Out and About in the Arboretum

Vitex agnus-castus, Vitex or Chaste-tree is a wonderful tree for the heat of this time of the year! The cool-colored lavender blue spikes provide a wonderful show of color. Don’t let the graceful almost delicate appearance fool you. This tree is tough as nails and can stand up to drought and high temperatures, making it a perfect tree for a typical New Jersey July!

As we head into the heat of the summer season, we can always count on Silphium perfoliatum, commonly known as the cup plant to brighten our day. This sunflower-like plant is tough and strong, easily tolerant of the heat and drought. If you take a close look, you will see that the leaves of the plant come together in pairs to envelope the stem, forming a cup. The cups collect whatever rain may come our way.

Korean Stewartia, Stewartia koreana or Stewartia pseudocamellia koreana, is showing its lovely cream colored blooms right now. These camellia-like blooms come just after most of the spring flowering trees have completed their bloom cycle, so it offers a wonderful treat of cool cream colored petals with a yellow stamen. These blooms are especially welcomed during the beginning of the summer!

Named for its sawtooth-like serrated leaves, Quercus acutissima, Sawtooth Oak, is native to Asia, but quite at home in front of the Lois Forrest Nature Center on the Medford Campus. It was introduced to the US in 1872, and is now commonly grown from the Southeast US up to the Mid-Atlantic. This fast growing shade tree is a special treat to relax under during a warm summer day. Perhaps check it out with a rest in mind.

The Lumberton Campus Meadow is coming alive! This is a great time to get out and enjoy the colors of the season, which right now are predominantly white, blue and yellow. Of particular note is the White Penstemon, Penstemon digitalis, a wonderful native perennial, which flows through the entire Meadow. Sure is worthy of a stroll to enjoy the view.

As you are out and about in the Arboretum, you will note the shrub Ninebark along Medford Leas Way, on the edge of the berm on the Medford Campus. This native shrub is known for its white flowers in the spring, and in the winter when the leaves have dropped, the exfoliating bark is an interesting sight. Its fast growing habit makes it a favorite for many locations.