Table of Contents
Plant Culture Data Sheets
©2003 Saratoga Horticultural
Research Foundation, Inc.
Though the Santa Lucia fir, Abies bracteata (syn. venusta), is regarded by botanists as the most remarkable of all firs, it is too seldom seen in cultivation. A fine specimen is growing near the Herbert Hoover Library on the campus of Stanford University, Palo Alto, California. Thought to be nearly 50 years old, the tree is now 66' tall and has a trunk diameter at breast height of 16" (measurements by George Hood, August 28, 1961). The writer has known the tree for 26 years and, during this period, it has always been in a vigorous, healthy condition.
Abies bracteata is remarkable for (1) its slender steeple-like crown, (2) its peculiar bristly cones, (3) its sharp-pointed leaves, (4) the small number, relatively speaking, of individuals in its native range, and (5) its restricted habitat.
Confined to the Santa Lucia Mountains of Monterey County, California, Abies bracteata bears the distinction of having the most restricted native habitat of any fir on earth. Here the groves are scattered over a very narrow strip, scarcely 50 miles in length and but 2 or 3 miles wide. The trees occur in colonies on dry, steep, rocky slopes, extending down into the canyons below. Hiking in these mountains is difficult because of the extremely rugged terrain and the dense chaparral growth. Hence few people, aside from those botanically inclined, have seen these singular trees in the wild.
To visit a stand of these rare trees with a minimum of effort, the following instructions are given: From Monterey, go south on State Highway 1 to Kirk Creek, which is 4.2 miles south of Lucia Lodge. Cross the bridge over Kirk Creek, then turn abruptly to the left up a dirt road marked "Jolon 29 mi." Since this road is narrow, crooked, and steep in spots, it should not be tackled by a timid driver. Stay on this road for a distance of 7.6 miles. Here, at the crest of the ridge, turn to the north on a very narrow, one lane dirt road marked "Crest Ridge," and proceed to climb for 7.3 miles to a point at an elevation of about 3,500 feet on the eastern slope of Cone Peak. So characteristic is the form of the Santa Lucia fir that it cannot be mistaken, even at a distance. Here, in a dramatic setting, it is associated with such trees as Pinus lambertiana, Pinus coulteri, Arbutus menziesii, Acer macrophyllum, Lithocarpus densiflora, Umbellularia californica, Quercus chrysolepis, and Quercus wislizenii.
A few specimens of Abies bracteata noted in cultivation in recent years in California, in addition to the Stanford University tree, are as follows: (1) An attractive plantation of healthy, vigorous trees in the Regional Parks Botanic Garden, Berkeley, (2) a rapid-growing individual in the garden of the hotel headquarters at Pfeiffer-Big Sur State Park, Big Sur, and (3) a plantation of slow-growing trees in the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Santa Barbara. The latter were less than a foot tall when planted by the writer in 1944; today they are only 9 to 10 feet tall. It has been observed that this species is more vigorous in cultivation in California in coastal areas to the north, rather than to the south, of its native range.
The Saratoga Horticultural Foundation would appreciate further information about the hardiness of this species and about localities where it is flourishing in colder parts of the United States.
Maunsell Van Rensselaer
Plant Culture Data Sheets
©2003 Saratoga Horticultural
Research Foundation, Inc.
This highly ornamental, evergreen, flowering tree has all the ornamental virtues and statuesque habit of the native Californian Madrone, combined with the tolerances of the European Strawberry Trees--to which it owes its origins. It is very similar in its characteristics to the common Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo) but is probably a hybrid between A. x andrachnoides (one parent of which is A. unedo) and A. canariensis (the latter is also indeed sometimes only given as a variant of A. unedo). Because of its adaptability it can be used for a wide range of purposes in the garden or landscape -as a large bush for screening, as a multi-stemmed structural component, as a single stemmed standard specimen tree or as a sheared but 1ntormal hedge or screen.
The largest known specimen of Arbutus 'Marina' is in the San Francisco garden of Victor Reiter, this was planted in 1942 and has reached a height of forty feet with an equivalent spread. The origins of this plant are still unexplained although it is probable that it arrived in San Francisco in 1917 for the Exposition as part of a consignment of plants from Europe. Subsequently a few plants were propagated by Charles Abrahams at his Western Nursery on Lombard Street in the Marina district; at the Closing Down sale of this nursery a boxed plant was purchased for the Strybing Arboretum by the Director, Eric Walther. Victor Reiter was able to propagate his stock from this plant in 1933. A. 'Marina' was evaluated as a potential introduction by the Foundation after obtaining propagating material from this source. It was eventually named and offered in 1984. The cultivar name 'Marina' commemorates the location of the Western Nursery and is a tribute to its owner and one of California's early plantsmen, Charles Abrahams.
The trunk of this tree in terms of character and colour is reminiscent of that of A. menziesii--the native California Madrone. The plant can be trained as a cleaned, single or multi-stemmed specimen so that the strong trunk character and the color of the bark will make it a very useful structural component within a garden or landscape plan. The satiny, cinnamon-colored bark on young stems is in striking contrast to the roughish older bark which peels off in one inch curls, an attractive feature which develops even on nursery sized plants.
The foliage is very similar to that of the Strawberry Tree--the elliptical, leathery, dark green leaves being four to five inches long with a prominent central vein. As the young leaves unfurl they have a distinctly orange-red blush which blends well with the red bark of the new stems.
The flower clusters, which may attain a length of as much as six inches, are produced in drooping panicles, which contain as many as one hundred individual flowers. Each small, bell- shaped, typically ericaceous flower is rose red in color and the overall effect when in full blossom during the late Fall and Winter gives the tree an exotic and dramatic impact. The flowers are also very attractive to Hummingbirds and provide a resource for them at a time when they are generally short of food.
The round, bright red fruits are typical of Strawberry Trees and are about an inch across. Each flower cluster usually produces between two and four of these fruits which become soft with age and eventually fall to the ground. The total production of a well-established tree is sufficient to preclude the use of this subject as a specimen for street planting.
The tree needs to be planted in full sun to develop the lush green foliage and an abundance of flowers of which it is capable; if planted in shadier conditions the leaves become larger and darker green and fewer flowers are produced.
A. 'Marina' will require a regular irrigation program for at least the first two establishment seasons in the landscape, but thereafter should be able to survive on a monthly system of deep watering.
This subject is fairly typical of the family Ericaceae in its growth patterns and structure and will thus produce a relatively shallow and fine root system. This will not usually compete in the surface situation in a lawn as many trees will do. It will also be subject to soil borne diseases such as Rhizoctonia and water mould type fungi unless planted with care, i.e., with the top of its root ball no lower than the surrounding soil level and in a large and well prepared planting hole. Properly planted it will tolerate not only the regular watering of a lawn placement but will also survive the more arid conditions of other sites, while not submitting to the root rots and other problems which cause its local relative to be such a capricious subject. In trials it proved to be resistant to innoculations of Oak root fungus.
Tree; evegreen; flowering; structural component.
Plant Culture Data Sheets
©2003 Saratoga Horticultural
Research Foundation, Inc.
These members of the heather family, commonly called Manzanitas (Spanish for little apples) are primarily native to the western united States, centering in California. One species (A. uva-ursi) is circumpolar.
Manzanita growth habits can range from the creeping A. uva-ursi, called Kinnikinnik to small trees like A. x 'Dr. Hurd'. All have attractive green to grey-green leaves, showy red bark, urn-shaped flowers in clusters during winter or spring, red berries in late summer and fall, and branching stems of great beauty. They are long-lived, quite drought-resistant when well established, heat loving but sensitive to excess moisture in the soil, especially during warm summer months.
Our introductions include the following:
Groundcover Forms:
Arctostaphylos edmundsii -- Three very distinct selections from a variable species appear to be more resistant to heat and drought conditions than the more commonly used A. uva-ursi varieties.
Arctostaphylos edmundsii 'Carmel Sur' is the fastest growing of these three A. edmundsii cultivars. Growing to 8" or 10" in height and 6 feet or more across, the creeping main sterns send up many short, erect branchlets to form an attractive dense ground cover. So far it has produced no flowers.
Arctostaphylos edmundsii 'Danville' has abundant, rounded, deep green leaves, bronzy when in new growth, and rimmed with a red margin. Winter blooming, the pink buds mix with white flowers in a colorful manner, to be followed in fall by many red berries. Moderately fast growth produces a plant 12-15" tall and 4-5' across. Older plants expose the older wood.
Arctostaphylos edmundsii 'Little Sur' -- Moderately fast, the deep shiny green leaves lie flat, as do the branches, to form a very low, very dense and attractive cover to 5' and more across. Winter blooming, the pink buds and white flowers are followed in late summer by colorful red berries. Susceptible to foliar fungus diseases.
Arctostaphylos x 'Emerald Carpet' -- An introduction of the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden. A hybrid between A. uva-ursi and A. nummularia, this appears to be the toughest, most fungus-resistant, easiest to grow manzanita ground cover yet. The 13-year old parent plants are dense 2' mounds of brilliant green. Flowers are small clusters of pink buds, turning to white bells in spring.
Arctostaphylos hookeri 'Monterey Carpet' -- with bright green foliage and moderate growth rate, this low spreading shrub will develop to l' high and 5' or more across. Flowers are white. Neat, mat-like, and attractive in habit. The Monterey manzanitas perform best in a sandy soil and/or with some shade, but tolerate heavy soil with careful watering. A. uva-ursi 'Point Reyes' and A. u.-u. 'Radiant' have been widely used for years. Very low creeping plants, they both are reasonably drought-resistant, but require some shade and irrigation in the warmer interior areas. 'Radiant' is of Oregon origin, with oval, medium-green leaves, and at times with a good set of red berries. 'Point Reyes' came from the California coast area of that name, and has deep-green, rounded leaves arranged in a unique manner around the branchlets.
Shrub and Tree Forms:
Arctostaphylos bakeri 'Louis Edmunds' -- Upright shrub to 5' or 6' tall; delicate pink flowers in pendulous clusters, contrasting with the gray-green foliage. Similar to A. stanfordiana, but having a less sensitive root system. Very adaptable.
A. densiflora 'Harmony' -- Low, spreading shrub 2 to 3 ft high and 8-10 feet wide; dark green, glossy leaves; pink flowers produced in profusion in March and April. Trailing branches take root. Similar to next variety, but larger.
A. densiflora 'Howard McMinn' -- Low, spreading shrub 2' high and 6-8' wide; dark green, glossy leaves; rose-pink flowers produced in profusion in March and April. Trailing branches take root.
A. densiflora 'Sentinel' -- upright to 6' high and 8' or more across, with moderate sized elongated, grayish-green leaves and pink flowers in February/March. Somewhat open in habit; perhaps not so disease-resistant as the similar sized A. bakeri 'Louis Edmunds'.
A. hookeri 'Wayside' -- Compact, vigorous-growing strain of Hooker manzanita; Parent plant is 30" high and 12' wide. Glossy green leaves; white flowers. Trailing branches take root.
A. manzanita 'Dr. Hurd' -- Our largest growing form, tree-like in eventual stature, to 15' high and 20' across, with a massive much-branched framework of trunk and branches. Bark deep mahogany red. Foliage light green. Flowers very abundant and pure white; berries red. Relatively fast and adaptable.
A. stanfordiana 'Fred Oehler' -- Especially attractive form of Stanford manzanita. Parent plant is 4-5' high and 6' wide. Light gray green, glossy leaves; pink flowers produced in February and March in pendulous clusters; smooth, reddish-brown bark. Has sensitive root system and needs good drainage.
A. stanfordiana 'Trinity' -- Glossy green leaves; reddish purple bark. Has sensitive root system.
Arctostaphylos. x 'Sunset' -- A hybrid of A. hookeri and A. pajaroensis with very bronzy new growth and 4-5' spreading habit.
Plant Culture Data Sheets
©2003 Saratoga Horticultural
Research Foundation, Inc.
The 'Bush Anemone' is not only one of California's most beautiful native plants, it is also one of its rarest endemic species. It has a very restricted geographical distribution; within a range, longitudinally of only twenty miles or so, in Fresno County. It occurs on sparsely wooded slopes at elevations of between 1,500 and 4,000 feet in the San Joaquin and King's River canyon region. Often it is locally abundant within this area.
The original location for the first discovery of this plant was for long in doubt, as it had been discovered and collected as a pressed specimen by Fremont during his 1845 expedition--on his southward trek down the Central Valley it is now known that he mistook the King's River for the Kern and by traveling up this river made an abortive attempt to cross the Sierra Nevada, on turning back he probably found this plant on a tributary of the King's. Despite many searches in the Sierras the plant was not seen again for thirty years until it was shown to the California Academy of Sciences in September 1876 by Gustav Eisen, it had been found and hence rediscovered in 1875 between Tollhouse and Ockenden in Fresno County.
Carpenteria is a montypic genus and is most closely allied to Philadelphus. It develops into a multi-stemrned, twiggy, evergreen, woody shrub, which may attain a height of eight to twelve feet. The leaves are four to five inches long and are narrow linear, lanceolate in shape, with revolute margins; the upper surface is a dark glossy green and the undersides are covered with a close, short, dense, white pubescence--all of these characteristics being part of its water conserving strategy. The older stems develop an exfoliating bark which peels to reveal a bright ornamental, yellowish tan bark. Many of the plants as they grow naturally are leggy and drooping in habit--these characteristics are also often seen in cultivated plants of seedling origin, this has detracted from the general acceptance of it as a worthwhile garden plant--it being deemed to be too untidy. It can however be readily developed into a compact and useful shrub by judicious pinching and pruning but this treatment is not necessarily available in every situation. The development and selection of a range of natural compact, floriferous cultivars would therefore be a valuable asset.
The Bush Anemone is tolerant of most garden irrigation regimes provided that the soil drainage is good, but it is also capable of growing quite satisfactorily without summer watering if it is well established with water in its first couple of seasons. When grown under stress or starved, it is susceptible to aphid attack to such an extent that the plant can be disfigured. It is also reputed to be resistant to Oak root fungus although this is less verifiable.
Carpenteria is much hardier than its exotic appearance would suggest, it is quite capable of tolerating frost to the order of 20oF; perhaps this is to be expected when the elevation of its habitat is considered. In its natural habitat it is a native of light woodland or a marginal chaparral community and as such will tolerate full sun and heat except in extreme exposures such as the that experienced in the Central Valley where it would benefit from light shade.
The foliage is very bitter and astringent in taste and in consequence it is not readily browsed either by sheep or by deer.
The flowers are fragrant and are normally up to three inches or so in diameter; they consist of five to seven flat, roundish, pure white petals which surround a central boss of brilliant yellow stamens. The number of flowers and their size, together with their disposition on the stem is a very variable factor in any seedling population. The flowering season, depending on location, is from May to September--with a peak in June and July.
Perhaps the most sought after named cultivar is 'Ladham's Variety' which was selected many years ago in England and is characterized by having individual flowers some four inches across, unfortunately it does not yet appear to be available in California.
'Elizabeth' is the only cultivar which is currently, commercially available, it was collected as cuttings by Wayne Roderick who wrote:
In 1971 I spent several days with friends looking at all the plants of Carpenteria californica that we could get to. We found one so different that it stood out far beyond the rest. This plant had small flowers but in masses up to 20 to a cluster. In fact every terminal had a cluster.
This selection has proved to adapt well to cultivation and grows into a relatively compact, free flowering bush; it is quite distinct and is readily recognized by the erect, compact, terminal, flower clusters which contain numerous (20+) individual flowers each about 2 inches in diameter. It was named to honor Elizabeth McClintock.
Evergreen; flowering; low water use; native.
Plant Culture Data Sheets
©2003 Saratoga Horticultural
Research Foundation, Inc.
This sun loving cultivar comes to SHF via England. It has proven more resistant to Botrytis and Fusarium than other Hebe selections. It forms a tight 3 1/2' to 4-foot ball which benefits from annual pruning to about 1 foot, best done in late February. Tolerates some clay but prefers good drainage. Give regular irrigation for lush appearance. Purple-red foliage contrasts with electric bright violet flowers which bloom throughout our warm seasons.
Plant Culture Data Sheets
©2003 Saratoga Horticultural
Research Foundation, Inc.
Liquidambar styraciflua, sweet gum, or sometimes called red gum, is a handsome deciduous tree with attractively colored fall foliage in shades of reds, crimsons, and yellows. It occurs in the eastern United States from Connecticut to Florida and southwestward to eastern Texas. In the northern and middle states it usually is found in wet areas, borders of swamps and low swales, with red maple (Acer rubrum), white swamp oak (Quercus bicolor), tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica), white ash (Fraxinus americana) and red ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica), occasionally it occurs on drier and higher ground; in the coastal southern Atlantic states and in the lower Mississippi River basin it is a common tree in the forests of rich river bottom lands usually flooded every year, growing with cotton gum (Nyssa aquatica), tupelo or black gum (Nyssa sylvatica), red maple (Acer rubrum), willow oak (Quercus phellos), and chestnut white oak (Quercus prinus). In earlier times throughout this great hardwood forest region sweet gum occurred abundantly. The sweet gum reappears in the mountains of central and southern Mexico and in the highlands of Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua. In Chiapas in southern Mexico it is the dominant tree of the pine-oak-liquidamber forest of the Sierra Nevada de Chiapas. Extending southward it is in some places one of the commonest of Guatemalan trees.
Liquidambar styraciflua was one of the few trees to be mentioned by three early Spanish explorers in North America. Bernal Diaz del Castillo (1492-1580) who accompanied Cortez in Mexico described the burning of liquidambar mixed with tobacco in highly ornamented little tubes brought to Montezuma when he had finished a meal. After the conquest of Mexico, Philip II of Spain sent his physician, Francisco Hernandez ( -1578) to Mexico to prepare accounts of the natural history, antiquities and political conditions. Hernandez lived in Mexico from 1571 to 1575 and in his writings he described liquidambar, where it grew and its medicinal uses. Earlier, in 1528 Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca, a member of a Spanish expedition to Florida, came to the region of present-day Appalachicola where, he later wrote, were "immense trees and open woods." Among the trees was liquidambar.
In the translations of these early accounts the name liquidambar is used for the tree indicating that, although the tree was new to them, they were able to associate it with something already familiar. Donald Culrose Peattie has suggested that the odor of the burning material in the ornamental little tubes brought to Montezuma reminded Bernal Diaz of the fragrant gum used in Europe as incense in churches and valued in perfumery, the product of a tree of the middle east, Liquidambar orientalis.
The name Liquidambar, taken from the Latin word liquidus for fluid or liquid and the Arabic word ambar for resin, was given to the genus by Linnaeus. There are five or six species in Liquidambar growlng in widely separated parts of the world. The three best known are L. styraciflua in North America, L. orientalis in Turkey and adjacent Asia Minor, and L. formosana In Taiwan and southern and central China. Although all three are cultivated as ornamental trees (University of California, Berkeley campus, University of Washington Arboretum, Seattle, and Saratoga Horticultural Foundation) L. styraciflua is the best known and most useful. The three may be distinguished by their leaves which are 3 lobed in L. formosana 5-7 lobed in L. styraciflua, also basically 5-7 lobed in L. orientalis but each lobe is somewhat irregularly and deeply cut or incised vaguely resembling leaves of some Japanese maples. Liquidambars because of their lobed leaves are sometimes confused with maples but maple leaves are always opposite in their stems and those of liquidambar are alternate.
Liquidambar styraciflua was an early introduction into England. The Anglican clergyman, John Banister (1650-1692) who settled in Virginia in 1678 sent it back to England in 1681 to Bishop Compton who grew it in his garden near London. It was grown later in other places in England (Philip Miller had it at the Chelsea Physic Garden in the middle 1700's) and on the continent.
Liquidambar styraciflua is a deciduous tree, in its native areas 80-140 ft tall with a straight trunk 4-5 ft. in diameter. Leaves palmately 5-7 lobed are 5-7 in. long, 6-7 in. across, bright green, smooth and shiny above and turn red or crimson in fall. When crushed, they have a pleasant resinous fragrance. Small numerous unisexual flowers appear in spring with the early leaves. Both male and female flowers grouped together into heads, the male heads about 1/4 in. across, are arranged in terminal racemes 2-3 in. long. The female heads about 1/2 in. across, are solitary on slender stalks 1-2 in. long in leaf axils. Each flower in the female head forms a capsule. At maturity the fruiting heads are 1- 11/2 in. across and contain winged seeds about 1/2 in. long. Each female flower has 2 long beaked styles which as the capsule develops become slightly enlarged and very hard. These form the conspicuous prickles of the female fruiting heads.
Sweet gum has had several uses. Earliest in Mexico, as incense and medicinal, were reported by Bernal Diaz and Hernandes. Today in the pine-oak-liquidambar forests of the highlands of Chiapas, the young leaves are used for a remedy for high fever and the wood for construction and firewood. In Guatemala in areas where it is a common tree, the resin of liquidambar is used for treating sores and wounds of both animals and humans and the hardened resin is often chewed to clean and preserve the teeth. The heavy, hard, close- grained wood is smooth and satiny. and will take a fine polish, but is not very strong and is difficult to season. It was not much used in the early days of the United States but by the end of the last century several uses were found for it particularly in cabinet making and for building purposes. One of its common names, red gum, led to an unfortunate use of it in England in 1901. A small town contacted an American contractor to supply timber of red gum for street paving. It was presumed the red gum in America and Australia (where several species of Eucalyptus are also known as red gum) were the same. The pavement constructed of the American red gum wore out within a year and was entirely unsatisfactory, By far the most important use of sweet gum in the United States and Europe is as an ornamental tree for gardens, parks and streets. Its popularity in California has increased during recent years when its value as a fall color tree gained recognition. This popularity was enhanced with the development of several cultivars selected for their striking colored fall foliage, Three, 'Palo Alto', 'Burgandy', and 'Festival', were introduced by Saratoga Horticultural Foundation.
The original tree of Liquidambar styracif!ua 'Palo Alto' grew as a street tree in the city of Palo Alto. Its well proportioned pyramidal habit and brilliant orange-red autumn leaves were first noticed in 1950 by George Hood, Park Foreman, who called it to the attention of Maunsell Van Rensselaer, the director of Saratoga Horticultural Foundation. Its possible use as an ornamental tree was recognized and the means for making it available to the nursery trade and gardening public were explored. Several methods of vegetative propagation were tried. Apparently, up to this time sweet gum had not been vegetatively propagated in the United States. Budding proved to be the most satisfactory and this method of propagation has been used not only for 'Palo Alto' but for other cultivars which followed. Budded plants grow from 4 to 6 feet the first year and from 2 to 3 feet in following years. After a period of evaluation this new cultivar which was named in honor of the city where it was first discovered, was introduced for public use in 1955. It was the first cultivar of a sweet gum to be selected and named. Its distinctive characteristics are its shapely pyramidal form and its bright orange-red autumnal foliage which usually appears around Thanksgiving and is uniform throughout the tree.
Liquidambar styraciflua 'Burgandy' the second selected cultivar made by the Saratoga Horticultural Foundation was introduced in 1962. Its outstanding characters are its columnar habit when young, older trees become more pyramidal, its deep green summer leaves which turn a burgundy-red in late November and December and remain on the tree fully colored into January. Its leaves turn color later in the fall and remain longer than leaves of other liquidambar cultivars.
The cultivar selected most recently by Saratoga Horticultural Foundation was Liquidambar styraciflua 'Festival' introduced in 1964. It is characterized by its narrow crown and its golden autumn leaves, tinged with shades of yellow, apricot or peach. It has a somewhat more rapid growth rate than most other liquidambars.
Elizabeth McClintock, May 1980
We do not recommend planting in spaces less than 20' wide to prevent future damage to pavement.
Plant Culture Data Sheets
©2003 Saratoga Horticultural
Research Foundation, Inc.
Even a cursory examination of: the ornamental plantings in the Bay region of California reveals that the residents of this area are in a fortunate position, indeed, for it is possible for them to successfully cultivate desirable plante from many parts of the world. One such ornamental is the tulip tree, Liriodendron tulipifera, which has been introduced to California gardens from the eastern United States. It belongs to the Magnolia family, which is far removed from any of the poplars, but because of its softwood it is frequently called yellow poplar. Liriodendron is from two Greek words describing a tree with lily-like flowers. Tulipifera refers to the tulip-like blossoms.
Liriodendron was one of the earliest hardwoods that flourished in the Cretaceous age. During that time it occurred in many parts of the world--even as far north as Greenland. The ice age eliminated this and many other trees from the far north. With the withdrawal of the ice, Liriodendron reoccupied some of its former ground, but now is limited in distribution to central China and the eastern United States, being found in the region bounded by southern New England, through New York to southern Wisconsin and south to northeastern Alabama and northern Florida. The greatest growth is made in the deep, rich soils or the lower Ohio Valley. In its native state it is one of the dominant representatives of the eastern forests, reaching heights of 200 feet, and trunk diameters of six to eight feet. Growth of this magnitude, however, is rare today, since such trees, because of typical Americancan short sightedness, have long since made the trip to the sawmill.
The wood is brown to light yellow, with a margin of white sapwood. It is soft and easily worked. The major uses are in interior finish, and in the manufacture of boxes, crates, baskets, and woodenware. An additional use is in the extraction from the inner bark of the trunk and root of a substance, tulipiferine, which is a heart stimulant.
In addition to being of considerable economic importance, the tree, with its distinctive leaf form, colorful flowers, and bright yellow fall foliage, makes a very desirable shade tree. In its early years of growth it maintains a straight trunk topped by an open, pyramidal crown. With age, the spread of branches increases so that the crown may be nearly as broad as it is tall. The bark of trunks is light gray, thin and smooth. This becomes dark deeply furrowed, and may reach as much as two inches in thickness as age increases. Of particular appeal is the glossy clean-cut appearance of the leaves. These are at first a light yellow green in color, but turn darker green as the season progresses. The shape of the leaves is the distinguishing feature. They are angular with four pointed lobes, and have peculiar chopped off ends, which gives them a fiddle-shaped appearance. The leaves seem to be continuously in motion as in the quaking aspen. This fluttering action is due to the rather long, triangular leaf stalks by means of which the leaves are attached to the stems. The exquisite flowers, which give the tree its name, are yellow or orange at the base fading to a light greenish yellow at the tip. They may be as large as three to four inches in diameter, appearing in early summer among the newly unfolding leaves. The combination of the greenish-orange flowers and the yellow-green new growth gives the tree a delightfully fresh appearance--almost a personification of spring and the summer to come. Even after the petals have dropped liriodendron is not without appeal; since the fruit, which is a three inch cone, now stands revealed; The seeds fall away leaving behind an erect axis, or stalk, to which they had been attached. These stalks remain, candelabrum fashion, attached to the branches even after the leaves have fallen.
Of almost equal appeal is the appearance of the foliage when it assumes its fall color. The leaves turn a clear, bright yellow or golden, then gradually turn brown before dropping. Even without foliage, however, the tree is not without charm. The large, brownish-purple winter buds, and the persistent cone axes still provide something in the way of visual attraction.
A tree such as this was certain to attract the attention of early settlers and travelers in America; so it is little wonder that it very early found its way to European gardens. The first record of its culture is 1687, in a garden in Leyden. To this date it has remained one of the most popular of American trees in the gardens of France and England.
As is true of most members of the Maqnolia family, liriodendron is slow to come into flower. Rarely are flowers produced before the tree is from ten to fifteen years of age. Once established it is a relatively care-free tree to cultivate; however it must be planted with care because it has the fleshy roots common to all magnolias. These must not be allowed to dry out before planting, nor should they be roughly handled. The tree is not well-suited to parking strip planting because of its ultimate size, but where sufficient space can be allotted to it few trees can rival the tulip tree in ornamental value.
Karl Raven, April 1959, from Saratoga News
Throughout the long and fascinating history of man's worldwide search for new and useful plants, perhaps no single discovery has aroused such universal interest as that of the dawn redwood, Metasequoia glyptostroboides.
Known previously only in the fossil record, this remarkable deciduous redwood was thought by paleobotanists to have been extinct for some twenty million years. One can well imagine, therefore, the excitement in botanical and horticultural circles caused by the chance discovery in 1944 of not one but hundreds of living individuals in a vigorous, healthy condition in a remote part of Szechuan Province in central China. Studies of the fossil stems, leaves and cones, some which have been well preserved, convince investigators that this species was once widely distributed over Asia and North America. Now it is apparently confined, in remnant colonies, to a small area some 300 square miles in extent. The story of the finding of this heretofore extinct species and its subsequent introduction in 1948 to gardens of North America and other parts of the world has been vividly reported during the past few years by Dr. Ralph W. Chaney of the University of California, Dr. E. D. Merrill and Dr. Donald Wyman of the Arnold Arboretum, and others.
When Dr. E. D. Merrill, former Director of the Arnold Arboretum, first examined botanical specimens of Metasequoia in 1946 he became interested in obtaining seeds and, accordingly, sent funds to China to finance an expedition for this purpose. The first seeds to reach the outside world arrived at the Arnold Arboretum in January 1948. Shortly thereafter, Dr. Ralph w. Chaney, paleobotanist of the University of California, made a strenuous and hazardous journey into central China to personally examine living specimens of Metasequoia in the few remaining stands. He returned with another supply of seeds. Since 1948, seeds and seedlings have been widely distributed by the Arnold Arboretum and by the Save-the-Redwoods League of California. Wherever this species has flourished it has proved to be a vigorous, rapid-growing tree, at least in its youth; reports of growth of 3 to 4 feet a year are common.
Of interest to horticulturists is the fact that the dawn redwood differs from its near relative, the well-known and widely cultivated California redwood, Sequoia sempervirens, in the following noteworthy aspects: (1) It is fully deciduous, while the latter holds its leaves for several years. As I write these notes in December in Saratoga, California, I can see from my window a native stand of Sequoia sempervirens, growing in a wooded canyon at the base of the Santa Cruz Mountains. These are fully clothed in deep green foliage, while the dawn redwoods in our test plot just outside are fully deciduous. Prior to casting their leaves, these assumed a striking bronzy hue. (2) The branches of the dawn redwood are ascending, while those of the California redwood stand at right angles to the trunk or frequently are markedly deflexed. (3) The branches of Metasequoia are symmetrically arranged in opposite pairs with each pair standing at right angles to the pair below. (4) The ovulate cones of the dawn redwood are borne on long naked stems, and the staminate catkins are said to resemble those of Taxodium, another member of the redwood family. (5) In the wild, the California redwood is a much larger tree than the dawn redwood.
Metasequoia has found the Pacific Coast to be very much to its liking. The tallest specimen in North America, according to Dr. Chaney, is in the garden of Mr. and Mrs. James R. Brehm in Pasadena, California, growing on a sunny, moist, well-drained hill slope facing southeast. When planted in March 1949, it was a 15-inch seedling. On September 12, 1952, it was measured by Mr. Brehm and found to be 24 feet in height an average seasonal growth of nearly six feet. When I examined the tree in May, 1952 I found most of the growth to be upright, without normal lateral growth so that it is much more slender than the average of its species. Another California specimen, planted on the grounds of the U.S. Post Office in Palo Alto on Arbor Day in 1949 by the California Arborists Association, measured 17 feet, 4 inches on September 3, 1952. Before the removable of one of its trunks last winter, this was a double-trunked individual; the remaining trunk has a circumference of 18 inches at the base.
In the Pacific Northwest, Metasequoia appears to be perfectly hardy and is flourishing, although its growth is not quite so rapid as in California. This condition of slower growth will doubtless prove to be an advantage, with the probability of more shapely trees. Fine specimens, from four to nine feet tall, are growing in the Hoyt Arboretum, Portland, Oregon; the University of Washington Arboretum, Seattle, Washington; and in the parks of Victoria, British Columbia. According to Curator Ernest E. Fischer, two of the four-year-old specimens in the Hoyt Arboretum have borne cones this year, the first reported fruiting occurrence in this country to our knowledge.
Reports from Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York and Boston indicate that Metasequoia is growing well in those areas and for the first three winters the species appeared to be hardy. One well-formed specimen in the Arnold Arboretum, near Boston, grew over four feet in one year. In the Morton Arboretum, near Lisle, Illinois, Metasequoia has not survived the cold winters, according to Director Clarence E. Godshalk. Farther south in the Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, this species was not damaged by the severe winters of 1950-51 and 1951-52, so that Director George T. Moore feels that it may be considered hardy in that region. In the Glenmore Arboretum, in the Rocky Mountains above Denver, Colorado, a snow-covered specimen survived the unusually cold winter of 1950- 51, according to Director Robert E. Moore.
Propagation of Metasequoia by cuttings has been found by many growers to be relatively easy. As an example, three-inch greenwood cuttings were taken in August 1951 at the Saratoga Horticultural Foundation and placed in the propagating greenhouse in a medium of spongerok without bottom heat. These began to root in less than three weeks and were potted in the fifth week. At one year, these vigorous plants, in gallon containers, ranged from 30 to 40 inches in height. Hardwood cuttings, ranging in diameter from the size of a match to that of a pencil, were taken in February and left outdoors in a medium of three parts sand and one part peat. The slender cuttings were the first to root and these were potted in June. The heavier cuttings were potted in August. For western conditions, we recommend propagating by greenwood cuttings at any time from June through August. Because of the popular demand, many nurseries in America now list Metasequoia. When planted out, the species does best in moist soils.
Because of the probable ultimate size of cultivated specimens of the dawn redwood, it is doubtful that the tree has a place in the average home garden. However, its fascinating history and potential educational value, coupled with the widespread popular interest in its unique qualities, make it a valuable exhibition subject. Now that it is readily available, it should be widely planted, preferable in groves, in public grounds and parks in all regions where it thrives.
Maunsell Van Rensselaer , Extracted from American Nurserymen, December 1952
Plant Culture Data Sheets
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Research Foundation, Inc.
The 'Southern Magnolia' or 'Bull Bay' is well known as one of the more exotic of the broad leaved evergreen, flowering trees which have been introduced and widely used in the urban, suburban and rural landscapes of California for many years. This tree has a natural distribution in the South East of the United States and is usually found growing on hummocks of well drained, highly fertile, deep soil in bottom lands. The climate of these areas is one of high summer rainfall, heat and humidity. It is a very variable plant when grown from seed, variations occurring in tree size; leaf size, shape and development of tomentum; flower size and shape; precocity of flowering, abundance of flower production and season of blooming. It is said that no two seedlings are alike. It is difficult to find natural, virgin stands of these trees nowadays as most have been felled for timber, however there are many existing stands of second growth trees and among these, many large specimens of considerable stature can be found.
The variability of the species is also evidenced by the range of soils and climate which are tolerated and which have allowed the tree to survive in the variety of Mediterranean environments occurring in California. Until recent years it has only been possible to plant seedling trees, with the consequent high degree of variation and lack of reliability that such a policy brings. It became evident that if the tree was to be used effectively--at least in formal situations then it would be necessary to make clonal selections. This would enable trees with desirable ornamental characteristics and growth patterns to be made available for planting, with the added bonus of uniformity and reliability in the product. Selections have of course been made in other parts of the world over two centuries but these did not necessarily provide the characteristics required for a tree to be successful in California.
The following cultivars represent trees which have been selected specifically for planting in California and have grown satisfactorily under local conditions. It should be emphasized however that although these trees succeed in the dry atmospheric conditions of a Californian summer, they do, nevertheless, require copious amounts of soil water and a regular fertilization program. Given this regime they will grow vigorously and develop into mature, attractive specimens.
'Russet' is an outstanding pyramidal form which maintains a strong upright branching habit and is fast growing to 40+ feet. The leaves are its distinguishing feature--they are dark glossy green and narrow, with a very remarkable degree of velvety felting on the underside; this is caused by a dense orange brown tomentum which persists throughout the year. This felting also occurs on the leaf petioles, the young branches and the buds of the current season.
The flowers are fairly flat and about ten inches across. They are borne singly at the ends of the branches and typically have twelve tepals in three whorls -these are soft and velvety to the touch and are intensely fragrant with an unusual lemon-like scent. Most Southern Magnolia flowers last only two or three days but in this variety they persist for several days. The flowers of this form are produced intermittently throughout the summer.
'Russet' was selected by Maunsell van Rensellaer in 1952, from a batch of seedlings of Californian provenance and after a period of evaluation it was eventually introduced by the Saratoga Horticultural Foundation in 1965.
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'Saint Mary' was an introduction of the W.B. Clarke & Co. Nursery of San Jose: who had obtained scion material for propagation from the original tree growing at the Glen Saint Mary Nurseries in Florida in 1939. This tree had initially been noticed by H. Harold Hume in a batch of seedlings bought in from a nursery in Arkansas, and had been planted out on the nursery in about 1916. It was named by the Clarke Nursery and first offered for sale in 1941 as grafted plants in four inch pots. It appears to have been the first cultivar of Magnolia grandiflora to be selected and named in the U.S.
Unfortunately this plant has achieved a reputation as a tree of small stature and habit, however the parent tree has achieved a height of 56 feet. It is true that this tree, growing under the much drier climatic conditions of California, is slower growing than is normally expected for the species; but it would not be prudent to plant it on the expectation that it will mature as a small tree.
The plant is characterized by its small, glossy green leaves which are generally no longer than six inches, they have a brown tomentum on their undersides but this disappears with age. The flowers are porcelain white in color, cup shaped and about six inches across; they are produced freely and the trees are characterised by an abundant flowering at a very early age. This precocity of blooming is unusual as it is normally necessary for trees to have established for several years before they can be expected to flower with any profusion.
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'Samuel Sommer' was selected by Maunsell van Rensellaer from a batch of seedlings in 1952, initially on the basis of its unusually marked leaves, but subsequently it was discovered to produce exceptionally large flowers. It was the first Magnolia grandiflora selection to be evaluated and introduced by the Saratoga Horticultural Foundation. It was first offered for sale by the Foundation in 1961, and was named for one of the Founding Trustees of SHRF.
'Samuel Sommer' exhibits a strong and vigorous habit of growth, which is characterized by an ascending branch system and the development of a symmetrical and compact crown.
This variety has imposing glossy, dark green leaves which have a conspicuous, yellow-green midrib and veins above and an attractive soft brown sueding of tomentum beneath.
The flowers are massive, and on well-grown trees, most of them will' develop to a diameter of 12 to 14 inches when fully open. There are twelve concave tepals, which are creamy white and are typically arranged in three whorls of four, alternately above each other. On first opening the flowers are cup shaped but on the second day they begin to flatten out to a bowl shape, a process which will take several days. Because of their size and exceptionally sweet fragrance they are highly prized for cutting and use for indoor decoration.
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'San Marino' is a compact and small form of the Southern Magnolia which develops a dense habit of growth and is relatively slow growing. It could be expected eventually to reach a height of 25 feet with a similar spread but this will depend on how it is trained and pruned. Because of its slower growth and dense branching habit it can be grown as a large shrub--clothed to the ground; it can be successfully espaliered; or it can be trimmed up to produce a small mop-headed tree on a single stem.
The leaves are small with an undulating margin and are borne on short internodes--giving the plant a densely foliaged appearance. The undersides of the leaves show only a very light tomentum.
The flowers are also small (about four inches across) but are profusely produced, they have nine tepals in three whorls of three and exhibit the typical sweet scented fragrance of the species.
This plant was selected by Mr. Armin Thurner, a dedicated and observant home gardener of San Marino, who noticed the seedling as a one gallon sized plant in 1951. He offered the plant to the Foundation in 1960 for further evaluation. It was eventually introduced in 1970.
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'Edith Bogue' originated as a seedling in Florida, from where it was sent to the garden of Miss Edith A. Bogue in Montclair, New Jersey in 1920. It was propagated by a local nurseryman--Harry Deverman of Clifton, New Jersey, who had recognized that it had survived many severe winters unscathed by the elements and that it warranted propagation on this count alone. He named it in honor of the owner of the garden in which it had been noticed. Three plants were obtained for the Morris Arboretum by its Director, Dr. John M. Fogg Jr., with a view to verifying its hardiness at another site and in more than one location. It has lived up to its reputation--survivng two successive severe winters (1976/7 and 1977/8) in Philadelphia with little damage and it is undoubtedly one of the hardiest of the selections of Magnolia grandiflora currently available. It is known to have survived a low temperature of -24 F.
This selection is a relatively slow growing tree but has a capacity to exceed well over thirty feet with a rounded. form at maturity. This is predominantly due to its maintenance of a strong, upright terminal leader which produces a tree with a symmetrical head. It has large glossy, dark green leaves, which have a fairly heavy brown tomentum on their under surfaces. The flowers are large and waxy white and are produced in profusion during the mid summer period.
This plant is offered by the Foundation in an effort to extend the range of planting of Magnolia grandiflora into some colder areas of California than has heretofore been possible. All the above cultivars are offered as trees produced by budding onto a seedling Magnolia grandiflora rootstock. It has not yet proved possible to produce reliable crops of these trees by the rooting of stem cuttings.
Plant Culture Data Sheets
©2003 Saratoga Horticultural
Research Foundation, Inc.
Maytenus boaria 'Green Showers' began life as a seedling at Saratoga Horticultural Foundation in 1960. The seeds of Maytenus boaria had been collected a the San Francisco City Hall grounds by Roy Hudson on December 13, 1960. After going through the normal stages of production with a crop of sibling seedlings, the characteristics which make it special became apparent.
In 1964 Don James selected the clone for propagation and it was field planted in research plots in the same year. The first characteristic noted was the unusually large, dark green glossy foliage. As 'Green Showers' matured it developed into a tree with a strong vertical leader and pendulous branchlets. Its appearance is somewhat reminiscent of a small weeping willow.
We believe 'Green Showers' will grow to a height of 25 or 30 feet tall. In good garden loam, it will grow two feet per year. It will survive and grow at a slower rate in less favorable soils. At the new Saratoga Horticultural Foundation site it is growing in a heavy clay soil. It performs best when gi11en deep irrigation every two weeks after it has become established in the landscape.
It has been noted that heavy mulching up to the base of the trunk may encourage suckers. In combination with mulching, a frequent light watering results in roots rising to the surface. Therefore it is recommended that the above watering program be followed. Being a female selection it normally has a few small red berries.
Aphids and thrips have been the only pests noted on 'Green Showers'. In the nursery Orthene and Malathion have been effective.
Maytenus boaria 'Green Showers' is a dependable smaller tree for nursery sales and landscape use.
Tree; evergreen; hardy to 18 F.
Plant Culture Data Sheets
©2003 Saratoga Horticultural
Research Foundation, Inc.
The species Myoporum is an Australian native well-adapted to low water use, drought tolerant landscapes. It thrives in temperatures well above 100 degrees as commonly found in California's central valleys. Both of our selections are aggressive growers best used where a broad area ground cover is required; in such sites as median strips, freeway interchanges and business parks. Because of its aggressive nature and the possibility that the berries may be toxic, we do not recommend Myoporum for residential planting.
Myoporum 'South Coast'
A hybrid developed by the South Coast Botanic Garden, Los Angeles County Department of Arboreta and Botanical Gardens and introduced by the Saratoga Horticultural Foundation in 1989. The plant occurred as a spontaneous seedling and may be a chance dwarf seedling of Myoporum laetum or a hybrid of unknown garden parentage. Myoporum 'South Coast' is a medium/fine textured shrub which grows to 42" tall by 10 to 15 feet wide. Dense, shiny, evergreen foliage covers the slender branches. The narrow, oblanceolate leaves meas-ure up to 2" long by 1/2" wide. Young twigs are greenish yellow with a purplish cast maturing to an uniform gray. The one-half inch flowers are produced abundantly in clusters of 3 to 5 on individual stalks about one-half inch long in the axils of the uppermost branches The fruits are globose, rose purple and are about one-quarter inch in diameter. Sun loving, 'South Coast' appears to be resistant to most common pests and is hardy to the mid-20's. In our test planting, plant tips are nipped at 25 degrees but the plant has survived 22 degrees easily.
Myoporum parvifolium 'Davis'
This selection of Myoporum parvifolium was chosen by the Arboretum staff at the University of California, Davis and was introduced by the Saratoga Horticultural Foundation in 1989. As aggressive as variety 'South Coast' and as hardy, the significant difference is its prostrate habit only growing to 8-12 inches tall. Its foliage is lighter green, very narrowly oblanceolate and measures up to one inch long by one-quarter inch wide. The flowers are smaller and not as showy. The fruit ripens red and also may be toxic. Again, we recommend this plant for slope control and use where an aggressive ground cover is needed, but give it room.
Propagation: Both Myoporums root readily from softwood cuttings. We use Hormex #3, strike them in a mix of 5 Perlite: 1 Peat and place the flat over bottom heat. They root quickly and are potted into our best draining container mix with a minimum of fertilizer. With too much water, growers will find their plants yellowing.
Plant Culture Data Sheets ©2003
Saratoga Horticultural Research Foundation, Inc.
Pacific Wax Myrtle can be grown as a dense screen twelve to fifteen feet high and eight feet wide. Accepts pruning. Grows in almost any sun or shade situation, but attains more height given more hours of shade. Very adaptable as to soil type. Will grow rapidly and lushly given regular deep watering. If desired, can establish as a drought tolerant plant. Easy to grow.
Plant Culture Data Sheets
©2003
Saratoga Horticultural Research Foundation, Inc.
This bright pink flowering form of Australian Mint-bush comes to SHF from the
UC Santa Cruz Arboretum. It will grow about 5' tall and not quite as wide. It
blooms heavily in April and the leaves are almost hidden. Brush foliage for
fragrance. Excellent in partial shade; prefers a cool root-run, and a moist
humus rich soil. Growth is usually compact, but responds well to light pruning.
Plant Culture Data Sheets
©2003
Saratoga Horticultural Research Foundation, Inc.
An evergreen shrub that rapidly reaches eight to 10 feet. Numerous prickly dark
green leaves give a dense and luxurious appearance to this cherry. Ivory white
flowers occur in spring followed by the development of deep red, large seeded
edible fruits in the autumn. An understanding plant that is resistant to oak
root fungus as well as being both drought and water tolerant. Responds well
to pruning and consequently is handsome for hedges because its neat and bright
foliage covers the plant from top to bottom.
Plant Culture Data Sheets Saratoga Horticultural Research Foundation, Inc. 15185 Murphy Avenue San Martin, CA 95046 (408) 779-3303 www.saratogahortfoundation.org