Silva / A publication of the Arnold Arboretum

Spring/Summer 2014
news,
classes &
visitor guide
The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University
Make the Dana Greenhouses Greener
T
Peter Del Tredici
The Arnold Arboretum
of Harvard University
125 Arborway
Boston, MA 02130-3500
617.384.5209
fax 617.524.1418
he diverse trees, shrubs, and vines at the Arnold Arboretum—collected from
around the world and carefully documented for scientific study—begin their
lives in the Dana Greenhouses. Since the 1960s, the greenhouses have been
a hub for expanding the Arboretum's renowned living collections while supporting
global horticulture by testing the growth, habit, and hardiness of plants, introducing
new cultivated varieties, and preserving the lineages of rare and historical plants
collected through more than a century of plant exploration.
After fifty remarkable years of operation, the Dana Greenhouses need updating.
Renovations are required to modernize lighting systems and glazing to increase
energy efficiency in the headhouse. The first phase of this project—exchanging
outdated fluorescent lights with more efficient LED fixtures—was launched through
a generous gift by the late Edith “Nod” Meyer, and contributions made in her memory
by her family and friends. With one quarter of the total raised in a $250,000 campaign,
the Arboretum requests support from our friends to fund the second phase of these
improvements—the replacement of single-paned windows with modern glazing to
better regulate temperature and energy usage.
With your help, the successful completion of these enhancements will extend
the life of our greenhouses, reap long-term energy savings that will divert more
funds to propagation activities, and contribute meaningfully to the Arboretum's
long term goals as an environmental steward. e
Adult Education: 617.384.5277
[email protected]
Field Studies for Children:
617.384.5239
[email protected]
Internships: 617.384.5745
[email protected]
Library: 617.522.1086
[email protected]
Membership: 617.384.5766
[email protected]
Visitor Services: 617.384.5209
[email protected]
Layout & Coordination
Jon Hetman
Cover
Magnolia 'Judy' (#992-68*A)
by Nancy Rose
Help Sustain Horticulture at the Arnold Arboretum
Please consider a spring contibution to the Campaign for the Dana Greenhouses.
Download a donation form or give online via the Harvard University Campaign
by visiting arboretum.harvard.edu. Thank you for your support!
ii
Silva is printed on recycled
paper using soy-based inks.
Visit us online at
arboretum.harvard.edu
Arnold Arboretum
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From the Director
B
y all accounts it has been a beautiful winter at the Arnold Arboretum, and in many
ways the abundance of snow in Boston this year will make the arrival of spring even
more delightful. As we anticipate the first signs of budbreak and flowering, I am
reminded that the observation and study of trees is always an exercise in patience—measured
in repeated annual cycles over the course of decades and centuries. Growth is gradual, change
occurs in small increments, and somehow, if we stop to notice, the acorn has turned into a
towering tree. The same can be said of many of the remarkable individuals who have devoted
their lives to the care and understanding of trees, from Founding Director Charles Sprague
Sargent who led the Arboretum for a half century to Peter Del Tredici, who began here as an
assistant propagator (acorn) at the Dana Greenhouses and this spring transitions to Senior
Scientist Emeritus (towering tree).
Retiring after 35 years, Peter and his work have been transformational to the Arnold
Arboretum. His research in the living and archival collections has been shared widely in both
scholarly and popular ways, and his expertise—like that of the Arboretum itself—encompasses
research, horticulture, and education. Fortunately for us and for plant science, Peter will continue
to conduct critical investigations at the Arboretum as an emeritus researcher, particularly in the
field of urban ecology utilizing the Bussey Brook Meadow. In this issue of Silva, you’ll learn
about a project Peter and media artist Teri Rueb will unveil this spring—a “sound sculpture”
designed for play on mobile devices that reveals the many layers of this preserve dedicated to the
long-term study of how plant communities and unmanaged landscapes function in our cities.
Continuity and growth also lie at the heart of our Horticultural Library and Archives, which
track both the history of the Arboretum and its collections as well as our horticultural interest in
the temperate floras of North America and eastern Asia. This issue of Silva highlights an interesting
sidelight of that history—the American photographs of famed Arboretum plant explorer
Ernest Henry Wilson—with a consideration of how remarkable trees become touchstones in
our communities. Digitizing this collection reminds us that trees can have tremendous meaning
and value even after their demise, a fact well illustrated by our practice of maintaining and sharing
curatorial information on every accessioned plant—living or dead—that has ever grown here.
As our deciduous and evergreen collections push out new growth and begin the annual
progression of floral and cone displays, I invite you to spend time exploring what ultimately
bridges the past and future for the Arboretum—our 281-acre landscape, among the best
preserved designs of Frederick Law Olmsted. It provides the perfect setting for observing
and learning about plants, and we offer several events this spring to help you dig deeper,
from Majestic Magnolias and Beguiling Birches to our annual celebration of the Arboretum’s
extraordinary lilac collection. At last springtime beckons, so join us at the Arboretum as
dormancy gives way to the annual burst of growth and renewal in each of our more than
15,000 trees, shrubs, and lianas. e
—William (Ned) Friedman, Director of the Arnold Arboretum & Arnold Professor of
Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University
Spring/Summer
2014
Spring/Summer 2014
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news
Early to Evolve, Early to Flower
Collections Up Close Spotlights the Magnolia Collection
Nancy Rose, Editor of Arnoldia
and Michael Dosmann, Curator of Living Collections
2
magnolia (M. virginiana) is a native species that is evergreen
in the southern part of its range, becoming semi-evergreen
or deciduous farther north. Accessions of this species at the
Arboretum are mostly deciduous to semi-evergreen, though
the cultivars ‘Milton’ and ‘Satellite’ are reliably evergreen.
Magnolias are known and loved for their flowers, but
they also have an interesting evolutionary history. Long
thought to be the earliest angiosperms (flowering plants),
magnolias have been bumped out of that position by recent
research discoveries, but they are still among the more ancient
plant lineages. Magnolia flowers are protogynous, which
means that the flowers first open with the female parts of the
flower receptive, then close, and reopen with the male parts
(stamens) ready to shed pollen. This evolutionary adaptation
increases the likelihood of cross-pollination rather than selfpollination, thus widening the gene pool.
We invite you to explore our magnolia collection in depth
on Saturday, April 12 as the Arboretum celebrates its next
Collections Up Close event, Majestic Magnolias. Enjoy free
tours and family activities on the Hunnewell Building lawn to
celebrate the flowering of these remarkable trees. e
F
Collections Up Close:
Majestic Magnolias
or a special opportunity to explore the magnolia
collection, join us for Collections Up Close: Majestic
Magnolias on Saturday, April 12 from 1:00–3:00pm. Take
a guided tour to enjoy the diversity of magnolias, participate
in a fun science activity for kids, and
explore this world-class collection. Free.
Jon Hetman
F
ew trees in the Arnold Arboretum’s collections
announce spring’s arrival like the magnolias. The genus
Magnolia is a large and diverse group, with more than
200 deciduous and evergreen species native to temperate,
subtropical, and tropical parts of Asia and the Americas.
Magnolia growth habits range from large shrubs to small,
medium, or large trees. The Arboretum currently has over
150 individual magnolias representing more than 20 species
and including nearly 30 cultivars. Most of the magnolias are
planted near the Hunnewell Building and along the Arborway
on both sides of the main entrance at the Arborway Gate.
Beginning in early to mid April, Arboretum visitors are
greeted by a profusion of magnolia flowers blanketing the
trees. Magnolias have star- or cup-shaped flowers composed
of 9 to 15 (or more) tepals (undifferentiated sepals and
petals) in white, pink, rose-purple, or yellow. Many magnolias
have pleasantly scented flowers; the white-flowered saucer
magnolia (M. × soulangeana ‘Candolleana’) in front of the
Hunnewell Building is especially fragrant. Deciduous, springflowering species like star (M. stellata), Loebner (M. ×
loebneri), and saucer (M. × soulangeana) magnolias that
bloom before foliage emerges are among the showiest and best
known magnolias, but there are also a number of magnolias
with more elusive flowers that open after the trees leaf out.
Look to eastern North American species like cucumber tree
(M. acuminata) and umbrella tree (M. tripetala) for these
early-summer-blooming flowers.
Among the Arboretum’s magnolias, leaf sizes range from
about 3 inches long for star magnolia to an impressive 24
or more inches long for the aptly named bigleaf magnolia
(M. macrophylla). The great majority of the Arboretum’s
magnolias are deciduous, but there are a few evergreens
in the collection. Southern magnolia (M. grandiflora)—an
iconic evergreen tree of the southern United States—is
generally not hardy in Boston, but the Arboretum does have
single specimens of two hardier cultivars, ‘Pendarvis’ and
‘Bracken’s Brown Beauty’, planted in protected sites. Sweetbay
Learn more about Majestic Magnolias
and our other Collections Up Close events,
Lilac Sunday on May 11 and Beguiling
Birches on May 31, on page 14 and
online at arboretum.harvard.edu.
Arnold Arboretum
visit us online arboretum.harvard.edu
Photographs by Nancy Rose
The floral diversity in the Arboretum's magnolia collection is
represented here by (clockwise from top left): Magnolia stellata
‘Centennial’, a lovely star magnolia introduced by the Arboretum
in commemoration of its hundredth anniversary; M. cylindrica, a
somewhat variable species from China notable for its white and
pink flowers; M. × loebneri 'Merrill', a hybrid cultivar of M. kobus
and M. stellata, honors former Arboretum director Elmer Drew
Merrill; the marginally hardy M. grandiflora 'Pendarvis' blooms
in a protected spot near the Hunnewell Building; the spectacular
yellow flowers of M. 'Elizabeth' typically open in early May, often
concurrently with the celebration of Lilac Sunday.
Spring/Summer
Spring/Summer2014
2014
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Jon Hetman
news
Renewing a Garden of Sun and Space
Taking Stock of the Leventritt Shrub and Vine Garden's First Decade
Rachel Brinkman, Horticultural Technologist
T
his year the Arboretum began a full renovation and
curatorial review of one of our newest and most
popular horticultural displays, the Leventritt Garden,
as it celebrated its tenth anniversary in the landscape. As the
2013 Arboretum Apprentice, I had the opportunity to play a
central role in this effort, working alongside many members
of the staff to improve the appearance, collections value, and
educational impact of the garden and its diverse plantings.
With hundreds of species thoughtfully arranged throughout
its three-acre landscape, the Leventritt Garden provides a
microcosm of the greater Arboretum landscape, and our
recent and ongoing improvements and refinements signal its
growing importance as a collection and as a destination for
Arboretum visitors.
Opened in 2003 on a tract of Harvard-owned property
located near the Dana Greenhouses, the M. Victor and
Frances Leventritt Garden of Shrubs and Vines provides
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dedicated space where sun-loving shrubs and vines can grow
and prosper, unshaded by the canopy of the Arboretum’s
larger trees. Like the Bradley Rosaceous Collection located
near the ponds, the Leventritt Garden is designed as a
horticultural display garden, with paths and wide expanses of
lawn framing planting beds that feature wild-collected species
from around the world as well as appealing horticultural
varieties. It is a great place for the Arboretum to interpret and
teach about its larger collections, for gardeners to visit and
find inspiration for their own landscapes, and for scientists to
access an extraordinary diversity of plant species.
As former Arboretum horticulturist Donald Wyman
noted in the pages of Arnoldia in 1944, getting acquainted
with the “many thousands of different kinds of trees and
shrubs” growing throughout the Arboretum is as simple
as “leisurely strolling up and down the walks through the
shrub collection.” Although Wyman (continued on page 7)
Arnold Arboretum
Arboretum
Arnold
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Science Study Magnified
New Teaching Labs at Weld Hill Engage Harvard Students
Jon Hetman, Communications and Stewardship Officer
Spring/Summer 2014
The teaching labs provide additional support for student
investigations through access to Weld Hill's greenhouses
and reach-in and walk-in plant growth chambers. Two of
the growth chambers are prioritized for classroom use, and
staff continue to refine and expand a teaching collection of
representative plants at Weld Hill suitable for diverse
course applications. Additionally,
information technology staff are
developing an associated database
that will allow researchers using
the growth facilities to track data
on plants under investigation and
enable reference searches of the
teaching collection.
Jon Hetman
B
oth an affiliate of Harvard University and a partner
in its scholarly mission, the Arnold Arboretum serves
as an international hub for plant research centered
on its remarkable living, herbarium, and library collections.
For students and faculty interested in plant biodiversity in
all of its manifestations, the Weld Hill Research Building at the Arboretum provides
advanced facilities—along
with access to a living collection
of more than 15,000 plants
described by extensive cutatorial documentation—to support scientific discovery and
education through coursework,
laboratory investigations, and
collections-based fieldwork.
Now with two new assistant
professors (see page 9) at Weld
Hill joining Director William
(Ned) Friedman as joint faculty with the Harvard Department
of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, the Arboretum will
greatly increase its direct participation in the education and
scholarship of undergraduate and graduate students at Harvard. As part of this increased engagement, the Arboretum and
the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard have partnered to
establish new teaching laboratories at Weld Hill.
Suitable for digital microscopy, physiology, ecology, and
molecular biology, Weld Hill's teaching labs are among the
most advanced facilities available in the world for student
investigations in the botanical sciences. Harvard classes
meeting at Weld Hill may also incorporate field work in the
Arboretum landscape, as well as connect students to associated
collections in the Arboretum's herbarium and Horticultural
Library. Several Harvard courses with field and/or laboratory
components have already taken flight at Weld Hill since the
opening of the teaching labs last summer, including Plant
Development and Differentiation, Science and the Human
Past, and Getting to Know Charles Darwin.
Resources in the teaching laboratories at Weld Hill include advanced
microscopes with digital imaging capabilities and access to the living
collections, greenhouses, and plant growth facilities.
As a center for integrated plant study in close proximity
to spectacular living collections, Weld Hill offers tremendous
opportunities to draw scholars at every stage of their careers
to the Arboretum. With three joint faculty in residence and an
enhanced capacity for teaching, the Arnold Arboretum is poised
to greatly expand its impact in education and to inspire more
students to explore careers in the plant sciences. e
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news
SOUNDS OF AN
EVOLVING LANDSCAPE
A Virtual Installation Illuminates Bussey Brook Meadow
Photographs by Jon Hetman
Teri Rueb, 2012-13 Artist in Residence, metaLAB@Harvard
I
Above left, the John Blackwell Footpath transverses the Bussey
Brook Meadow from Forest Hills to the South Street Gate of
the Arboretum. The tract is preserved and minimally managed
as a long-term study site for monitoring urban ecology. Right,
Senior Scientist Emeritus Peter Del Tredici discusses the native
and exotic species that grow spontaneously in Bussey Brook
Meadow with Teri Rueb, recording remarks last autumn as part
of a mobile "sound sculpture" designed to interpret this urban
wild for Arboretum visitors.
66
nspiration, like beauty, often appears quietly and
unexpectedly in the least likely of places. As an artist
interested in interpreting landscapes, I usually respond
first to a place, its inhabitants, and the various activities
and environmental processes that enliven it. These become
the primary source material for audio collages that enhance
the visitor experience of outdoor spaces. In the case of my
current project to create a “sound walk” for Bussey Brook
Meadow at the Arnold Arboretum, however, my inspiration
began with a person: Peter Del Tredici, Senior Scientist
Emeritus at the Arnold Arboretum and Associate Professor
at the Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD).
Peter and I first met in 2007 when I was working on
my doctorate at the GSD. At the time I was working with
the Boston Institute of Contemporary Art to create "Core
Sample," a GPS-based sound walk set on Spectacle Island
in the Boston Harbor. A former landfill, the island is now
a park covered with spontaneous vegetation from around
the world and over 24,000 native plantings original to the
park design. Wanting to learn more about the plant life of
Spectacle Island, I approached Peter as an expert on the
Arnold
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Arboretum
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botany of disturbed landscapes and as an educator who uses
the island as a teaching ground for his graduate classes. Our
first interview began a conversation that has flourished over
several years, ultimately leading to our collaboration on this
project at the Arboretum.
The diverse cultural history of Bussey Brook Meadow
has yielded an extraordinary urban wild nested in the heart
of Boston. Bursting with feral and opportunistic species
that hail from around the world, this once neglected urban
parcel now stands as an emblem of biological regeneration
in the wake of over 300 years of ecological disturbance. The
24-acre lot passed through the hands of various owners for
centuries until 1996 when Harvard University and the City
of Boston agreed to make it part of the Arnold Arboretum.
Now committed to its preservation for long-term ecological
research, the Arboretum maintains the parcel with little
interference so spontaneous and opportunistic species can
follow their natural evolutionary course.
A dynamic setting of human interaction and impact, the
meadow continues to welcome the public while the processes
of an emergent ecology continue undisturbed. With a
history that has included interventions from agriculture to
habitation, the site and its Blackwell Footpath serve visitors
today as a pedestrian transit corridor and urban refuge for
dog walkers, bird watchers, and strollers. Sometimes it’s even
an outdoor playground and classroom for students, many of
whom come to the Arboretum to learn about the biology of
plants and the ecology of urban environments.
Entitled “Other Order,” the sound walk for Bussey Brook
Meadow is scheduled to launch in summer 2014 with a free
application available for download from the Arboretum website
and online retailers. Visitors to the meadow may download the
mobile app and hear recordings of natural sounds and spoken
words activated by their movement through the landscape,
determined by the global-positioning capabilities of their smart
phones or other mobile devices. Conversations by scientists,
Arboretum staff, and enthusiasts for this reclaimed green space
evoke its historical and contemporary meanings, accompanied
by found and composed sounds that capture how the meadow
changes over time, through the seasons, and among those who
use and enjoy it.
Peter, who initiated this project with me and who retired
from the Arboretum in January after 35 years, emerges as
the central voice in the walk as he interacts with various
interviewees, students, and visitors who have joined him in
the meadow over the past year and a half. Arboretum visitors
using the sound walk will feel as if they are experiencing a
stroll through the meadow with Peter and his companions,
his animated voice and love of plants illuminating and
celebrating this remarkable preserve for urban ecology. e
Renewing a Garden (continued from page 4)
was referring to the shrub garden originally located where the
Bradley Rosaceous Collection exists today, the concept and its
advantages apply perfectly to today’s Leventritt Garden, where
more than 700 plants representing over 400 taxa from 55
plant families can be seen, smelled, touched, and examined in
a small area. Many of these species would be difficult to grow
elsewhere in the Arboretum due to their intolerance for shade,
high maintenance or special soil requirements, or small stature.
The vine section of the Leventritt Garden is particularly
unique in providing each specimen with its own metal frame
for support and display. These free-standing trellises allow
us to collect a wide variety of vines with diverse growth habits.
The garden’s planting and design scheme also suggests a number
of educational themes for visitor enrichment, including Arnold
Arboretum plant introductions, plants that love acidic soils,
and taxa exhibiting seasonal interest.
The kinds of plants and their placement in the Leventritt
Garden is intended to remain in flux, based on Founding
Director Charles Sprague Sargent’s goal for “a collection for
investigation…arranged in a manner to permit admission
of…new forms and the removal of others which have served
their purpose.” The Leventritt Garden offers an ideal location
for this approach to a perpetually-evolving collection, where
small and delicate plants as well as new cultivars can be
tested to evaluate their performance in a managed garden
setting. Last summer, I worked with Michael Dosmann, the
curator of living collections, to reevaluate all accessioned
plants in the Leventritt Garden based on their condition,
their value as individuals in the Arboretum collections, and
the interpretive needs of the garden. Since last spring, more
than 60 plants have been removed or transplanted to other
locations, opening up space for dozens of new plants and
giving highly valued accessions more room to thrive.
There is a constant supply of smaller, sun-loving plants
under propagation by staff at the Dana Greenhouses, where
all Arboretum plants begin their lives as subjects of both
scientific and horticultural study. As new plants are collected
in the wild or introduced as cultivars in the nursery trade,
staff will continue to refine holdings in the Leventritt Garden
to suit the goals of its creation and the aesthetics of its
landscape. Keep visiting us regularly to see how this green
and sunny spot continues to evolve in coming years. e
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news
Wilson's American Beauties
Revealing the Famed Plant Explorer's American Photographs
Miranda Mollendorf, 2013 Horticultural Library Intern
C
Photographic Archives of the Arnold Arboretum
elebrated plant explorer Ernest Henry Wilson
(1876-1930) collected for the Arnold Arboretum
on several expeditions in Asia in the early decades
of the twentieth century, introducing scores of trees and
shrubs to the Arboretum collections while documenting
his journeys with his Sanderson field camera. A decade
ago, more than two thousand of Wilson’s fragile glass
photographic plates held in the Archives of the Arnold
Arboretum Horticultural Library were digitized and made
accessible online for study and appreciation. Recently,
library staff initiated a project to catalog and digitize more
than 560 photographs taken by Wilson of North American
trees, including nearly one hundred photographs of elms,
The Avery Oak in Dedham, Massachusetts was photographed
by E. H. Wilson on December 8, 1923, fifteen years before
the destructive hurricane of 1938 damaged this massive
specimen beyond recovery. Beatrice Mumford, a friend the
Wilson family called "Aunt Betty," poses next to the tree
in the image on the right, a convention adopted by Wilson
during his Asian expeditions to suggest the relative size of the
trees he photographed.
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more than fifty of various oak species, and numerous genera
of conifers. These wonderful images remind us not only of
Wilson’s vocation to document the spectacular plants he
encountered in his travels, but also the shared associations
that Americans have traditionally attached to trees to
commemorate people, signify a sense of community, or
mark memorable events.
In the 1920s when Wilson captured these images, the
American elm (Ulmus americana) was a dominant presence
in the New England landscape, and elms often invoked historical, cultural, and sentimental associations throughout
America. It is hardly surprising, then, that the American
elm was the first tree Wilson photographed in his North
American series, depicting
one of the magnificent old
elms lining the main road
in Groton, Massachusetts.
Some of the oldest elms in
Groton began growing in
1740, and seemed to become
a source of civic pride. Wilson’s elm images from Groton, dating to 12 October
1923, were taken contemporaneously with the fall
of the George Washington
Elm in Cambridge, a specimen reputed to have shaded
ceremonies naming George
Washington as commander
of the American Army in
1775. Although the tree in Wilson’s photographs clearly
is not the George Washington Elm, there were deliberate
attempts to connect America’s elms to it as the fancifully
perceived patriarch of the species. The Arboretum received
many telephone calls and letters about American elms in
the 1920s and 1930s focusing on “the genuineness of the
plants offered as the progeny of the tree popularly associated with George Washington.”
Arnold Arboretum
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Arboretum Welcomes New Faculty to Weld Hill
T
Increasing coordination of research and educational
activities between Harvard University and the Arboretum
will expand and enhance the use of Arboretum collections.
The research programs of our faculty—which also includes
the laboratory of Director William (Ned) Friedman,
Arnold Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology—
will significantly increase scholarship on plants at Harvard
and generate meaningful programs that share Arboretum
collections and state-of-the-art science with the public. e
As with the Washington Elm, many oaks photographed
by Wilson were intimately affiliated with and named for
venerable citizens. For example, the Eliot Oak in South
Natick was named for the Reverend John Eliot (1603-1690),
who preached the Gospel to Native Americans beneath its
canopy. Famed poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–
1882) personified and commemorated it in his “Sonnet on
Eliot’s Oak” (1877), which emphasizes human traits like its
leaves murmuring with “sounds of unintelligible speech” that
nonetheless communicate the wonders of creation just as Eliot
presumably did. The final lines of the poem acknowledge
Eliot’s authorship of the Algonquin Bible, the first book
printed in America and written in the Algonquin language.
The Avery Oak, a town icon for Dedham, Massachusetts,
also has humanized, religious associations. Originally part of
the property of William Avery, the tree provided shelter for
religious meetings prior to the establishment of Parish Church
in 1638, and also served as a posting board for public notices.
The Dedham Historical Society took possession of the tree
in 1886, and they struggled to keep it thriving. The 1938
hurricane damaged the Avery Oak beyond recovery, and in
1973 a thunderstorm finally destroyed it. Today the Society
closely guards remaining fragments of the tree, since visitors
have attempted to take bits as souvenirs. Even in its current
state, this tree is still an object of desire as a vital piece of history,
its fragments inciting memories and cultural associations as
strong as those the tree itself once inspired.
Wilson’s images of North American trees will be
added to the Arboretum's photographic resources available
through Harvard University’s Visual Image Archive (VIA)
to aid scholars, historians, and the public in exploring some
of the notable trees of our past. The photographs illustrate
the power that trees possess to connect generations and
to inspire the human imagination. Even when they are cut
down or succumb to the ravages of time or nature, their
place in our memory endures. e
Jon Hetman
he Arnold Arboretum welcomed two assistant
professors in January who will teach and pursue
research programs at Weld Hill as joint faculty with
the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
(OEB) at Harvard University. The January 2014 arrival of
Drs. Robin Hopkins and Elizabeth Wolkovich represents
a significant step in expanding the Arboretum’s capacity
for scholarship, its participation in educating Harvard
undergraduates, and its impact in the life sciences.
Assistant Professor Robin Hopkins studies the process
of speciation in natural populations, a critical question
in the field of evolutionary biology. Applying modern
molecular techniques to study flower color variation in
Phlox, Robin was the first to identify the genetic basis of
reinforcement in a natural system. Her analyses and garden
experiments with the genus Phlox provide further evidence
of how plants diversify and the role that pollinator behavior
can play in the creation of new species.
Assistant Professor Elizabeth Wolkovich conducts field
investigations to track the influence of climate change on
plant communities. Integrating the disciplines of ecology,
climatology, and phenology—the timing of life cycle events—
Lizzie explores how plants have responded and may
continue to respond to global warming. Her research
is aimed at improving predictions of plant responses to
warming by studying variation across species, habitats,
and time, and building a framework of how climate and
community assembly may explain and forecast changes
in plant phenology.
Joining Director Ned Friedman (left) as Arnold Arboetum joint
faculty with the Harvard University Department of Organismic
and Evolutionary Biology are Assistant Professor Robin Hopkins
(center) and Assistant Professor Elizabeth Wolkovich.
Spring/Summer
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Spring/Summer 2014
news
Untangling the Ways of Lianas
Stacey Leicht Young, Putnam Research Fellow
P
erhaps due to their requirement of a supporting
Shrub and Vine Garden, where I am identifying and
structure to grow upward, lianas (woody vines) may
studying the characteristics that make lianas successful in
not immediately come to mind when picturing the
their respective habitats. The Leventritt Garden displays
Arboretum’s renowned living collections. Lianas (and the
a singular collection of lianas from both North America
term, “liana” itself ) are perhaps better known in tropical
and Asia, providing the perfect living laboratory for me to
climates where they grow in abundance, but they are also
compare characteristics of leaves, stems, and life history
found throughout the cooler temperate zone and comprise
events of closely related species. Understanding the structure
an important subset of ligneous plants.
of these physical characters can provide
Here in Boston for example, cold
key information about the ecology of
winters restrict the growth of these
lianas, and how successfully they may
species, and they may be treasured like
grow and thrive in a given habitat.
American wisteria (Wisteria frutescens),
I have surveyed more than 80
charming but overlooked like moonseed
plants representing approximately 40
(Menispermum canadense), seen as a
species at the Arboretum, and collected
nuisance like poison ivy (Toxicodendron
some 500 leaves and 400 stem sections
radicans), or viewed as an aggressive
as part of my study. Few previous
competitor like oriental bittersweet
studies have considered such a broad
(Celastrus orbiculatus). Regardless of
array of liana species in one location.
their origins or the associations they
These samples will provide a basis for
conjure, the role that lianas play in
comparison between Asian and North
temperate zone ecosystems remains
American species, and between different
little understood and drives my research
groups of closely related species, seeking
as a Putnam Research Fellow at the
any patterns of physical characters
Arnold Arboretum.
among them. Also, because the vast
My interest in lianas started at
majority of lianas and other plants
the University of Connecticut where
that exhibit invasive qualities in our
Above,
Stacey
Leicht
Young
and
Berchemia
scandens
I studied the ecology of oriental
environment originate from East Asia,
bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) and (Alabama Supplejack) in the Leventritt Shrub and my goal is to determine if there are
Vine Garden. Photo by Nancy Rose.
American bittersweet (C. scandens).
common characteristics that invasive
The goal of my doctoral work was to
lianas share.
compare closely related exotic and native plant species to
I hope that my research will provide a greater depth
understand more about the ecology of plant invasions. Part
of understanding of the overall ecology of temperate liana
of the challenge of my study was grappling with the physical
species, and that this knowledge may contribute to better and
structure of the plants in the field, a factor I quickly appreciated
more sustainable choices in the selection and propagation
beginning with my first encounter with vast, impenetrable
of woody vines in horticulture and landscape management.
stands of oriental bittersweet. My research determined that
In addition, with predictions of higher temperatures and
oriental bittersweet is a superior competitor to its native
carbon dioxide levels in association with climate change,
counterpart due to its ability to thrive in shade and to grow
some studies suggest that lianas will increase in abundance
abundantly in a wide variety of habitats. After comparing these
and grow even more prolifically under these conditions. By
two species for several years, I began to expand my work into
understanding what the characteristics of lianas can tell
studying temperate lianas as part of the larger plant community.
us about their ecology now, we can establish an important
My research at the Arnold Arboretum focuses mainly
baseline for predicting how these species will respond to
on the collections in the M. Victor and Frances Leventritt
environments in the future. e
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10
Arnold Arboretum
Arnold
Arboretum
visit us online arboretum.harvard.edu
classes
ADULT EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES
T
he Arboretum offers a variety of learning opportunities for adults. Below is a partial list of our spring/summer classes
and lectures followed by descriptions of featured programs. To view all programs by month, please visit our online
registration system at my.arboretum.harvard.edu. For additional assistance, call Pamela Thompson at 617.384.5277 or
email [email protected].
Schedule of Classes and Lectures
March
June
27
1
Looking Closely at Trees:
Leaves and Flowers—Functional Pigments
3
The Secret Dynamics of Plants
4
Colossal Cousins: Oaks and Beeches
9
Vines for the Garden
11 Identification of Woody Plant Pests and Diseases
12 Hemlock: A Forest Giant on the Edge
13 Field Sketching Techniques
16 Tweets and Trills: The Natural History of Birdsong
20/21In the Groves: A Summer Solstice Journey
24 Small Shrubs for the Home Garden
Mikyoung Kim’s Transformational Landscapes
April
2
5
16
22
24
30
Bamboo: History, Horticulture, and Invention
Growing Plants from Seeds
The Arnold Arboretum: An Urban Gem
of Landscape and Biodiversity
The Balance of Nature: Ecology's Enduring Myth
The Race for Spring: How Climate Change Alters
Plant Communities
Walden Warming: Climate Change Comes to Thoreau's Woods
May
July
3
6
13
15
17
18
19
21
22
9
26
Nature Photograpy Workshop
Great Garden Shrubs
Plant Nomenclature: Determination of the Correct Name
of a Known Plant
Looking Closely at Trees: Buds, Branching, Bark, Tree Shape
Drawing for Understanding in Field Science:
A Workshop for Middle and High School Educators
Looking Closely at Trees: Leaves—Form and Function
Mariana Griswold van Rensselaer:
A Landscape Critic in the Gilded Age
Hellstrip Gardening: Paradise at the Curb
Looking Closely at Trees: Flowers—Form and Function
Exploring the Conifer Collection
Getting to Know Your Chainsaw
September
24
Introduction to Botany
Key to Course and Tour Locations
BSG
DG
HB
PHG
WH
Bussey Street Gate, Bussey Street, Boston
Dana Greenhouses, 1050 Centre, Boston
Hunnewell Building, 125 Arborway, Boston
Bussey Street Gate, Bussey Street, Boston
Weld Hill Research Building, 1300 Centre, Boston
Drawing for Understanding in Field Science:
A Workshop for Middle and High School Educators
Donna Sartanowicz and Jill Sifantus, Teachers, Brookline High School
Sat May 17, 9:00–11:00am [HB]
In this educator workshop, learn how an innovative curriculum that combines
the study of art and science has strengthened learning in both disciplines.
Brookline High School science and art teachers will demonstrate how they
use observational drawing as a primary learning method for study of the
natural world. View student work, learn some basic drawing strategies, and
try your hand at sketching from the Arboretum's collections.
Fee Free, registration required
Spring/Summer
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classes
Program Highlights
Full list of classes available at my.arboretum.harvard.edu
Mikyoung Kim’s Transformational
Landscapes
Mikyoung Kim, MLA, Landscape Architect and Professor
Emerita, Rhode Island School of Design
Thu March 27, 7:00-8:30pm [WH]
The interplay of sound, light, and color characterizes the awardwinning designs of Mikyoung Kim. The public spaces she designs
juxtapose intimacy with vibrancy, solitude amid community,
technology with nature, and formality with playfulness. Her
work is an alchemy of multisensory experience reminiscent of her
musical background. Mikyoung Kim will speak about her design
process, inspiration, and the ways that her landscapes—healing
environments to public parks— inform and move people.
Free members and students, $15 nonmember
(Students: call 617.384.5277 for free registration)
Bamboo: History, Horticulture, and Invention
Susanne Lucas, Bamboo Specialist and Executive Director,
World Bamboo Organization
Wed April 2, 7:00-8:30pm [HB]
Bamboo has an unparalleled history; it is both very old and
very new. Through its myriad uses as food, clothing, paper,
and shelter, bamboo has met
the physical and spiritual
requirements of humanity
since the earliest times and
played a vital role in the
survival of many animals and
ecosystems. As a fast growing
renewable resource backed
by advances in research and
technology, the use of bamboo has increased dramatically,
elevating its importance to human society. Susanne Lucas
presents an historical and modern view of bamboo. Her book,
Bamboo, will be available for purchase and signing.
in the public imagination and even among some ecologists
today. In his lively and thought-provoking book, John Kricher
demonstrates that nature in fact is not in balance, nor has it ever
been in Earth's history. John will explain why, in these times of
extraordinary human influence on the planet's ecosystems, it is
critical that we accept and understand that nature is constantly
in flux, and, in effect, quite naturally out of balance.
Free for members, $10 nonmember
Offered in conjunction with Cambridge Science Festival. See
more events at cambridgesciencefestival.org
The Race for Spring: How Climate Change
Alters Plant Communities
Elizabeth Wolkovich, Assistant Professor, Arnold Arboretum
of Harvard University
Thu April 24, 6:30-7:30pm [HB]
Research indicates that “biological spring” has shifted earlier
in most regions, with plants leafing and flowering approximately one week earlier than a century ago. Such work uses
plant phenology—the timing of life cycle events—to
track responses to warming.
Easily observed and affecting important ecosystem
services, phenology is a
critical indicator of climate
change despite its remarkable variation across species, habitats, and time.
Elizabeth Wolkovich will speak about her research aimed
at improved prediction of this variation and how temporal
assembly, species attributes, and phenology may interact to
shape current and future plant communities.
Free, but registration requested
Offered in conjunction with Cambridge Science Festival. See
more events at cambridgesciencefestival.org
Free member, $10 nonmember
The Balance of Nature: Ecology's Enduring Myth
John Kricher, PhD, Wheaton College
Tue April 22, 6:30-8:00pm [HB]
The idea of a balance of nature has been a dominant part of
Western philosophy since before Aristotle, and it persists
12
12
Great Garden Shrubs
Andrew Gapinski, Supervisor of Horticulture, Arnold Arboretum
Tue May 6, 6:30–8:30pm [HB]
Shrubs are the backbone of the garden, with a great variety
of flowers, fruits, bark, and foliage types as well as colors and
textures. They add visual interest through their branching
structure and overall form and serve as the transitional
Arnold
Arboretum
Arnold
Arboretum
visit us online arboretum.harvard.edu
element that ties the garden’s herbaceous layer to the tree
canopy. Learn about the general use of shrubs in the landscape,
great choices for year-round interest, and tips on proper site
selection, planting, and care.
Fee $15 member, $25 nonmember
Hellstrip Gardening: Paradise at the Curb
Evelyn Hadden, Author
Wed May 21, 6:30-8:30pm [HB]
Overlooked landscapes languish in parking strips and
alongside driveways and
alleys. These semi-public
spaces don't often support
healthy lawns, but they can
host thriving gardens that
add beauty and provide ecological services, dramatically
improving their surroundings. Though curbside gardens present
many challenges, their potential rewards can tempt you to give
that leftover a make-over. Learn new ideas and dozens of plants
for increasing the green in your neighborhood.
Fee $15 member, $25 nonmember
Mariana Griswold van Rensselaer: A Landscape Critic in the Gilded Age
Judith Major, PhD, Professor of Landscape Architecture,
Kansas State University
Mon May 19, 7:00-8:30pm [HB]
Van Rensselaer (1851-1934) was one of the premier figures
in landscape writing and design at the turn of the 1900s, a
moment when the amateur pursuit of gardening and the
landscape design field were beginning to diverge. Her close
relationship with Frederick Law Olmsted influenced her ideas
on landscape gardening, and her interest in botany and geology
shaped her philosophy and art criticism. Judith Major presents
the first in-depth study of this versatile critic and author.
at least in the opinion of Michael Knoblauch. He will lead
you into the motile microscopic world of plants to discuss
mysteries such as the “plant’s heart”, their “nervous system”
and “green muscles”. The lecture is accompanied by an art
exhibition of large scale microscopic images; see page 15.
Free member, $10 nonmember
Hemlock: A Forest Giant on the Edge
David Foster, Director, Harvard Forest, Harvard University
Thu June 12, 7:00-8:30pm [HB]
For millennia, eastern hemlock trees have held irreplaceable cultural value and
created forest habitat across
New England. Today, they
are disappearing from our
forests, falling as prey to an
exotic insect foe. Drawing
from a century of studies at
the Harvard Forest, David Foster will explain connections
between eastern hemlock's modern decline and the larger
challenges facing nature and society in an era of habitat fragmentation, native species loss, and global change.
Free member, $10 nonmember
Tweets and Trills: The Natural History of Birdsong
Bruce Byers, PhD, Biology Department, UMass
Mon June 16, 7:00–8:30pm [HB]
Songbirds communicate with unparalleled acoustic complexity
and tremendous variation among species. Bruce Byers will
consider how songs function in the social lives of songbirds,
how song features might correlate with fitness, and whether
variability correlates with differences in ecology and life history.
He will also include suggestions to improve your listening skills.
Free member, $10 nonmember
Fee $10 member, $15 nonmember
Exploring the Conifer Collection
Offered in collaboration with the Friends of Fairsted
Jim Gorman, Horticulturist
Wed July 9, 23, 6:00–8:00pm [BSG]
The Arboretum's conifer collection is dense in diversity and
rich in history. Jim Gorman will lead participants through
this collection explaining key identification features, natural
history, medicinal and economic uses, and horticultural firsts.
He will focus on members of the pine and cypress families that
populate the Northern Hemisphere, including firs, hemlocks,
pines, cedars, junipers, cypress, calocedrus, and more.
The Secret Dynamics of Plants
Michael Knoblauch, Bullard Fellow, Harvard Forest,
Harvard University
Tue June 3, 7:00-8:30pm [HB]
Plants feed our planet and attract our attention with their
stillness and beauty. Deep inside, however, plants are all but
immobile and quiet. On a cellular and tissue level, plants
are actually more active, variable, and exciting than animals,
Fee $40 member, $50 nonmember
Spring/Summer
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Spring/Summer2014
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visit
Visit and Explore the Arnold Arboretum
Landscape Explorations
Collections Up Close
Celebrate amazing, ephemeral plant phenomena
Peter Del Tredici
Collections Up Close offer great ways to explore plants
at the Arboretum. Drop-in for a guided tour, pick up
a paintbrush, look under a microscope, and chat with
knowledgeable staff and volunteers. Check our website
for the full schedule of activities for each event in the series,
and look for more in the fall. Free.
The Hunnewell Building near the Arborway Gate is open
for restoom access and business guests:
April through October: weekdays, 9:00am to 5:00pm;
weekends, 10:00am to 5:00pm
Majestic Magnolias
Saturday, April 12, 1:00–3:00pm
Magnolias are among the most ancient of
flowering plant families, and many species
are early bloomers at the Arboretum. Join
us on the Hunnewell Building lawn to
enjoy their flowers and learn about their
primitive reproductive biology.
Services available in the Visitor Center include:
• Personal assistance to enrich your visit
• Membership information
• Maps and postcards
• Changing exhibits from the Arboretum archives
• A rotating selection of library books for browsing
• Seasonal art exhibitions
• Activities for children and families
• Lost and found
Lilac Sunday
Sunday, May 11, 10:00am–3:00pm
Join lilac enthusiasts from all over New
England to celebrate this century-old
tradition. Come enjoy a dazzling array of
over 180 kinds of lilacs with delightful
fragrances and gorgeous colors—plus
tours, information, children’s activities,
and food (picnicking allowed on this
special day only).
Jon Hetman
The Visitor Center in the Hunnewell Building is open:
April through October, 10:00am to 5:00pm
November through March, Noon to 4:00pm
Closed Wednesdays and holidays
Nancy Rose
November through March: weekdays, 9:00am to 4:00pm;
weekends, Noon to 4:00pm
Beguiling Birches
Saturday, May 31, 1:00–3:00pm
Take a tour and enjoy family activities that
highlight the Arboretum's birch collection,
located at the base of Bussey Hill.
The Arnold Arboretum Horticultural Library is open to
the public Monday through Friday, 10:00am to 3:45pm. For
library information, visit our website, call 617.522.1086, or
email [email protected].
Visitor Parking & Driving Permits
Visitor parking is available around the Arboretum’s perimeter.
No parking is allowed inside the Arboretum gates. Individuals
with special needs may request a driving permit at the
Hunnewell Visitor Center on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, or
Friday between noon and 3:00pm, except holidays. For more
information please call 617.384.5209.
14
Jon Hetman
Telephone: 617.384.5209
Interpreters
Weekends from April through November
As you stroll, look for friendly volunteers in green aprons.
Volunteers are stationed outdoors, ready to give a boost to
your visit with hands-on fun and learning. Free.
arboretum.harvard.edu/visit
Arnold Arboretum
visit us online arboretum.harvard.edu
Art Exhibitions in the Visitor Center
PetersHill360
Photographs by Meri Bond
February 15–May 24, 2014
Lecture: Sunday, April 13, 1:00–2:00pm
Workshop: Saturday, April 26, 8:00–10:00am
Meri Bond has devoted
countless hours to photographing the Arboretum, particularly the
landscape of Peters Hill.
In this exhibition featuring favorites selected
from thousands of images, individual trees become time travelers and views take on
new dimensions with the passage of time. Revisiting the
same trees again and again, Meri explores a fascination with
light and shadow through the full circle of seasons.
Arnold Arboretum in Plein Air
Painting by Kathy Rubado and Carol Schweigert
June 19–September 7, 2014
Reception: Saturday, June 21, 1:00–3:00pm
Lecture: Thursday, August 7, 5:00–6:00pm
Workshop: Saturday, August 16, 10:00am–Noon
Inspired by the complex natural beauty of
the Arboretum, painters Kathy Rubado
and Carol Schweigert
explore the four seasons in its landscape.
They capture snow
swept vistas on Peters
Hill, intimate shady paths, classic gates, and viburnum
boughs dense with berries. Painting in “open air” provides a
dialogue with the environment, challenging the elements for
an authentic experience.
Spring/Summer 2014
The Secret Dynamics of Plants
May 29–June 13, 2014
Photographs by Michael Knoblauch
Plant Cell Biologist and Director, Franceschi
Microscopy and Imaging Center, Washington State
University; Bullard Fellow, Harvard Forest
Lecture: Tuesday, June 3
7:00–8:30pm
Free Member; $10 nonmember
Plants feed our planet and attract our attention with
their beauty. Their immobility imparts the sense of calmness
and makes us rest and relax in their shadow. Deep inside,
however, plants are
all but immobile and
quiet. On a cellular
and tissue level, plants
are actually quite active,
variable, and exciting.
In this photographic
exhibition, biologist
Michael Knoblauch
shows the abstract
beauty of the motile One of the f irst high resolution
microscopic world of images of a sieve plate, a connecting
plants. His images cell wall in the phloem. The phloem
is an enigmatic tissue representing
trace the journey
the plant's "heart" and "nervous
of carbon through system," and contains mysterious
a plant, as it is fixed structures such as "green muscles."
into sugars through
photosynthesis and as it travels through specialized cells to
reach storage organs or is transformed into other substances.
Delve into the building blocks of life and learn the secret
dynamics of plants.
Michael Knoblauch is an Associate Professor of biology at
Washington State University, where he also serves as director
of the Franceschi Microscopy and Imaging Center, a facility for
the imaging and ultrastructural study of biological and nonbiological materials. His research deals with the structure and
function of the phloem and related areas.
15
visit
Spring/Summer Tours
Jon Hetman
Explore our landscape with guides for a deeper understanding
of the Arnold Arboretum and the plant kingdom. Tours are
available each Saturday and Sunday from April 19 through
November 1. Visit our website for tour descriptions, times, and
locations. Tours last approximately 90 minutes and are geared
toward adults. Tours for organized groups are available upon
request. For more information, visit my.arboretum.harvard.edu
or call 617.384.5209. Free.
Tour Highlights
Calling All Birders!
Warbler Walk!
Bob Mayer, Arboretum Docent and Birder
Four Saturdays: Mar 22 [HB], Apr 26 [HB], May 3
[PHG], and Jun 7 [PHG], 8:00–9:30am
Mike McCarthy, Birder and Biologist
Sat May 10, 8:00–9:30am [HB]
Spring into Health
Nancy Rose, Editor, Arnoldia
Thu May 15, 5:30–7:00pm [HB]
Rhoda Kubrick, Arboretum Docent
Two Sundays, Mar 23 and Apr 6, 10:00–11:30am [HB]
From Seed to Tree
Stephen Schneider, Director of Operations
First Tuesdays, Apr 1—Nov 3, 1:00–1:45pm [DGH]
Around Peters Hill
It’s Scent-sational
East Meets West
Jane Phipps, Arboretum Docent
Sun Jun 1, 1:00–2:30pm [HB]
Collecting and Curating for Plant Conservation
Michael Dosmann, Curator of Living Collections
Thu Jun 12, 5:30–7:00pm [HB]
Kevin Schofield, Arboretum Docent
Sat Apr 12, 10:30am–noon [PHG]
Leafing Out at the Arnold Arboretum
Richard Primack. Ph.D., Professor of Biology, Boston University
Sat Apr 26, 10:30am–noon [PHG]
Flowers: Let’s Look Closely
Nancy Sableski, Manager of Children’s Education
Thu May 8, 1:30–3:00pm [HB]
Plants and their Families
Maggie Redfern, Visitor Education Assistant
Mon Jun 16, 3:00–4:30pm [HB]
Late Bloomers
Nancy Rose, Editor, Arnoldia
Thu Aug 14, 5:30–7:00pm [HB]
See location key on page 11.
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Family Walks
Explorer's Club
Sarah Atherton, Visitor Education Assistant
Beginning Saturday, April 26 and continuing every other
Saturday through October 15, 2:00–3:00pm; check our
online calendar for actual dates.
Discover the Arboretum on guided walks for families. Each
walk will highlight different plants and natural phenomena
while developing observational skills in children. One adult can
bring a maximum of three children; suitable for children ages
four through twelve. Meet at the Visitor Center.
Be a part of our Explorer’s Club!
Borrow a Discovery Pack from
the Visitor Center with tools
and fun activities for hands-on
exploration of our landscape
and trees with kids. A perfect
way to enhance the visits of
families, homeschoolers, and
after-school groups.
Jon Hetman
Explorations for Families
Arnold
ArnoldArboretum
Arboretum
STEMLandia
The Nature's Apprentice Geocaching Adventure
F
ollow your curiosity and delve into
the fascinating world of nature at
the Arnold Arboretum while you
hunt for ten hidden geocaches. Explore the
grounds to see how Science, Technology,
Engineering and Math (STEM) are important to understanding the world around
you. Some of the caches encourage you to
download or access supporting resources
and may require you to connect several
locations around the Arboretum to find
and unlock the cache. If you are one of the
first to find all the caches, enter the secret
codes, and turn-in a Nature's Apprentice
Passport, you may win an EdGE at TERC
(Educational Gaming Environments at
Technical Education Research Centers)
STEMLandia Geocoin!
This geocache adventure is brought
to you by EdGE at TERC, the Arnold
Arboretum of Harvard University, and our
friends at Groundspeak. This adventure
is most appropriate for youth ages 12 and
up (including adults). You will need smart
phone technology to fully participate in
the adventure, but a non-technical version
will also be available for participants at the
Hunnewell Building Visitor Center. e
The STEMLandia Geocaching Adventure
will be available for interactions in the
Arboretum landscape beginning on April
2, just in time for the National Science
Teachers Association Conference in
Boston (April 3–6, 2014). As part of
the Cambridge Science Festival, April
18–27, 2014, the Arboretum will be
running a one-day special Passport in
celebration of Arbor Day on April 25.
Stop by the Visitor Center to get your
passport to enjoy a day among the trees!
Members Make a Difference
B
e a partner in all we do! Members of the Friends of
the Arnold Arboretum provide essential support for the
ongoing stewardship of our remarkable collections and
historic landscape, research initiatives, and education and
enrichment programs for all ages. Your annual membership
contribution and involvement provides the foundation for all
of this important work.
We hope you enjoy your Arboretum membership and
the experiences it offers. Share your enthusiasm and help
support the Arboretum’s mission by giving a gift membership
to a family member or friend. To learn more, please contact
the membership office by calling 617.384.5766 or emailing
[email protected], or visit our website and
select the "Donate" button at the top of our homepage.
 Arborway
Boston, MA 2-500
visit us online at arboretum.harvard.edu
Embedded Botanical Specimens
Larissa Glasser, Library Assistant
V
isitors may encounter and observe a wide diversity of plants
in the Arboretum landscape. However, to catch any one in
full bloom, fruit, or even in leaf can be a matter of timing
and luck. Botanical artwork, photography, and herbarium specimens
Above, an embedded specimen of Malus × arnoldiana, a chance hybrid of
M. floribunda (Japanese crabapple) and M. baccata (Siberian crabapple)
discovered on a hillside by the Bussey Institution in 1878 and introduced
by the Arnold Arboretum in 1914.
NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
ARNOLD ARBORETUM OF
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
In our Collection
can help by encapsulating a view of the peak, ephemeral moments
in the life of a plant. The Horticultural Library of the Arnold
Arboretum holds a collection of nearly 300 botanical specimens, all
originating from Arboretum plants, embedded in blocks of polyester
resin. Distinct from the dried and pressed plants preserved in the
Arboretum Herbarium, embedded specimens offer a unique way
to view the actual physical characteristics of plants, from Abelia
grandiflora to Zenobia pulverulenta.
The collection was conceived by Gordon DeWolf, Jr., who as the
Arboretum’s Horticultural Taxonomist in the 1970s saw embedding
plants as a valuable tool for public education. He recruited the talents
of longtime Arboretum docent Sheila Magullion, who experimented
with a variety of embedding techniques to preserve the formal
integrity of the specimens. Some experimentation was required for
the successful capture of certain specimens, and others—particularly
the flowering plants—required preliminary drying treatments before
they could be reliably cast. Sheila’s skillful placement, manipulation,
and molding of seeds, leaves, and petals are evidenced throughout
the collection.
A number of specimens are particularly noteworthy. Albizia
julibrissin ’Rosea’, a cultivar of silk tree, features a pair of long, flattened
pods resembling that of Pisum sativum, the common pea. In contrast,
the seedpod specimen of Calycanthus floridus demonstrates its squat,
bulbous form in alternate viewpoints: one pod is split, with it seeds
visible inside, while the other is left intact. The arrangement for Cedrus
libani (Cedar of Lebanon), one of the larger pieces in the collection,
features a mature cone as its centerpiece. Scales and a seedling lie
alongside the cone for size comparison.
These and other wonderful examples demonstrate the skill and
creativity that Sheila contributed to the process, and the works stand
on their own as compelling examples of three-dimensional botanical
art. We invite you to explore this collection on your next visit to our
Reading Room, open weekdays from 10:00am–3:45pm. e