medium to dark green, transforming to beautiful shades of
reddish-purple in fall. The finale is its stunning yellow stems,
which look incredible against a snowy backdrop. Yellowtwig
dogwood grows 6–8 feet tall and wide, with a spreading,
stoloniferous habit. Great in mass or in a shrub border, this
North American native typically grows in swampy areas, so
plant it where it will receive adequate moisture, in full sun
to partial shade. [30]
Decodon verticillatus var. laevigatus (582-MASS)
(Waterwillow) Zones 3-9
Curious about those bright splashes of pink along the edge
of Faxon Pond in late summer? Ponder no longer—these
vibrant flowers belong to waterwillow, a native aquatic
sub-shrub. Waterwillow is named for its willow-shaped,
elliptical to lanceolate leaves, which are up to 6-inches long
and are held opposite or in whorls of three. Summer foliage
is lustrous green, transitioning to scarlet in autumn. Waterwillow blooms in late summer to early fall when few other
plants are flowering, and bloom time extends 1–2 months!
One-inch diameter flowers are a shocking magenta-pink,
each lasting one or two days. Waterwillow can grow 2–8
feet tall with an arching habit, and should be utilized as a
bog plant or grown near a pond border. [25]
Elsholtzia stauntonii (928-81-A)
(Mint shrub) Zones 5-8
If your green thumb compels you to seek something out of
the ordinary, mint shrub will certainly strike a chord. Seeds
for these plants were collected from our original accession
in the Explorers Garden, which was collected in China in
1905 by John G. Jack, Arboretum dendrologist, educator,
and explorer. The plant features eye-catching, 4–8 inch long,
upright panicles of magenta-pink flowers from September
into October. Slender, 2–6 inch long green leaves emit a
strong mint fragrance when crushed. Mint shrub is semiwoody and can attain 3–5 feet in height and width. Because
it flowers on new growth, the plant can be pruned back in
spring without impacting fall flowering. Performs best in
full sun with well-drained soil. [125]
Exochorda giraldii var. wilsonii (11626-C)
(Wilson pearlbush) Zones 5-7
Wilson pearlbush, growing atop Bussey Hill at the
Arboretum, presents a spectacular sight in early spring.
Buds on racemes resemble pearls, and open to 2-inch wide,
5-petaled white blossoms that envelop this large shrub in
April to May. Star-shaped capsules ripen in October, change
to a deep brown, and persist. New, young shoots are tinged
pink—as are petioles and mature leaf veins—and foliage
retains its green color throughout the summer. This multistemmed shrub grows to 20 feet in height and width and can
add interest to a border planting. Seeds for this offering came
from the original 1908 accession collected by Arboretum
plant explorer Ernest H. Wilson in Hubei, China. [20]
Hypericum prolificum (338-2014)
(Shrubby St. Johnswort) Zones 4-8
Help us evaluate a new accession of shrubby St. Johnswort,
wild-collected in Saline County, Arkansas, by Curator
of Living Collections Michael Dosmann during the
Arboretum’s fall 2014 Ozarks Expedition. This petite shrub
is the perfect selection for a small site with less-than-ideal
soil conditions, as it grows only 1–4 feet in height and
width and performs well in dry, rocky soil. In June through
August, its small buttercup-yellow flowers look stunning
against blue-green foliage. Showy capsules persist all winter,
and make an excellent addition to dried floral arrangements.
Grow in full to partial shade. [20]
Ilex glabra ‘Peggy’s Cove’ (3-2002)
(Cultivar of inkberry) Zones 5-9
This outstanding inkberry cultivar originated from cuttings
collected by Plant Propagator Jack Alexander from a seaside
barren in Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia in 1988. In 2006, it
was registered as a new plant introduction with the Holly
Society of America and is now showcased in the Leventritt
Shrub and Vine Garden. Lustrous, dark, evergreen foliage
adorns this dwarf shrub, and small white flowers in late
spring give way to glossy, purplish-red drupes that change to
black and persist through the following spring (needs a male
inkberry nearby for pollination). Foliage is well-retained
during harsh winters, even in exposed locations. ‘Peggy’s
Cove’ displays an attractive mounded habit and may attain
2–4 feet in height with a similar spread. Performs best in
moist, acidic soils and full sun, but can tolerate some shade.
Ideally utilized in mass or as a hedge. [185]
Ilex rugosa (967-87*B female, 184-89*B male)
(Prostrate holly) Zones 3-6
If you are looking for a small shrub that will not overtake
your border, then search no longer! This evergreen, prostrate
shrub reaches a height of no more than 8–12 inches and
spreads to 2–3 feet. Its 2-inch, rugose, dark green leaves
will provide year-round interest, and female plants growing
in proximity to a male plant will yield red, ¼-inch fruits,
which ripen in September. Prostrate holly was one of the
parents used in developing the Meserve holly hybrids, ‘Blue
Prince’ and ‘Blue Princess’. Several I. rugosa accessions can be
viewed it the Leventritt Shrub and Vine Garden and Centre
Street beds. Very hardy, but not exceptionally heat tolerant.
[50 female, 75 male]
Lindera benzoin (248-2013)
(Common spicebush) Zones 4-9
Add a touch of the Midwest to your garden. Plants were
grown from wild-collected seed obtained in 2013 from a
stand in St. Joseph County, Indiana by Curator of Living
Collections Michael Dosmann. Growing 6–12 feet in
height with a similar spread, this rounded, suckering, loose
shrub performs best in full sun to partial shade. Foliage is
deep green, turning to a soft yellow later in the season. Tiny
green-yellow flowers in early spring give way to abundant
scarlet fruit (on female plants) in fall. Not only is common
spicebush a feast for the eyes, but collection notes highlight
the aromatic, lemony scent that emanates from the bark
when scratched. This pleasant fragrance is also emitted from
crushed foliage. Spicebush is an excellent choice for borders
or naturalizing and grows well in moist soil. [20]
Rhododendron calendulaceum
(Flame azalea) Zones 5-7
These captivating shrubs in our Azalea Border and along
Oak Path have stopped countless Arboretum visitors in
their tracks. Flame azalea flowers in May to June, varying
in color from seedling to seedling—lemon yellow to salmon,
brilliant orange, and scarlet. Foliage in summer is lush and
medium-green, changing to pale yellow in autumn. Flame
azalea is the showiest of all native azaleas and is indigenous
to the mountains of Pennsylvania south to Georgia. It has
a loose, informal habit and grows 5–8 feet in height and
width. Excellent for a woodland setting, shrub border, or
mass planting. Grow in moist, acidic soil with dappled shade
and relish its eye-catching blooms in late spring. [40]
Salix alba ssp. vitellina ‘Britzensis’ (26-2013-A)
(Coral embers willow) Zones 4-8
Add outstanding winter interest to your landscape with coral
embers willow. This cultivar of white willow features vibrant
reddish-coral young stems, which are striking against snow
and evergreens. Foliage is also attractive—narrow, graygreen leaves with white undersides change to a light yellow
in autumn. Coral embers willow is quite vigorous, growing
6–8 feet in one season, so pollarding or hard pruning before
new growth appears in early spring is recommended for best
stem color and maintaining it as a multi-stemmed shrub. The
species is native to central and southern Europe to western
Siberia and central Asia, and ‘Britzensis’ was propagated by
seed in the city of Britz, Germany. Grows best in medium to
moist, well-drained soil, with full sun or partial shade. [40]
Sarcoccoa hookeriana var. digyna (647-83-A)
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Syringa ‘Betsy Ross’
(Cultivar of lilac) Zones 4-8
‘Betsy Ross’ was the first product of the lilac breeding
program at the US National Arboretum, started in the 1970s
by researcher Dr. Donald Egolf. This hybrid was evaluated
in numerous states, from Alabama to Minnesota, and across
the country to Washington, before it was released in 2000. It
is the progeny of an unidentified lilac from Rochester, NY’s
Highland Park and a Syringa oblata (early lilac) collected
in China. ‘Betsy Ross’ is noted for its striking floral display,
consisting of large panicles of delightfully fragrant white
flowers in early spring; high tolerance to powdery mildew;
and ability to withstand heat and humidity. It may attain
a height of 10 feet with a 13-foot spread, and displays a
desirably rounded, dense habit. Try it in full sun and welldrained soil to see how it will perform in a New England
garden. [45]
Syringa vulgaris ‘President Lincoln’
(Cultivar of common lilac) Zones 3-7
Similar to its namesake, ‘President Lincoln’ common lilac is
legendary. This cultivar has grown in popularity as one of the
bluest-flowered lilacs since America’s first lilac breeder, John
Dunbar, introduced it in 1916. ‘President Lincoln’ derives
from the open-pollinated French hybrids and Lemoine
cultivars at Highland Park in Rochester, NY. Single, bluelavender, delightfully fragrant inflorescences are produced
early in the season, along with dark green, lustrous foliage.
It may attain a height of 10 feet with an 8-foot spread. The
perfect addition to a mixed border planting, this lilac is a
vigorous grower in full sun and well-drained soil. [90]
Vaccinium corymbosum
(Highbush blueberry) Zones 3-7
Native to eastern North America, highbush blueberry is a
handsome shrub that offers a treat for taste buds. Summer
leaves are slightly blue-green, changing to brilliant yellows
and oranges, bright scarlet, and wine-red combinations in
fall. Dainty, pinkish white flowers in corymbs bloom in May,
which give way to firm, bluish black berries. Berries are tasty,
and birds are also fond of the fruit, so pick your fill before
they do. However, just a few plants can provide a great deal
of fruit. With an upright, rounded form, growing 6–12 feet
high and 8–12 wide, highbush blueberry fits well in a shrub
border or informal garden. View it at the Arboretum in the
Azalea Border and the Leventritt Shrub and Vine Garden.
Plant it in acidic, moisture-retentive, humus-rich soil in full
sun to partial shade. [65]
Viburnum dentatum
(Arrowwood viburnum) Zones 3-8
Durable yet beautifully ornamental, arrowwood viburnum
captures the best of both worlds. Our viburnum collection
includes eight accessions of this species or its varieties.
Arrowwood viburnum features shiny green foliage in summer,
changing to yellow, scarlet, or reddish-purple in autumn. In
May to June, 2–4 inch flat-topped cymes of creamy white
flowers are borne and endure for nearly two weeks. Oval
¼-inch blue to bluish black drupes follow in September to
October and attract birds. This multi-stemmed, rounded
shrub with spreading branches can colonize, making it an
excellent choice as a hedge or shrub border. Arrowwood
viburnum can attain 6–10 feet in height and spread when
grown in well-drained soil with full sun to partial shade.
Although this species is not resistant to viburnum leaf beetle,
you can help manage the pest by encouraging beneficial insect
populations (like lady beetles) and removing egg-infested
twigs. [25]
VINES
Clematis virginiana (268-2013)
(Virgin’s bower) Zones 4-9
Native from Nova Scotia to Georgia to Kansas, this striking
deciduous vine may attain 12–20 feet in length. Creamy white
panicles of flowers are produced in abundance throughout
the summer and silver, feathery seed heads persist in fall.
Plant Virgin’s bower in well-drained soil and full sun to light
shade. Seeds were wild-collected in 2013 in Illinois from a
plant growing at a woodland edge, so this vine can tolerate
some shade. Try placing near a fence or trellis for aesthetic
effect. Before snowfall, be sure to save the attractive seed
heads for dried floral arrangements. [70]
(Japanese hydrangea vine) Zones 5-9
Having difficulty establishing turf or small shrubs beneath
a large pine? This rare evergreen shrub with year-round
interest may offer a great solution. Summer foliage is glossy
dark green, which changes to shades of maroon as winter
approaches. Separate apetalous male and female flowers,
ivory in color and emitting a sweet fragrance (hence its
common name), are borne beneath the foliage in spring.
These give rise to small black drupes in summer that persist
into winter. Sweetbox attains a height of 18–24 inches with a
wider spread due to stoloniferous growth, and performs best
in shaded locations with acidic and highly organic soil. A
specimen at the Dana Greenhouses thrives in partial shade,
beneath a grove of mature Chamaecyparis obtusa (Hinoki
cypress). Sweetbox is native to the Western Himalayas and
Afghanistan. [90]
Schizophragma hydrangeoides ‘Moonlight’
(Sweetbox) Zones 6-8
You likely have admired Japanese hydrangea vine in the
Leventritt Shrub and Vine Garden—here is your opportunity
to showcase this eye-catching, four season vine on a trellis
or wall in your landscape. Climbing 20–30 feet, the vine’s
bluish-green leaves display pale silvery markings reminiscent
of its cultivar name. White, 8–10 inch, lace-cap-like flower
clusters bloom for 6 to 8 weeks in summer. Foliage changes
to yellow in autumn, and attractive reddish-brown stems
provide winter interest. Grow in light shade and moistureretentive, but well-drained soil. [40]