JC Raulston Arboretum e-Update
July 2007
In This Issue
- A Pearl in the East
- New Membership Levels and Benefits
- Coming Attractions – Highlights of July
- July Calendar
A Pearl in the East
A special treat from China, the pearl-bloom tree (Poliothyrsis sinensis)
awaits explorers to the far eastern beds of the Arboretum this month.
Rare and taxonomically unusual, Poliothyrsis is a monotypic genus having only one species in it. Inconspicuous most of the year, this tree becomes covered with lacy panicles of creamy-white fragrant flowers each June and July. The Flora of China describes it growing in central and southeastern regions of China on mountain slopes or at the foot of mountains in evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved forests (1,300'-5,000'). This deciduous tree has been growing at the Arboretum since 1996 and now reaches 25'-30' tall. It was propagated from seed received from the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University (Boston, Massachusetts) in 1992.
You will find this tree in Bed E48 just under the dwarf loblolly pines and near the wooden bench donated by Janet and Howard Finkel. I discovered this plant many years ago, when it was pointed out to me by Virg Birkin, a JCRA volunteer who recently passed away. The Arboretum also has another much smaller clone from Hiroshima Botanical Garden (Itsukaichi, Japan) growing in the shade along the fence in Bed W12 at the Arboretum. – Nancy Doubrava, Interpretive Specialist
New Membership Levels and Benefits
Please check out our new membership levels and benefits on the Arboretum's Web site. We are happy to offer an additional membership level and more Connoisseur Plants for members who give $1,000.00 and above. We truly appreciate your support and hope that you remain a long-standing member of the Arboretum. – Autumn Keck, Associate Director of Membership and Fund-raising Event
Coming Attractions – Highlights of July
In
July, there is color, color, and more color in the east side of the Arboretum
from the Bedding Plant Trials and the Perennial Border. In the Perennial Border
look for the flowers of Canna, Hemerocallis, Hibiscus, Monarda, Liatris, Phlox,
Rudbeckia, Salvia, and Verbena. A few more highlights
include:
Geophyte Border
Dahlia 'Roxy' – garden dahlia
Eucomis comosa 'Sparkling Burgundy' – pineapple-lily
Lath House
Acanthus spinosus – bear's breech
Zantedeschia – calla lily
Mixed Border
Clethra alnifolia 'Hummingbird' – dwarf summersweet clethra
Spiraea thunbergii 'Ogon' – golden Thunberg spirea
Klein-Pringle White Garden
Buddleja davidii 'Silver Frost' – butterfly bush
Hibiscus coccineus f. albus – white scarlet mallow
Lilium 'Casa Blanca' – lily
Sedum alboroseum 'Frosty Morn' – variegated blush stonecrop
Southall Memorial Garden
Aesculus parviflora 'Rogers' – bottlebrush buckeye
Lagerstroemia indica 'Prairie Lace' – crepe myrtle
Other Areas of the Arboretum
Alstroemeria species and cultivars – Peruvian lily
Buddleja species and cultivars – butterfly-bush
Clethra alnifolia cultivars – summersweet clethra
Echinacea species and cultivars – coneflower
Emmenopterys henryi – Chinese emmenopterys
Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight' – panicled hydrangea
Lycoris squamigera – surprise-lily
Magnolia grandiflora cultivars – Southern magnolia
Millettia taiwanensis – summer wisteria
Poliothyrsis sinensis – pearl-bloom tree
Rosa species and cultivars – rose
Tetradium barberi – Baber's beebee tree
This show is free. Visit often. – Nancy Doubrava, Interpretive Specialist
July Calendar
Guided Tours – July 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29, 2007 (Sundays) – 2:00 PM – Free
We invite you to join us for free guided tours through the Arboretum. Learn about the Arboretum's history, plants, and more. Tours are available to the public free of charge every Sunday (with few exceptions) at 2:00 PM from March-October. Tours are led by a dedicated group of volunteers and last approximately one hour (rain or shine).
Please visit the "Calendar of Events" section on the JCRA Web site for a complete listing of our upcoming programs.
JC Raulston Arboretum e-Updates are published electronically every month for everyone interested in the Arboretum and are e-mailed to the Arboretum's members. To remove yourself from this mailing, please write Christopher Todd Glenn.
© July 2007, JC Raulston Arboretum