What’s in Bloom

This pyramidal tree, with spiny evergreen foliage, will grow up to 50 feet tall. Starting in October, the female trees of this US native produce red berry-like fruit that persist into winter, providing an important food source in the late fall and winter to birds and mammals. A nearby male pollinator is necessary for fruit production. American holly grows well in acidic, well-drained soil and will tolerate most light conditions, but prefers full sun and protection from the wind.  Like most fruiting hollies, it is a traditional favorite in winter holiday decorations and displays.

Dawn redwood, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, similar in appearance to bald-cypress, is a living fossil, having existed as long as 50,000,000 years ago. Fossil records show its presence on both the North American and Asian landmasses, and it was thought to be extinct until the early 1940s when a Chinese official found an unidentified cypress-like tree in a remote village in central China. The opposite leaves are deciduous, a rare feature among conifers. They emerge bright green in spring, mature to deep green in summer, and turn a foxy, red-brown in fall. The excellent foliage colors, ornamental bark, and straight trunks have made them popular ornamental plants in gardens.

Oakleaf hydrangea is an all season native, deciduous shrub, with deep green foliage during the growing season turning wine-colored in the autumn.  The panicles of white flowers bloom through June and into July fading to pink and finally a handsome russet in the fall.  

The bald cypress is a remarkable tree native to the southeastern United States, especially thriving in the swampy bayous and river floodplains of the Gulf Coast. Despite being a conifer, it is a deciduous tree meaning it drops its soft, feathery needles each fall, earning it the name “bald” cypress. In autumn, its foliage transforms into a stunning rusty orange, Its famous “knees” or woody projections that rise from its roots help the tree survive in waterlogged soils. The bald cypress provides vital habitat for herons, wood ducks, owls, and turtles, offering nesting sites and shelter among its trunks. Both ancient and resilient, it’s a true icon of America’s wetlands!  The elegant bald cypress allée (aka Flower Garden Drive), stretches in parallel rows, originally planted by the Peirce brothers in the 19th century and later enhanced and preserved by Pierre S. du Pont in the early 20th century. Today, the towering trees frame a tranquil vista that is ablaze of fall color each year,  a living legacy of vision, history, and natural beauty.  Be sure to check out the bonsai specimen in the Bonsai Courtyard!  

Ginkgo biloba, often called the maidenhair tree, is a living fossil and the last surviving member of a plant lineage that dates back over 200 million years. Native to China, where it’s long been cultivated around temples and sacred sites, the ginkgo has since found homes in cities around the world thanks to its resilience to pollution and pests. Its fan-shaped leaves turn a brilliant gold in autumn, drawing admirers even to quiet cemeteries where some of the oldest specimens can be found. The tree’s fruit, actually a seed with a fleshy outer coating gives off an infamously pungent odor when ripe, but inside lies an edible nut valued in East Asian cuisine. Extracts from the ginkgo’s leaves are also widely used in modern herbal medicine, often promoted for supporting memory and cognitive health. Ancient yet enduringly adaptable, the ginkgo remains a striking reminder of nature’s ability to survive and thrive across the ages.