TheBotanic Garden

of Smith College

TREESTREES

Spring blossoms of the mountain silverbell, Halesiamonticola, (number 39 on tour) shower down ontothe gardens beside the President’s House.

River birch, Betula nigra (number 25 on tour)

The Smith College campus is a sceniclandscape that has provided a garden settingfor academic life for over a hundred years.The entire campus, originally planned andplanted as a botanic garden and arboretum,was designed by the landscape architecturefirm of Olmsted, Olmsted, and Eliot. Today,the Botanic Garden encompasses the 125 acreCampus Arboretum, the Lyman Plant Houseand Conservatory, and a variety of specialtygardens. The plant collections aredocumented and labeled to provide a resourcefor teaching, research, public education, andbotanical displays.

We invite you to enjoy the trees on the Smithcampus. The Botanic Garden was establishedduring a period of active plant explorationsand widespread introductions of hardy plantsfrom Asia. Among the interesting trees oncampus are numerous mature Asianspecimens. While this walking tour representsonly a sampling of our collection and does notinclude trees on the other side of Elm Street,you will make the acquaintance of manybeautiful and unusual trees. We hope that youwill enjoy the tour, that your appreciation oftrees will increase, and that you will beinspired to go home and plant a tree.

The Botanic Garden of Smith CollegeNorthampton, MA 01063413-585-2740

www.smith.edu/garden

Botanical illustrations by Alexandra Chitty(Smith class of 2001)

© 2005 Botanic Garden of Smith College

Margaret P. Holden ©1999

Cultivar Name

Accession Number� Last two digits indicate year

added to our collection(2002 for this dogwood)

� PA indicates pre-1971(when we began ourcurrent numbering system)

tree species over thehistory of our planet.Remarkably, excitingtree stories are stillunfolding. The latestis the discovery of a

new conifer, the Wollemipine, in 1994, just 93 miles

from Sydney, the largest city in Australia! Manymore unknown tree species exist in the tropics andexplorations continue to document the many speciesof life on Earth.

Avast array of treespecies aroseduring the

evolution of higher plants.Deciduous hardwoods andbroadleaf and needleevergreens now form a mosaicof green across the land. Sometree species exist in many parts of the globe, whileothers remain isolated in remote regions. Botanistshave documented the rise and fall of thousands of

Trees of the Botanic Garden of Smith College

Trees offer us much more than beauty. Forestsprovide oxygen and habitats for animals. Mosttrees reproduce from seed; and while some treeswithout showy flowers (e.g., pines, maples, andoaks) depend on wind to spread pollen, manyothers have evolved showy flowers that attractbees, birds, and bats to assist in pollination. Thediversity we see among trees is a result ofadaptations to the many different environmentsthat trees inhabit. The Smith College BotanicGarden cares about the diversity of tree species onEarth. We are actively engaged in preservingbiodiversity for future generations. The Gardennot only plants trees to enhance thescenic beauty of the campus, butalso uses trees as learning tools forstudents and visitors, and weexchange seed with botanicgardens worldwide.

There is much to learn from the labelson our plants. In addition to commonnames, which can vary from place toplace, the labelsdisplay univer-sally acceptedscientific names.The labels alsogive the plantfamily and infor-mation on geo-graphic origin. Inmost cases theyear that the specimen was placed inthe Smith landscape is on the label.

Scientific Name

Common Name

Family

Nativity

Smith College Campus

1. Ginkgo bilobaMaidenhair Tree Ginkgoaceae (China)

Growing on earthfor 150–200 millionyears, this gymno-sperm is the onlyremaining memberof an ancient plantfamily. In autumn,its deciduous leavesturn a golden yellow

and cascade to the ground, sometimes all within oneday. Asian cultures consider the ginkgo sacred and itis said to have medicinal properties of improvingbrain function. It is an excellent urban tree as it istolerant of difficult conditions (avoid females whichproduce messy, malodorous seed). This magnificentmale is over one hundred years old.

2. Sciadopitys verticillataJapanese Umbrella PineSciadopityaceae (Japan)The unique needles of Sciadopitys radiate around thestems like the spokes of an umbrella. Pollen of thisspecies was found in North American fossils fromthe upper Triassic period. Scientists hypothesize thatNew England was part of its prehistoric range beforebeing reintroduced from Asia in 1861 by theMassachusetts Agricultural College. It is the onlyspecies in its family and, despite its common name,is not a true pine. In 1914, this specimen had atrunk diameter of 3" and is now one of the largestin Massachusetts.

3. Ulmus glabra ‘Camperdownii’ (also known as U. x vegeta ‘Camperdownii’)Camperdown Elm Ulmaceae (Garden Origin)Creeping in habit, this cultivar is grafted onto theunderstock of an upright elm for a dramatic display

member of the tea family is now extinct in the wild.All trees in cultivation are descendents of thosedistributed by the Bartrams. The striking whiteflowers with golden stamens appear late in thesummer and in autumn the leaves turn orange, red,and purple. Franklinia is only marginally hardy inwestern Massachusetts. This specimen died back tothe ground after the extremely cold winter of 1980but has since recovered.

6. Taxodium distichum var. nutans(also known as T. ascendens) Pond CypressTaxodiaceae (SE United States)This deciduous conifer with its buttressed trunk israre in this region. Tolerant of wet swampy areas, itgrows naturally in the southern United States andranges north to Delaware. It often extends aeratingprojections called “knees” up from the water. In fall,the threadlike leaves turn a rusty orange beforedropping. Our records indicate that this tree had atrunk diameter of 11" in 1931.

7. Cercidiphyllum japonicumKatsura TreeCercidiphyllaceae(Japan & China)The katsura isdioecious (separatefemale and maleplants). While the

leaves emerge in spring with areddish purple color, in autumn

they turn a bright apricot yellowand give off an aroma reminiscent of burnt sugar.As the tree ages its bark becomes shaggy. Paper-thinwinged seeds are folded within the tiny pealikepods that appear in clusters along the branches ofthis female. Her male counterpart is across thecampus, next to Clark Hall.

of pendulous branches. ‘Camperdownii’ originatedfrom a seedling found growing at CamperdownHouse near Dundee, Scotland, in the early 1800s.The graft union is visible on the trunk where thefurrowed and cross-checked barks join. The rough,sandpaper-like leaves turn yellow in fall. Olmsted’soriginal plant lists include this tree as well as theGinkgo, Sciadopitys, and Cercidiphyllum.

4. Cornus kousaKousa DogwoodCornaceae

(Japan, Korea, China) This kousa dogwood is atrue four-season tree and

is more disease resistantthan the native C. florida. It also

blooms later than our native floweringdogwood, with an outstanding display of flowersshrouding the tree in June after ithas leafed out. The showy whitebracts that surround the smallyellow flowers are pointed at thetips. In late August through Octoberpendulous red fruits resemblingraspberries hang from the tree. Thefall color combines a brilliant palateof reds, oranges, and yellows. Noticethe beautiful mottled bark.

5. FrankliniaalatamahaBenjamin Franklin TreeTheaceae (Georgia)First encountered growingalong the Altamaha River inGeorgia in 1765 byAmerican botanists John andWilliam Bartram, this

8. Metasequoia glyptostroboidesDawn Redwood Taxodiaceae (W China)Delicate fernlike leaves complement the noble sizeand structure of this majestic tree. Fossils ofMetasequoia were found in rocks of the Eoceneepoch (54–35 million years ago). It was thought tobe extinct until 1941 when Chinese botanistsdiscovered a small grove in China’s Szechwanprovince. This tree was planted in 1948 from seedscollected from those trees in China, and wasrecognized by the National Arborist Association asone of the largest in New England. An extremelyfast grower, it has reached this size despite beingrelocated to its current site in 1964.

9. Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermisHoney Locust Fabaceae (North America)The reddish-brown seedpods rattle on the branchesof this particular specimen through the winter,although there are cultivars available that do notproduce pods. The pods and the pinnatelycompound leaves are clues that the honey locust isa member of the legume family. The species caneasily reach heights of 60 feet, and the leavesprovide a fine texture with light dappled shade. Thevariety inermis does not have the vicious thornstypical of the species.

10. Amelanchier x grandiflora ‘Cumulus’Apple Serviceberry Rosaceae (hybrid ofA. arborea and A. laevis, both of E North America)An early spring bloomer, Amelanchier is also calledshadbush or shadblow since it flowers when theshad-fish spawn. This hybrid produces masses ofsmall white flowers that are larger and showier thaneither parent species. Juneberry is another name thatis used because the flowers are followed by maroon-purple, edible berries, which are quickly eaten bybirds. In the fall the foliage turns an orange orreddish shade. Serviceberry is generally a goodchoice for a small tree in the landscape.

11. Juglans regiaEnglish or Persian WalnutJuglandaceae (E Europe)While native to southeastern Europe, this speciesis often found growing in the wild east to China.The nuts, which grow to 2" in diameter, havebeen harvested since the earliest times, and thetrees have long been cultivated commercially.Today California is one of the largest Englishwalnut producers. As a folk remedy, the leaves andfruit were used to treat a wide variety of ailmentsincluding anthrax, asthma, dysentery, eczema, andsyphilis. Its high quality wood is used forfurniture. This particular tree was planted here in1939 when it was only six feet tall.

12. Stewartia koreanaKorean Stewartia Theaceae (E Asia)One of the great attributes of this tree is theintermingled mosaic of colors of the exfoliatingbark. Rich lavender and jade hues curl away toreveal the golden undersides. In July, this hardycamellia relative produces 2–3" white flowers. Thestunning bark and exotic flowers make it anexcellent choice for the home landscape. TheBotanic Garden grew this specimen from seedacquired from the Arnold Arboretum in 1952.

13. Sophora japonicaChinese Scholar Tree or Pagoda TreeFabaceae (Korea and China)A handsome late summer bloomer, Sophora createsa milky carpet of fragrant bell-shaped flowers onthe ground below when shedding its blooms. Amember of the legume family, it produces greenpods resembling irregular strings of beads. Thisspecies is highly tolerant of urban pollution.

14. Carya ovataShagbark HickoryJuglandaceae(E North America)In fall, the rich sulfuryellow leaves contrast

beautifully with the deep brownbranches. The tree produces nuts thatare sweet and much sought after byhumans and squirrels alike. The

distinctive shaggy bark peels in long vertical strips thatare free at both ends. This species can reach heights ofup to 90 feet. This specimen is over 100 years old andis among the largest of its kind in New England.

15. Quercus rubraNorthern Red OakFagaceae (E North America)Although this tree was not on theoriginal 27 acres belonging to SmithCollege, it is noted as being one of theoldest and largest trees on the campustoday. The wood of this important lumber tree has areddish color and the leaves turn red in the fall.Unfortunately, in 2006 this tree was removed as it hadbecome structurally unsound and it was a hazard.

16. Liriodendron tulipiferaTulip Tree or Tulip PoplarMagnoliaceae (E North America)

Neither a tulip nor a poplar, thismagnolia relative bears broadlylobed waxy leaves of adistinctive shape. Its extremelystraight trunk was used forcanoes and is now a commontimber wood. Mature trees

produce tulip-shaped flowers high in the upperbranches. Winged seed, to be dispersed by the wind,form in conelike structures that perch on the barewinter branches.

17. Aesculus hippocastanumCommon HorsechestnutHippocastanaceae (N Greece & Albania) This stately tree is commonly found in cities andgardens throughout Europe. The deep brownpolished fruits are encased in a spiky sheath.Though the nuts are toxicto humans, squirrels areoften seen collectingthem. The leavesemerge from verylarge sticky buds andare palmatelycompound. In latespring showypyramidal clusters ofivory flowers appear,resembling Chinese temples.

18. Oxydendrum arboreumSourwood Ericaceae (E United States)

Clusters of pendulous whiteflowers are produced inmidsummer by this rhododendronrelative. It is one of the earliesttrees to reveal its striking fallcolors, starting mid to latesummer. Long, dry seed capsulescontrast with the arching canopyof blazing red leaves in early falland are a good identificationfeature in the winter.

19. Acer japonicumFull Moon MapleAceraceae (Japan)Reaching heights of only 10–15 feet, thissmall elegant tree flaunts a firey explosionof color in the fall. Its handsome leaves are deeplyincised with seven to eleven palmate lobes.

20. Populus deltoidesCottonwood Salicaceae (E North America)Often regarded as a weedy tree, cottonwood is verymessy in the landscape, dropping lots of leaves,flowers, twigs, and branches. The wood is weak andvery susceptible to storm damage. The namecottonwood derives from the silky or cottony hairssurrounding the seeds, which are released in greatprofusion in late spring. In fact, this specimenseeded itself here. The species loves moist areas,especially along rivers, and in the home landscapethe roots often find their way into sewer systems.

21. Acer saccharum ‘Newton Sentry’Newton Sentry Sugar MapleAceraceae (E and Central US)Its extreme columnar form makes this cultivar thenarrowest sugar maple. While this growth habit israre in the wild, it can be particularly useful in thelandscape. This tree was discovered near the entranceto Newton Cemetery in Newton, Massachusetts,propagated, and introduced into the nursery trade in1885. It has yellow-orange fall color. The columnarsugar maple just to the right that is not as slender isthe cultivar ‘Temple’s Upright.’

22. Ulmus spp.Elm Hybrids Ulmaceae (Horticultural Origin)Dutch elm disease has killed millions of Americanelms, Ulmus americana. Although “disease resistant”elms are on the market, it is still risky to plant toomany as they might eventually succumb to thedisease. Along Green Street we have planted hybridsthat do not have any American elm “blood.” Whilethey will not mature to look like American elms,they are somewhat similar, are less prone to disease,and grow just as fast. They include Ulmus parvifolia‘Emer II,’ known in the trade as Allee®, U. japonica

‘Discovery,’ U. parvifolia ‘Dynasty,’ Ulmus‘Homestead,’ U. wilsoniana ‘Prospector,’ andUlmus ‘Morton,’ known in the trade as Accolade®.

23. Thuja plicataWestern Red Cedar or Giant ArborvitaeCupressaceae (NW America) This stately tree has aromatic overlapping leavesresembling the scales of a serpent. The evergreenleaves are a rich glossy green above with faint whitemarkings beneath. Clusters of small cones form alongthe branches. Native Americans made canoes fromthe hollowed out trunks and wove the fibrous innerbark into mats, baskets, and hats. The tough rootswere even used as fishhooks. Today, its durable timberis the principal wood used to manufacture shingles.

24. Juglans nigraBlack WalnutJuglandaceae (E and Central United States)The finely grained wood was used for planepropellers and is stillprized for high qualityfurniture. Black walnuttimber was once sovalued that nighttimeoperations of “WalnutRustlers” stole wholetrees using helicopters.The inner surface ofthe pulpy green nuthusk contains apowerful black dye.The nuts are oily andsweet but hard tocrack. Nearly all parts of this tree exude a chemicalcalled juglone, which stunts or prevents the growthof other nearby plants.

25. Betula nigraRiver BirchBetulaceae (E and Central United States)This graceful tree grows naturally along rivers,reducing soil erosion with its tightly woven roots.Historically, the wood of this Massachusetts native wasused for ox yokes, wooden shoes, and rice cask hoops.Sap can be fermented to make birch beer or vinegar.River birch flowers in the spring, with male and femalecatkins on the same tree. It is the only birch thatdisperses its seed in the spring. This huge specimenhad a 10" trunk diameter in 1914.

26. Nyssa sylvaticaSour Gum Tree, Black Gum, or Black TupeloNyssaceae (E and Central United States)

In classical mythology, Nyssa was the namegiven to a water nymph. This

native tree flourishes in swampywoods and displays sprightly

fall colors of scarletred, burgundy,yellow, and purple,pleasantly

contrasting withsmall blue fruits.

27. Maackia amurensisAmur Maackia Fabaceae (Manchuria)Named for a Russian naturalist, Richard Maack(1825–1886), this tree bears pinnately compoundleaves and tightly packed, small pealike white flowersin midsummer. The smooth bark is an olive-bronzestippled with yellow diamond-shaped patterns.

28. Kalopanax septemlobusTree AraliaAraliaceae (Asia)This tree’s large, glossy, palmately lobed leaves create a

tropical effect. It blooms inlate July with smallindividual flowers borne ingreat quantity. The fruitclusters persist into winter,attracting birds. Yellowprickles form on the youngstems of the deeply ridged bark.

29. Davidia involucrata var. vilmorinianaDove Tree or Handkerchief TreeNyssaceae (Central China)

Growing outside of its usual hardiness range, thiselegant tree is one of the more unusual specimens oncampus. It was moved to its current location in April2000 during the Fine Arts Center renovation.Davidia is often described as the most handsome offlowering trees. In May, graceful white flowers appear,with two long pendulous bracts of unequal size. Inthe wind, these dangling bracts wave among theleaves like white handkerchiefs or twittering doves.

30. Platanus x acerifoliaLondon PlanetreePlatanaceae (Amerasian hybrid)This hybrid is a cross between the AmericanP. occidentalis and the European P. orientalis. Itwas first found growing in London during theRenaissance. In winter, the white snow accentuatesthe remarkable olive-green, sienna, and ivory colorsof its exfoliating bark. Globular clusters of bristlyfruits send particles of fluff into the spring air. It iscommonly used as a street tree because of itstolerance of low soil oxygen. This specimen is aNew England Champion.

31. Fagus sylvatica ‘Atropunicea’Copper European Beech (pictured on cover)Fagaceae (Central Europe)Smooth beech bark was used as a substrate forrecording the written word since the first fledglingforms of writing were developed. The Anglo-Saxonword beece (beech tree) gave rise to boc, which meantcharacter or letter, from which came our modernEnglish word book. Interestingly, an astonishingnumber of cultivars have arisen from the Europeanbeech, while no named cultivars have come from theAmerican beech, Fagus grandifolia.

32. Cedrus libaniCedar of LebanonPinaceae (Lebanon, NW Syria, Central Turkey)Hailing from the mountains of Asia Minor, this specieswas first introduced to America during colonial times.This tree was planted at Smith in 1955 when it was15" tall and was moved here in 1981. After especiallycold winters it sometimes shows signs of winterdamage to the needles. Male cones on the lowerbranches release clouds of powdery yellow pollen in thefall, while female cones form on the upper branches.Cited in religion and mythology, it is said to be theembodiment of history, and to cut one down signifiesthe end of history itself.

33. Ulmus americanaAmerican Elm Ulmaceae (E North America)The regal fountain-like structure of the American elm,the state tree of Massachusetts, is what made it sobeloved. North American landscapes changed foreverwith the arrival of Dutch elm disease. Caused by afungus spread by bark beetles, the disease was firstdetected in America in 1920. The beetles arrived asstowaways on elm logs that were shipped to the UnitedStates for wood veneer. By 1987, the nation had lost40 million elms. The few remaining on the SmithCampus are maintained by regular fungicide injections.

34. Acer griseumPaperbark Maple Aceraceae (Central China)

Thin glossy peeling bark distinguishes this small treefrom other maples. The trifoliate leaves are bluish-green and change to scarlet in the fall. Delicate wingedseeds hold fast to the stems and helicopter into thesnow throughout winter. This tree is a wonderfulchoice for the small garden.

35. Fagus sylvatica ‘Pendula’Weeping Beech Fagaceae (Central Europe)Planted in 1932, this tree has grown into somethingout of a Grimm’s fairy tale. The long weeping branchesarch to the ground and take root, forming a tentlikechamber. In any season, it is a magical feeling to walkbelow the skeletal architecture of this biologicallycreated dome.

36. Zelkova serrataJapanese Zelkova Ulmaceae (Japan)Though this fast growing tree does not have thegraceful form of its relative, the American elm, it isresistant to Dutch elm disease. Leaves are elegantlyserrated and the bark peels back exposing orangebrown inner patches.

37. Fagus sylvatica ‘Roseo-marginata’Tricolor Beech Fagaceae (Central Europe)The leaves of this beechare mottled with freshgreens, pinks, and whites.This tree, planted in 1966,has grown slowly due tothe reduced amount ofchlorophyll in the leaves.

38. Quercus robur ‘Fastigiata’Upright English OakFagaceae (Europe, N Africa, W Asia)This upright form of English oak was firstdiscovered in a forest in Germany in 1783 andbrought into cultivation. It breeds true from seedabout 80–90 percent of the time, with someseedling variation. It is a good choice for urban areasas the species is very tolerant of air pollution,compacted soil and poor drainage, as well asdrought. The plant may reach upwards of 50' tallwith a spread of only 10' to 15'. Powdery mildew issometimes a problem.

39. Halesia monticolaMountain SilverbellStyracaceae (Appalachian Mountains)This dignified tree shroudsitself in early May with short-lived white bell-shapedflowers. The four-winged seedpods that follow aredistinctive in design and change from green to a

light brown as theydry. The long floppyleaves fade to ayellow in fall and thesmoky brown bark isoften said to look like

the hide of a crocodile. The treeis named for the eighteenth

century English physiologist Dr.Stephen Hales, who is considered

the founder of experimental plant physiology.

40. Fagus sylvatica ‘Laciniata’Cut-leaf Beech Fagaceae (Central Europe)The fernlike leaves of this beech cultivar turn asubdued yellow in autumn. Knotty beech wood isresistant to decay and is often made into clothespins,spoons, fence posts, and crates. A former president ofSmith College once saw a cut-leaf beech elsewhere

and liked it. When he returned to the college, he askedthe head horticulturist, Bill Campbell, if the campuscould acquire one. Mr. Campbell then pointed to thisspecimen, already growing in the president’s front yard.

Other trees of interest:A. Acer palmatum ‘Ornatum’ –

Red threadleaf Japanese maple

B. Magnolia virginiana – Sweetbay magnolia

C. Corylus colurna – Turkish filbert

D. Acer miyabei – Miyabe maple

E. Acer diabolicum – Devil maple

F. Carpinus betulus – European hornbeam

G. Syringa reticulata – Tree lilac

H. Aesculus x carnea – Red horsechestnut

I. Aesculus glabra – Ohio buckeye

J. Picea abies – Norway spruce

K. Acer mandshuricum – Manchurian maple

L. Quercus macrocarpa – Bur oak

M. Paulownia tomentosa – Princess tree

N. Phellodendron amurense – Amur corktree

O. Acer campestre – Hedge maple

P. Quercus palustris – Pin oak

Q. Quercus prinus – Chestnut oak

R. Tilia tomentosa – Silver linden

S. Tilia x europaea – European linden

T. Styrax obassia – Fragrant snowbell

U. Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Plumosa’ –Plume sawara falsecypress

V. Abies homolepis – Nikko fir

W. Abies concolor – Concolor fir

X. Fagus sylvatica ‘Purpurea Pendula’ –Weeping purple beech

Y. Acer saccharum – Sugar maple