Out and About in the Arboretum

As the seasons change and cooler months approach, enjoy the colorful fruits, such as those of Callicarpa americana, or American Beautyberry, named for its purple berry clusters.

Make sure you see the unique fruit of the Catalpa speciosa or cigar tree in Katzell Grove. The thin, beanpod-like structures will remain on the tree through the winter.

Some things seem to pop up overnight, like these mushrooms near Rushmore Lane. And although fun to look at, we recommend you do not touch or consume any unknown fungi.

Butterfly bushes come in a wide range of colors and are irresistible to butterflies. This is a Sachem butterfly.

Zinnia elegans, or Common Zinnia, is anything but boring! The colorful flowers emerge in late summer and give us lasting blooms. In addition to being easy to grow, they are relatively disease resistant, great for pollinators, and unappetizing to deer.

Crape Myrtle, or Lagerstroemia, blooms in a variety of colors and thrives in the heat of summer. There are many of these multiple-trunked trees throughout the arboretum.