spring/summer 2016fall/winter 2011-2012 news, … · spring/summer 2016fall/winter 2011-2012. ......

news, classes & visitor guide


Fall/Winter 2011-2012 news, classes & visitor guide


Spring/Summer 2016

ii Arnold Arboretum

The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University

American Literature of Nature and Place

In This Issue...

245678

10

14

ClassesVisit

NewsCollective Strength Meeting Trees Through the Seasons A Gift for Growing Self-defense for Trees and Shrubs A Bridge to Nature Learning In Our Collection: Ulmus crassifilia

Benefit Concert

On June 12, the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University and Kadence Arts will host the Boston premiere of Inuksuit—an

epic composition for large percussion ensemble. Composed by John Luther Adams and performed in cities around the globe, the piece will be performed by 50 or more percussionists dispersed throughout the Arboretum's spectacular conifer collection.

Free for all to experience, this environment-focused piece in the outdoors requires funding for its local debut. To introduce Bostonians to Inuksuit and help defray costs, we hope you’ll attend a benefit concert performed by Maria Finkelmeier and other percussion musicians in the Weld Hill Building at the Arnold Arboretum on Thursday, March 24 at 7:00pm. Enjoy light refreshments, support this cultural undertaking, and learn how this innovative piece will unfold among the Arboretum’s conifers this June.

Help Bring Inuksuit to the Arnold Arboretum

About Inuksuit: Using a small army of percussionists playing conch shells, gongs, maracas, air horns, drums, sirens, cymbals, and glockenspiels, this 75-minute work is designed to heighten awareness of the sights and sounds that surround us every day. The work is deeply influenced by John Luther Adams' belief that “music can contribute to the awakening of our ecological understanding. By deepening our awareness of our connections to the earth, music can provide a sounding model for the renewal of human consciousness and culture.”

About the composer: John Luther Adams ( johnlutheradams.com) composes for orchestra, chamber ensembles, percussion, and electronic media, and his music is heard regularly all over the world from concert halls to site-specific installations. Described as “one of the most original musical thinkers of the new century” (Alex Ross, The New Yorker), Adams won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Music.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO REGISTER OR TO DONATE ONLINE

Bob

Don

alds

on/P

ost-

Gaz

ette

visit us online arboretum.harvard.edu

Spring/Summer 2016 1

Visit us online atarboretum.harvard.edu

Silva is printed on recycled paper using soy-based inks.

American Literature of Nature and Place

The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University 125 Arborway Boston, MA 02130-3500 617.384.5209 fax 617.524.1418

Adult Education: 617.384.5277 [email protected]

Docents: 617.384.5253 [email protected]

Field Studies for Children: 617.384.5239 [email protected]

Library: 617.522.1086 [email protected]

Membership: 617.384.5766 [email protected]

Visitor Services: 617.384.5209 [email protected]

Editor Jon Hetman

Layout & Design Meghana Srinivasan

Cover Syringa × chinensis 'Lilac Sunday' (164-96*A) by Jon Hetman

From the Director

Spring 2016 begins—as it did in 2015—with the sobering news that Earth had again experienced its hottest year on record. Changes to our planet are occurring rapidly, and evidence lies close at hand when we observe plants and their habitats, from noting earlier

or later flowering times for some species (read about our Tree Spotters citizen science program on page 5) to the northward advance of exotic pests like hemlock wooly adelgid and emerald ash borer. The great value of a diverse collection of plants growing in one place like the Arnold Arboretum lies in our ability to gather and analyze all manner of data on our plants, and the conditions they grow in over time, to get a read on what’s happening and to make predictions about what lies ahead.

All of this finds us thinking quite seriously about what we can do to help as a scientific and cultural institution. Last fall in these pages we announced the launch of the Campaign for the Living Collections, our initiative to expand the diversity of accessioned plants at the Arnold Arboretum by some 400 species over the next ten years. In this issue of Silva, members of our curation team discuss our first two expeditions for the Campaign—to northern Idaho and to China—and provide insight into their experiences and what plant collecting means in the twenty-first century. While air travel and GPS make it easier to get into the field and find one’s way, the essence of plant collecting remains fundamentally unchanged from the time of the great Arboretum explorers of the early twentieth century. Fieldwork can be dangerous (seriously steep climbs) and unpredictable (forest fires), and even with the best of intentions, a six-thousand-mile journey may lead to a population of plants that failed to set seed. The successes, though, are truly thrilling.

Our ambitious campaign amplifies our ongoing mission to collect plants from their native environments, to better understand biodiversity, and to conserve some its most vulnerable species in the face of global changes. Since the Arboretum has always focused on pushing the limits of what can reasonably grow in our Boston landscape, our vision also recognizes that climate change will make the Arboretum a different environment in 100 years. We must ensure that our Living Collections—and the vast amounts of information gathered and curated for individual plants—will continue to offer scientists a unique window on how plants are responding and adapting to these changes. Picking up this thread, Chase Mason shares his Putnam Fellowship research investigating the economics of plant defenses, using Arboretum collections to understand how plants mediate various environmental pressures like insect predators and disease. As a common garden of over two thousand species of temperate trees and shrubs, the Arboretum provides one of the only locations in the world where broad comparative work like this is possible.

We look forward to sharing more with you as we expand and refine our collections over the next decade. I invite you to join us for a class, take a tour of our landscape, or even spend some time on our website to learn more about your Arboretum and the world of plants. As ever, your participation and support are fundamental to the Arboretum of today and tomorrow. e

—William (Ned) Friedman, Director of the Arnold Arboretum & Arnold Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University

Collective StrengthExpeditions to China, Idaho kick off 10-year Campaign for the Living Collections

2 Arnold Arboretum

Of the accessioned trees, shrubs, and vines you encounter at the Arnold Arboretum, those which

originated as a wild collection from the plant’s natural range offer the most value as specimens for scientific study and as germplasm for plant conservation. To source these plants, the institution has led or supported more than 150 discrete collecting events in over 70 countries since the late 1800s, including landmark expeditions by Charles Sprague Sargent, Ernest Henry Wilson, and Joseph Rock. The Campaign for the Living Collections—a new 10-year initiative for plant exploration, collection, and production—ramps up these continuing efforts extensively, targeting some 400 taxa of woody plants from around the temperate world. The Campaign kicked off officially in late summer 2015 with a domestic collecting trip to northern Idaho led by Manager of Plant Records Kyle Port, and continued through the month of September with an expedition through western China by Curator of Living Collections Michael Dosmann. In this interview, Kyle and Michael share some of their experiences, successes, and insights about the Arboretum’s Campaign and collecting plants in the twenty-first century.

Q: What do you find most compelling about the art and act of plant collecting?

Michael Dosmann: For me, what sets collecting plants apart as an endeavor is that there’s a physical component, an intellectual component, and an emotional component. Depending on the geography and the elevation, working in the field can be quite demanding physically and requires stamina. Finding plants you’re looking for—and even those you may not be looking for—requires a sharpness of mind and relying on everything you’ve learned about plants. And emotionally, it requires a level of fortitude and resilience to keep going, particularly if conditions are poor. Successful plant collectors need to rely on all of these, because after all the planning and great distances involved you truly want to be successful.

Q: In mounting a plant collecting trip, how do you know what to collect and where to collect it?

Kyle Port: Our starting point was a desiderata of plants developed by Michael and our Living Collections Advisory Board during the planning of the Campaign. Of the hundreds of temperate zone species on the list, Northwest taxa were prioritized and North Idaho selected for its abundant forest resources and inland geography. Target list in hand, we made contact with the National Forest Service (NFS) who provided a collecting permit and contact information for several forest service botanists who monitored populations for cone and fruit development in advance of our arrival. Their expertise combined with that of our travel partners at the University of Idaho Arboretum and Botanical Garden and Washington State University led us to success.

Michael Dosmann: Because great distances may separate collecting sites in China we often “car collect” opportunistically—as we travel we may spot plants of interest from the car that warrant stopping even if it’s not something on the target list. Often the best and most heavily fruited plants grow right

An interview with Michael Dosmann, Curator of Living Collections and Kyle Port, Manager of Plant Records

news

In the Dana Greenhouses, Manager of Plant Records Kyle Port (left) and Curator

of Living Collections Michael Dosmann take stock of some of the seed and plant

collections they gathered in their respective fall 2015 expeditions.

Ros

e Li

ncol

n/H

arva

rd S

taff

Pho

togr

aphe

r


Spring/Summer 2016 3Spring/Summer 2016 3


at the edge of the road where they benefit from having less competition for light and other resources. There are certainly cases where you spend all day in one location, or more surgical instances where you know the spot and make that one collection because you know right where the target plant is. Three things contribute to finding what you need in the field. Planning is paramount. Finding something in a particular place means researching and understanding something about its biology—where has it been found before or where might you expect it to be found? Second, you cannot underestimate the value of reaching out to collaborators or local experts for their help in locating populations, just as Kyle mentioned with the NFS. Last, there is often a bit of serendipity involved in finding interesting or desirable things that you weren’t expecting or weren’t one of your desiderata. Luck is important, not only in finding it but finding it in fruit that can be collected.

Q: What are some of the challenges you encounter seeking plants on expedition?

Kyle Port: Wildfires were the biggest concern on the expedition I led to North Idaho last fall. Descending into the region, even at 30,000 feet, it was clear dynamic fires were reducing visibility and impacting air quality across the region. With the majority of our colleting sites on National Forest Service land, we kept in close contact with ranger station staff who informed us of closures and fire progression. In the end, only three preplanned collection areas (Scotchman Peaks, Elk City, Freezeout Mountain) were closed due to fire and despite the challenges, a total of sixty collections from forty-two species (thirty of these are new to the Arboretum’s living collections) were gathered.

Michael Dosmann: When collecting in China or anywhere outside of the US, one of the challenges can be the amount of time required for cleaning and preparing seeds. Sometimes this is done in the evening after making the collection, or at the end of the expedition in preparation to send back to the Arboretum. Some species are easy, but others with fleshy fruits or hard coatings may require a great deal of effort or time to dry and open before you have a seed that’s ready and clean enough to pass inspection. On

this trip, Syringa komarowii (nodding lilac) was difficult to deal with—the capsule needs to be broken apart without crushing the delicate seed inside. Davidia involucrata (dove tree) is another one—its fruit is like a hard pear which needs to be whittled away to get to the apricot-like pit inside, and then scrubbed and dried. Any fleshy parts left on the seed could mean its rejection and confiscation when it arrives in America, which would negate all our hard-fought efforts to collect, clean, and prepare it.

Q: Did you make a particularly thrilling or satisfying acquisition on your expedition?

Kyle Port: There were many! One was hiking high above the Snake River along Pittsburgh Saddle, between the boundary of the Nez Perce National Forest and Hells Canyon National Recreation Area. As is often the

case in temperate forests, fire is a rejuvenating force and a recent burn had scarred the area. At the base of charred Pinus ponderosa boles, scattered Spiraea betulifolia var. lucida had mass flowered and we harvested abundant seed. The adrenaline rush of collecting a new variety for the Arboretum in a storied landscape is unparalleled.

Michael Dosmann: The first part of my trip was a collaborative effort by the North America China Plant Exploration Consortium dedicated to Acer griseum (paperbark maple), and we traveled 3,000 or so kilome-ters over 18 days as part of a broad conservation effort to voucher most populations and collect germplasm for DNA analysis. Of course, we hoped to find seed as well. We scouted 10 of the 17 or so known populations in China, ranging from one tree to hundreds of mature individuals, weedy seedlings, and

young saplings. Out of all of those populations and all of those trees, we found only one individual with seed—and it was only one branch! Of course, since trifoliate maples like paperbark maple are notorious for bearing seed that is empty or unviable, there’s always the chance that this single collection may not result in a plant.

For the second leg of my trip, I inventoried and collect-ed plants in the Huanglong Nature Reserve with their staff

Kyle Port collects a pressed specimen of narrowleaf

willow (Salix exigua) from a vigorous plant growing

near the Priest River in northern Idaho.

Dav

id P

ort

4 Arnold Arboretum4 Arnold Arboretum

news

scientists and Professor Gao Xinfen, of the Chengdu Insti-tute of Biology. One unexpected discovery was a plant not among our desiderata, yet a new genus for me to encounter in the wild—a member of the rose family called Sibiraea angustata. It is closely related to Spiraea, but it has never grown at the Arboretum. It will be interesting to see if we can germinate it and grow it here. Finding something in the wild you’ve never seen before can be exhilarating, and hope-fully it will mean we’ve acquired not only a new species but a new genus for the Arboretum collections. Q: Looking ahead, how would you characterize the Living Collections Campaign in terms of what it means for the Arboretum now and in the future?

Kyle Port: I’m excited that the Campaign has rallied the Arboretum behind bold aspirations for collections development. Each department plays a role, collaborating in new ways to meet our ten-year goals. The reinvigorated

focus on China, particularly with the trilateral agreement (see related article below), in a hotspot of botanical diversity is thrilling. Imagine what we’ll discover in that area alone! Michael Dosmann: We’ve designed a strategy we feel is both ambitious but achievable, and very focused on where we think the Arboretum needs to be decades down the road to maintain our importance both as a collecting institution and as a resource for science. There could be new taxa—varieties or perhaps new species—that we find in the course of the campaign. And, even more likely, we will document range extensions for taxa when we encounter them in places no one knew about previously. A critical part of how we give back with something like this lies in expanding the world’s knowledge of plants, particularly those that may be rare or endangered. This—as well as preserving their germplasm in living collections like the Arboretum—can be crucial to protecting them from loss. e

To strengthen collaboration in the conservation and study of plants between the U.S. and China, the

Arnold Arboretum signed a memorandum of understanding with two scientific institutions in China: the Huanglong Nature Reserve and the Chengdu Institute of Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Signed at Chengdu, China, on September 28 by Arnold Arboretum Director William (Ned) Friedman, Chengdu Institute of Biology Director Xinquan Zhao, and Huanglong Nature Reserve Director Qi Ling, the tri-lateral agreement sets guidelines for cooperation in the documentation, conservation, and preservation of plants native to China’s richly biodiverse Sichuan Province.

The partnership forged between the three organizations aims to advance the study and conservation of biodiversity, build capacity for conserving threatened and endangered plant species, and promote education on wildlife conservation. To achieve these goals, the signatories will promote academic and staff exchange visits as well as collaborative field work and research. These interactions will include inventorying and collecting plants in natural areas throughout Sichuan and tracking the propagation and growing habits of rare species both inside and outside of China. The signing of the memorandum is a direct reflection of growing cooperation between the U.S. and China on studying and conserving biodiversity, and responding to threats posed by global climate change.

Since 1905, the Arboretum has partnered with Chinese botanists and naturalists to explore and document the magnificent beauty and diversity of the flora of China, which bears strong evolutionary links with plants native to North America. This partnership with the Huanglong Nature Reserve and the Chengdu Institute of Biology continues this legacy through enhanced scientific and cultural exchange, and begins as the Arboretum initiates the Campaign for the Living Collections. e

Trilateral Agreement Promotes Exploration of China's Biodiversity

Arnold Arboretum Director William (Ned) Friedman holds

a branch with a fruit of the dove tree (Davidia involucrata),

wild collected at the Duijiangyan Nature Reserve in China.Li

Men

g



As winter melts away, the Elizabeth Wolkovich Lab at the Weld Hill Research Building will be gearing up for a second year of

Tree Spotters, our exciting citizen science program launched last spring. Participants roam the Arnold Arboretum, observe selected focal trees, and record information on their phenology. Phenology is the timing of an organism’s life-cycle events. For trees this includes when their buds first burst in the spring, and when leaves unfold, flowers open, fruits ripen, and leaves eventually drop.

This information may seem basic, but much about phenology remains unknown. For example, how do these sequential life-cycle stages constrain or relate to one another? How do temperature and daylight length interact to affect when these events happen? How much variation in phenology exists across individuals and species? How much is the timing of these events likely to shift as temperatures warm due to climate change? Over time, the data collected by Tree Spotters will allow us to address these and other critical questions.

Observing trees over time offers something new to learn about each species’ buds, leaves, or fruits. The Wolkovich Lab, with the support of Arboretum staff and volunteers, held training sessions for prospective Tree Spotters in the landscape, introducing the program’s focal species in the living collections. The lab also orchestrated a series of “Botany Blasts” over the winter to keep volunteers thinking about plants during the off-season.

In our pilot year, the program engaged an enthusiastic group of volunteers and gathered an astonishing amount of data on seasonal changes. From May through October, 24 participants logged 12,431 observations across 11 species and 55 individual trees at the Arboretum. These observations were reported online via user-friendly tools developed by the National Phenology Network and are available to both Arboretum researchers and the public.

While the collected data will be valuable to ongoing research at the Arboretum on how plants are responding to climate change, what really sets the Tree Spotter program apart is its public profile. Our “citizen scientists” making

Jehane Samaha, Laboratory Technician/Wolkovich Lab; and Ailene Ettinger, Putnam Research Fellow

Meeting Trees Through the Seasons

these observations are a strong contingent of neighbors and friends of the Arboretum who are as excited as we are to learn about trees and our environment. While this kind of community engagement empowers non-scientists to learn more about research and how it is conducted, it also offers a compelling excuse for people to take a closer look at the plants and habitats around them. Citizen science seems to be gaining interest internationally, and was mentioned in a recent White House memo as an important way to

“enhance scientific research and address societal needs, while drawing on previously underutilized resources.”

It’s not too late to join us and our intrepid Tree Spotters at the Arnold Arboretum. Attend a training session for new volunteers in early spring or summer. Helping out will give you new insights into the plant world while adding new layers to our knowledge of the Arnold Arboretum and its plants. e

Citizen Scientists Scout for the Seasonal Changes in the Collections

Dan

ny S

chis

sler

Tree Spotters Project Manager Jehane Samaha discusses the phenology of Fagus

grandifolia (American beech) at a volunteer training session in fall 2015.

Take Part in the Tree Spotters This Spring!Register online for a training session for new volunteers:

Saturday, Feb 27, 3:00–5:30pm Saturday, March 12, 12:30–3:00pm Thursday, April 14, 5:00–7:30pm

6 Arnold Arboretum

news

6 Arnold Arboretum

Throughout the history of the Arnold Arboretum, propagation has been the cornerstone of the growth and development of our diverse living collection of

woody plants. The triumphs of our pioneering plant explor-ers like Charles Sprague Sargent and Ernest Henry Wilson owe much to the remarkable skills and accomplishments of Arbo-retum propagators like Jackson Dawson and Al Fordham who coaxed seeds and other propa-gules of novel species to maturity. These individuals have also pre-served the lineages of important Arboretum accessions, contrib-uted to our knowledge of spe-cies behavior and hardiness, and cultivated plants to share with the Arboretum community at events like Lilac Sunday and the Members Plant Giveaway. Over the past four decades this critical work has flourished in the hands of John H. “Jack” Alexander III, whose public and professional esteem results as much from his wizardry as a plantsman as it does to his distinction as a teacher and one of the world’s foremost authorities on the genus Syringa (lilac).

While some inch their way to a career growing plants, Jack was born into the vocation. His great-grandfather, J. K. Alex-ander, established an extremely successful nursery from scratch in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts, and was known popularly as “The Dahlia King.” Jack's grandparents also worked in the nursery trade, specializing in blueberries and lilacs. Jobs there throughout young adulthood shaped Jack’s ambitions in hor-ticulture, and the family’s passion extended to another genera-tion. Joining the Arnold Arboretum in the spring of 1976, he eventually put his interest in unique and unusual plants to practical use, seeking out desirable horticultural characteristics to develop new cultivars with the best traits of their parent plants. Standing out among these is Syringa ‘Purple Haze’, a

dramatic cross of the cutleaf lilac (S. protolaciniata) and a subspecies of the early-blooming lilac (S. oblata subsp. dilatata) that produces spectacular pale purple flowers in early spring. Another choice plant Jack introduced is Ilex glabra ‘Peggy’s

Cove’, an inkberry he discovered growing on a seaside barren in Nova Scotia at the northern extreme of the species’ range. Perhaps as a result of the harsh environment, the plants bore smaller leaves and displayed a more compact habit than the species. The original plant Jack collected now grows in the Leventritt Shrub and Vine Garden. In recognition of accomplishments like these, Jack received the Jackson Dawson Medal from the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. He was also named a Fellow of the Eastern Region of the International Plant Propagators’ Society and received their Award of Merit.

Although nature plies the evolutionary pro-cess without human help, propagators can gen-erate a better rate of success and select plants for desirable qualities. For Jack, propagation is first and foremost a labor of love. “I get a tremendous amount of joy out of creating more plants. It feels like performing magic tricks,” he laughs. It is impossible to know how a plant will behave or perform until tested, and for Jack, that is a

big part of the fun. In the nursery business his family prac-ticed, propagators focused on replicating what was tried and tested to produce a high volume of plants for sale. In contrast, propagation at the Arboretum has allowed Jack the freedom to experiment with the unknown and to continue challenging himself throughout his career.

This May, Jack retires exactly forty years after joining the Arboretum staff. An active member and New England Regional Vice President of the International Lilac Society, he plans to continue his work developing lilac cultivars and continuing to teach and lecture as he has done at the Arboretum for years. Manager of Plant Production Tiffany Enzenbacher has worked alongside Jack for the past year and a half and particularly admires his charisma as a speaker and abilities as an educator. “It’s remarkable to watch Jack impart his years of experience to students,” she

A Gift for Growing

Meghana Srinivasan, Marketing and Communications Specialist

Celebrating Jack Alexander’s forty years as Arboretum plant propagator

[Continued on page 9]

Jack Alexander and Syringa 'Purple Haze',

one of three lilacs he introduced at the Arnold

Arboretum. Photo by Julie McIntosh Shapiro.



Unlike most animals, plants for the most part stay in one place for the duration of their lives. This leaves individual plants vulnerable to changes in the local

environment, and especially unable to escape from natural enemies like herbivores, parasites, and pathogens. However, plants have evolved a wide array of defensive traits to resist attack. These include physical traits like spines, hairs, and waxy coatings and a wide variety of defensive chemicals manufactured and stored in plant tissues. These defenses can be highly effective at deterring predators and providing resistance to infection by bacterial or fungal pathogens. Plant defenses are vital to plant survival in the face of natural enemies, and coevolution between plants and their enemies is thought to be a major driver of the abundant plant diversity we see in nature. Understanding more about the evolution of plant defenses across temperate trees and shrubs is the primary goal of my research as a Katharine H. Putnam Fellow in Plant Science at the Arboretum.

Although many plants rely on defensive traits for survival, these mechanisms come with a cost. Investment in defenses diverts energy and nutrients away from other key plant functions, especially growth. The most commonly attacked plant organs are leaves which, as the interface for photosynthesis, produce the raw materials for new growth. Plants thus face a major trade-off between producing lots of new shoots and leaves that are poorly defended, or a smaller amount of well-defended tissues. This trade-off may explain major aspects of variation in plant physiology including growth rate among species, and the balance between growth and defense may be strongly influenced by both leaf habit and environmental conditions. In deciduous species and environments with shorter growing seasons, theory predicts that natural selection should favor the evolution of higher leaf productivity and lower defense, while in evergreen species and environments with longer growing seasons the opposite pattern should hold. While theory predicts both the trade-off between productivity and defense and the link to leaf habit and environmental conditions, little empirical research has thus far tested these relationships among species.

Chase Mason, Putnam Fellow

Self-defense for Trees and Shrubs

With its extensive collections of trees and shrubs from very different habitats growing under common conditions, the Arnold Arboretum offers an ideal setting for this kind of comparative physiology research, aided by the detailed provenance data available to relate findings back to native

environmental conditions. My Putnam Fellowship research examines the leaf physiology of over 500 species belonging to 16 genera, quantifying both the investment in physical and chemical defenses of leaves as well as traits that drive leaf productivity and are predictive of plant growth rate. This includes plants common to the forests of New Eng-land (like oaks, maples, birches, and ashes), those familiar to gardeners and landscapers (like roses, rhododendrons, honeysuckles, and hollies), some of agricultural importance (like apples and stonefruits), and a large number of their exotic relatives from around the globe.

Leaves gathered from individual plants of these genera in the collections are being analyzed for structural composition, physical defenses, and phytochemistry, with special focus on nutrients and major classes of defensive compounds. Uniting analysis of these different aspects of leaf physiology will not only create a large body of empirical evidence on the balance between growth and defense

Arboretum study aims to understand how plants adapt to pests and disesase

[Continued on page 9]

Jon

Het

man

In the greenhouses at Weld Hill, Chase Mason observes the sharp spines of

a succulent ocotillo (Alluadia sp.), an example of a defensive physical trait.



news

8 Arnold Arboretum

A Bridge to Nature Learning

For thousands of Boston’s urban schoolchildren each year, a class visit to the Arnold Arboretum opens their eyes to the wonders of nature and science—and

sows, for many, the first seeds of environmental stewardship. Since 1984, the Arnold Arboretum has shared its landscape and collections with elementary school students through field studies that inspire kids to view and explore the world as scientists do. This year, building on the experiences and evaluations of past and current programs as well as the

feedback of participating teachers and school administrators, the Arboretum expands its educational partnership with Boston Public Schools (BPS) through a new initiative aimed at teacher training and development. With an eye on providing more opportunities for children to learn from the outdoors, new programming will give teachers the resources to better utilize the Arboretum’s landscape and improve science learning in their classrooms.

The catalyst for this new approach was a series of interviews with BPS educators that revealed a need for improved life science teaching methods and specialized resources. Teachers reported obstacles they faced in incorporating field studies into their curricula, including a lack of confidence in teaching outdoors and uncertainty over using the landscape productively in an educational context.

A New Initiative with the Boston Public Schools

In addition to contending with reduced budgets, teachers also discussed the demands of standardized tests that focus on literacy and math to the exclusion of other fields like the life sciences. Although the Arboretum offers free programs to BPS students including bus transportation, many teachers remained unaware of the institution’s multiple tracks for connecting children with plants and nature. Clearly, there was much more the Arboretum could do for Boston teachers and their students.

Addressing the challenge of making science learning in its landscape more accessible to schools, Arboretum educators created monthly gatherings for BPS teachers to highlight botanical science and learning in the landscape. Participants experienced a variety of phenomena and took part in instructive activities each month, including leaf color change and seed dispersal in October, birdlife in November, and a geological walk in December. Each of these events showcased strategies and tools that teachers can employ both in the classroom and outdoors to get kids engaged and excited about science, while offering teachers professional development credits through the BPS Science Department. Arboretum educators also conducted classroom visits to respond to specific requests for assistance, such as help implementing best practices in introducing science study, preparing students for their first field study at the Arboretum, and creating pre-visit materials and post-visit activities to deepen learning.

So far, the programs have been well received and sparked many new relationships across Boston’s schools. Using a multi-pronged approach based on educator feedback, the Arboretum will continue to shape its educational offerings and provide more extensive support to BPS teachers interested in using the Arboretum for science instruction. When this school year ends, a summer institute for teachers organized with the BPS Science Department will reinforce the focus on developing skills for outdoor teaching. The institute will give teachers the chance to analyze the impact of the Commonwealth’s new science standards on elementary school classrooms, explore the subjects of botany and biodiversity, and get outside to deepen observations and interactions with nature. Leading the charge in all of this programming is veteran teacher Ana Maria Caballero, recipient of the Arboretum’s first Children’s

By Nancy Sableski, Manager of Children's Education

Nan

cy S

able

ski

Boston educators participate in a bird watching activitiy at a monthly gathering focused on using the landscape as a life science classroom.



Education Fellowship and a pioneer of many of the new teacher-focused activities piloted this year.

The Arnold Arboretum offers a rich and ever-changing environment to teach children about life science, biodiversity, and natural phenomena. While improving access to the landscape, these training and outreach opportunities will provide help and encouragement for BPS teachers to

Arnold Arboretum by Lisa Pearson Arnold Arboretum by Lisa Pearson, Head of the Horticultural Library and Archives, showcases the institution’s history through images drawn from its extensive collection of historical photographs. A new volume in the long-running series Images of America, the book will be published in late March. Featuring more than 200 historical images of the Arboretum, its plants, and its personalities from the 1880s to the 1980s, it includes some of the earliest glimpses of the landscape as it transformed from Benjamin Bussey’s farm to Harvard University’s living museum of woody plants. Each image is accompanied by detailed descriptive text, making the book a valuable guide to enjoying and understanding the rich history of the Arnold Arboretum, its landscape, and the living collections.

integrate their experiences with plants and wildlife into their curricula, creating powerful connections between study in the field and study in the classroom. Through this new component to a longstanding and fruitful partnership, the Arboretum lays the groundwork for more students across Boston to discover the natural world in this landscape designed for learning. e

notes. “While explaining the science behind plant propagation and adding in his own personal anecdotes, it is obvious that Jack is just as enthusiastic about propagation now as he was when he first started at the Arboretum." Retirement will also offer Jack more time to devote to his diverse hobbies, which include flying airplanes, rebuilding vintage motorcycles, and spending time outdoors. Jack calculates that he and the Dana Greenhouses team have propagated approximately 6,500 plants for the Arboretum collections—nearly half the Arboretum’s living accessions have entered the collections during his tenure.

“When I take walks through the Arboretum now, my favorite trees are like old friends, reminding me of the people who worked with me to collect seeds, take cuttings, and help them grow,” Jack observes. In addition to his impressive legacy of plants grown, propagated, and hybridized, Jack also created a legacy of care and devotion to the Arboretum’s plants and the people who work, study, and visit its landscape. He retires with the good fortune of knowing that the fruits of his labor will continue to flourish here and throughout the world of horticulture for generations to come. e

A Gift for Growing(continued from page 6)

Self-defense for Trees and Shrubs(continued from page 7)across temperate trees and shrubs, it will also shed light on the evolution of this balance. While different genera likely employ different defensive strategies, I expect that within each genus there will be a range of variation in defense investment among species, and that higher overall defense will be evolutionarily correlated with reductions in leaf productivity. Additionally, I predict that evolutionary transitions from evergreen to deciduous leaf habit will have favored the evolution of reductions in leaf defense, as will historical shifts into environments with shorter growing seasons that favor more productive leaves.

Unravelling the evolution of plant defense improves our understanding of a major driver of global plant diversity, and sheds new light on plant adaptation to environmental conditions. Through shifts in temperature, rainfall, and growing season length, we expect climate change to alter species interactions across the ranges of many plant species, in many cases increasing insect and disease outbreaks. Understanding how closely-related species have adapted historically to contrasting environments improves our ability to predict both the short-term capacity of individual species to tolerate changing environments as well as the long-term evolutionary responses of species to future conditions. e

10 Arnold Arboretum

Indicates a multisession classArnold Arboretum, Dana Greenhouses1050 Centre Street, BostonArnold Arboretum, Hunnewell Building125 Arborway, Boston

+DG

HB

View all Adult Education programs by month or register at my.arboretum.harvard.edu

Botany Blast: Clues to Climate ChangeRichard Primack, PhD, Biology, Boston UniversitySaturday, March 26, 9:30–10:30am [HB]

Richard Primack has used Henry David Thoreau’s notes among other data to confirm the effects of a chang-ing climate on flowering and leafing times, bird migrations, and other animal behavior. Hear how he uncov-ered clues from a variety of historical sources to analyze and investigate the ecological impacts of climate change. Richard recently re-ceived an Alexander von Humboldt Research Award.

Free, registration requested

Maria Sibylla Merian: The First Ecologist?Kay Etheridge, PhD, Professor of Biology, Gettysburg CollegeTuesday, March 29, 7:00–8:30pm [HB]

In 1699, 52-year-old artist/naturalist Maria Sibylla Me-rian embarked on a voyage to Surinam in South America. She spent two years in the tropical forests studying insects and their food plants, which today would be considered

ecological science. The book that resulted from this ex-traordinary undertaking, Metamorphosis insectorum Suri-namensium, was the first to show New World plants and animals together in colorful images. By this time in her life Merian already had published two books on European moths and butterflies, in which she pioneered the depiction of plants as hosts for specific insect species. Kay Etheridge, PhD, will provide an overview of Merian’s major contributions to the study of natural history.

$5 member, $10 nonmemberOffered with Friends of Wellesley College Botanic Gardens

Botany Blast: Buds, Leaves, and Flowers—Springtime Phenology Elizabeth Wolkovich, PhD, Assistant Professor, Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University and Jehane Samaha, Lab Technician, Wolkovich Lab, Arnold ArboretumMonday, April 11, 5:30–7:00pm [HB]

Take a moment to look more closely at the transient springtime growth stages of trees in the Arboretum. Lizzie Wolkovich and Jehane Samaha will highlight the phenology and anatomy of bursting buds, emerging leaves, and opening flowers. This presentation will roam the Arboretum to discuss several Tree Spotter species. Gather

PAMELA THOMPSONManager of Adult Education, Arnold Arboretum

125 Arborway, Boston, MA 02130P: 617.384.5277 E: [email protected]

my.arboretum.harvard.edu

SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS KEY

classes

LEARN AT THE ARBORETUM

Featured Programs

CONTACT



at the Hunnewell Building and wear appropriate walking shoes. Binoculars recommended.

Free, registration requested.

Magnolias for New EnglandAndrew Bunting, Assistant Director of the Garden and Director of Plant Collections, Chicago Botanic GardenTuesday, April 12, 7:00pm [HB]

For many New Englanders, magnolias blooming in April symbolize the much anticipated arrival of spring. Magno-lia expert Andrew Bunting presents an in depth look at the best ornamental magnolias for the New England area. Many are highlighted in his newly released book, The Plant Lover’s Guide to Magnolias.

$5 member, $10 nonmember

Bird Nest BotanyJudith Sumner, PhD, Botanist and AuthorSunday, May 1, 2:30–3:30pm [HB]

Birds’ nests are the architectural wonders of the animal kingdom, constructed mostly of plant materials. In this slide-illustrated lecture, we will explore various types of nests and the botanical materials used in their construc-tion. We will also examine the biologically active plant material used to line nests, which may have antibiotic and

insecticidal properties. Join us for a fascinating look at nest form and function, with particular attention to plant struc-tures and their adaptive re-use in nest construction.


Nature's Ambassador: The Legacy of Thornton W. BurgessChristine Palmer Lowrance, AuthorWednesday, May 18, 7:00–8:30pm [HB]

Do you recall tales of Old Mother West Wind, Jimmy Skunk, Sammy Jay, Reddy Fox, Grandfather Frog, or Jerry Muskrat? For over 100 years, the animal books and stories of beloved children’s author Thornton W. Burgess have delighted millions of children and their parents. Beyond his writing, Burgess was a dedicated naturalist who was honored by prestigious scientific institutions for his advocacy of wildlife and conservation practices that resonate today. Christie Lowrance explores Burgess’s life and legacy, from his Cape Cod childhood to the present.

Free member, $5 nonmember

Identifying the 25 Most Common Trees in BostonKyle Port, Manger of Plant Records, Arnold ArboretumSunday, May 22, 9:00am–1:00pm [HB]

In just a few hours you can learn to identify 90 percent of the trees growing in Boston, both native and nonnative. Join

Plant Diversity: The Leitmotif of Botanical GardensRichard Olsen, Director, US National Arboretum Monday, April 18, 7:00–8:30pm [HB]

Plant diversity, whether for conservational or aesthetic value, is the recurring theme in botanical gardens that connects our displays, research, and visitor experiences to our missions. While the domestication of crop species has significantly altered their genomes from that of their wild crop relatives, the majority of horticultural crops are not that far removed from their wild relatives. Thus, we still explore, document, and cultivate the untapped diversity in the world’s temperate floras to enrich our gardens. Join Richard Olsen, Director of the US National Arboretum, as he considers what legacies remain from early plant explorations, how we document and capture diversity, and where we go from here, in a century that will see so much lost to globalization.

Free member, $10 nonmember

Campaign for the Living Collections: Spotlight LectureA ten-year initiative focused on plant exploration and collections development to explore, collect, and preserve plants from around the globe for conservation, biodiversity, and growing our collections for the next century.

Ric

hard

Ols

en


12 Arnold Arboretum

classes

Kyle Port to review the characteristics of the 25 most com-mon trees and learn the botanical terminology necessary to describe them. You will then walk the grounds of the Arbo-retum to look at mature specimens of these trees.


Will the Bats Come Back? Confronting White-Nose SyndromeChristina Kocer, Northeast Regional White-Nose Syndrome Coor-dinator, Ecological Services Program, US Fish and Wildlife ServiceMonday, May 23, 7:00–8:15pm [HB]

Named for the white fungus found growing on the muzzle, wings, and exposed skin of hibernating bats, white-nose syndrome (WNS) has killed more than 5.7 million bats in eastern North America since its discovery in New York in 2006. At some hibernation sites, 90 to 100 percent of bats have died. Learn from US Fish and Wildlife specialist Chris-tina Kocer about this fungal disease, where it may have come from, the dynamics of infection and transmission, and the search for a way to control it. Christina will also share ways to support bat populations in your neighborhood.


National Parks Beyond the Nation: Global Perspectives on "America's Best Idea"Mark Fiege, PhD, Professor of History and Council Member of the Public Lands History Center, Colorado State University, Fort CollinsWednesday, June 1, 7:00pm [HB]

Americans often imagine that national parks are a distinctive creation of the United States and a unique model emulated by the rest of the world. Exploring national parks from the perspective of other regions and nations, however, reveals a far richer and more interesting story. The United States indeed influenced the creation of national parks in other countries, but other nations also made important contributions to the concept and did not necessarily follow the American model. In some cases, other nations were ahead of the United States. The 2016 Centennial of the National Park Service provides an opportunity to look beyond questions of primacy—which country originated the national park idea—to understand that national parks have a planetary history that is the common heritage of all people.

$10

Offered with Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site in cel-ebration of the National Park Service Centennial

Inuksuit at the ArboretumSunday, June 12, 3:00pm [Conifer Collection, Bussey Street Gate]

Attend the Boston premiere of Inuksuit—an epic composition for a large percussion ensemble. Composed by John Luther Adams and performed in cities around the globe, the piece will be performed by 50 or more percussionists dispersed throughout the conifer collection of the Arnold Arboretum. Each performance of Inuksuit is truly unique, incorporating the surrounding sounds of nature and those of human civilization. At the Arboretum, the performance

will play out in our majestic conifer collection, sited on a slope of open meadow and trees from around the world.

Using a small army of percussionists playing conch shells, gongs, maracas, air horns, drums, sirens, cymbals, and glockenspiels, this 75-minute work is designed to heighten awareness of the sights and sounds that surround us every day. The work is deeply influenced by John Luther Adams' belief that “music can contribute to the awakening of our ecological understanding. By deepening our awareness of our connections to the earth, music can provide a sounding model for the

renewal of human consciousness and culture.” Participants may choose to be stationary in the landscape or to wander among the conifers and musicians.

Composer John Luther Adams (www.johnlutheradams.com) has been described as “one of the most original musical thinkers of the new century” (Alex Ross, The New Yorker). Adams won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Music.

Free. Sponsored by Kadence Arts and the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University

© 2

015

Dos

ter



Silent Sparks: The Wondrous World of FirefliesSara M. Lewis, PhD, Evolutionary and Behavioral Ecology, Tufts UniversityMonday, June 13, 7:00–8:15pm [HB]

For centuries, the beauty of fireflies has evoked wonder and delight. Yet for most of us, fireflies remain shrouded in mys-

tery: How do fireflies make their light? What are they saying with their flashing? And what do fire-flies look for in a mate? Join us for a presentation by noted biologist and firefly expert Sara Lewis as she dives into the fascinating world of fireflies and reveals the most up-to-date dis-coveries about these beloved insects.

Hear dramatic stories of birth, courtship, romance, sex, deceit, poison, and death among fireflies. Sarah’s recently published book, Silent Sparks, will be available for sale and signing.


Firefly Walk with Sara M. LewisSara M. Lewis, PhD, Evolutionary and Behavioral Ecology, Tufts UniversityMonday, June 13, 8:15–9:15pm [HB]

Special walk follows Silent Sparks lecture. Limited to 15 people. Register in advance.

$20 members only

In the Groves: A Summer Solstice JourneyDiane Edgecomb, Storyteller, and Margot Chamberlain, Celtic Harpist2 Sessions (select one): Friday, June 17, or Saturday, June 18, 6:30–8:30pm [HB]

Attend an enchanting evening of tree myths, songs, and summer solstice legends. Diane and Margot spin tales of the human connection with trees and the deep meaning we have assigned to them through the ages. This unique, evocative performance travels through the landscape with stories and music, each story told under a specific tree or among a unique collection of Arboretum plants. The program begins under a grand cedar of Lebanon, moves into the Rosaceous Collection, to the oaks of

Bussey Hill, then onward to Hemlock Hill, culminating with the haunting Czech legend “The Wild Woman of the Birch Grove” told amid the birches at sunset. Appropriate for adults and for children twelve years and above.

$20 per person through June 10$25 per person after June 10

With Mary: The Audubon of BotanyMarjorie G. Jones, JD, MA, BiographerWednesday, July 13, 7:00–8:15pm [HB]

Known as the “Audubon of Bot-any,” Mary Morris Vaux Walcott (1860–1940) was a gifted art-ist whose stunning watercolors comprise a catalog of North American wildflowers. Walcott was catapulted to the highest lev-els of society and national poli-tics by a late and bold marriage to the secretary of the Smithso-nian. Along with an early (1887) transcontinental travelogue, nev-er-before published correspondence with fellow Quaker and First Lady Lou Henry Hoover, and Commissioner Mary Wal-cott’s reports for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Marjorie Jones’ biography reveals rich intersections of history, religion, politics, women’s studies, science, and art during the transformative times in which Walcott lived. Enjoy this talk accompanied by exquisite images of Walcott’s paintings.

Free member, $5 nonmember Offered with the Friends of Wellesley College Botanic Gardens and New England Wild Flower Society

See all classes and register online at: my.arboretum.harvard.edu

Horticulture ClassesLearn expert techniques to help you keep your plants growing strong. See calendar for full details.

March 19: Planning and Creating a Compact Orchard

April 2: Growing Plants from Seeds

May 6: Pruning Project—Taming the Early Season Bloomers

Pam

ela

Rub

y R

usse

ll


14 Arnold Arboretum

visit

Visitor InformationThe Hunnewell Building near the Arborway Gate is open for restroom access and business guests:

Weekdays: 9:00am–5:00pmWeekends: 10:00am–5:00pm

Closed Holidays

The Visitor Center in the Hunnewell Building is open:

10:00am–5:00pmClosed Wednesdays & Holidays

Services in the Visitor Center include:

Telephone: 617.384.5209

Plant Information HotlineRun by knowledgeable volunteers, the hotline is available for questions about woody plants hardy in the Boston area. Leave a message any time. Call 617.384.5235 or email [email protected].

The Arnold Arboretum Horticultural Library is open: Monday through Friday, 10:00am–3:45 pm. For library information, visit our website, call 617.522.1086, or email [email protected].

Visitor Parking and Driving PermitsStreet parking is available along the Arboretum’s perimeter. Individuals with special needs may request a driving per-mit at the Visitor Center, weekdays only (closed Wednes-day), from 10:30am to 3:00pm. Please call 617.384.5209.

VISIT and EXPLORE

• Personal assistance to enrich your visit• Membership information• Maps and postcards• Changing exhibits from the Arboretum archives• Seasonal art exhibitions• Activities for children and families• Lost and found

April 29–July 3, 2016Opening Reception, Saturday, Apr 30, 2:00–4:00pmWalk and Workshop, Sunday, June 5, 2:00–4:00pm

As an Artist-in-Residence at Deschutes National Forest in Oregon and the White Mountain National Forest in Vermont, Kyle Browne investigated the organic world of nature with the simplicity of drawing, observation, and meditation. In her Time-lapse Drawings, Browne seeks to unearth and capture the unobserved moment and change that occurs within a site-specific setting. Once a site is chosen, the shadows are duplicated repeatedly on paper, building levels of graphite to catch the in-tangible, fleeting moments of time. Her Time-lapse Drawings were born from spending time at the Arnold Arboretum before she be-gan her residency at the White Mountain National Forest, where they continued and flourished.

Kyle's work, Hidden Cartography of Beetles, encourages the viewer to examine a world of secret dialogues, symbols, and the map-making of wood-boring beetles. Deep in the Deschutes National Forest, Browne utilized charcoal, graphite, and pastel, printing in the field, then creating stark and stunning designs on paper.

Kyle has been awarded six residencies, received a BFA from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY, and is a candidate for an MFA at the School of Visual Arts, New York City.

TimeLine(s): Drawing Nature by Kyle Browne

Art Exhibitions



July 8–September 11, 2016Opening Reception: Saturday, July 9, 1:00–3:00pmArtists’ Demonstrations: Saturday, August 13, 2:00–4:00pm

Landscape Explorationsfor Families with Children

Family Walks

Discover the Arboretum on guided walks especially 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 in the Hunnewell Building.

With 150 members, the New England Society of Botanical Artists brings a strong, artistic presence to the Arnold Arboretum this summer. Up to thirty works will be exhibited ranging from watercolor to pastel. The Society has recently shown at the Brush Gallery in Lowell, Massachusetts, participated in the New England Flower Show, and includes many artists within the group who have received prestigious awards from their national organization, the American Society of Botanical Art-ists—as well as its British counterpart, the Society of Botanical Artists. Focusing on the woody plants of New England for this show offers a unique, artistic interpreta-tion of many of the plants included in the Arboretum’s collection. Since they last exhibited at the Arnold Arboretum in 2007, the New England Society of Botanical Artists now brings fresh faces and new art for visitors to enjoy.

Explorer’s Club

Be part of the Explorer’s Club! Borrow a Discovery Pack from the Visitor Center with tools and activities for hands-on explora-tions of our landscape and trees with children. A perfect way to enhance a visit to the Arboretum for families, homeschoolers, and after-school groups. For more ways to engage your kids with nature at the Arboretum, visit the Family Activities page on the Arboretum our website (aboretum.harvard.edu/visit/family-activities/) for such features as our Tree-of-the-Month, Wildlife Bingo, Photo Hunt, and more.

Jon

Het

man

Exhibitions are displayed in the Hunnewell Building Lecture Hall, which is occasionally reserved for meetings and classes.Call 617.384.5209 for exhibition availability; see page 14 for Visitor Center hours.

Arboretum Interpreters

On weekend days from mid April to June, look for Arboretum Interpreters in the landscape from 1:00– 3:00pm (see online calendar for details). These friendly and enthusiastic volunteers will help you find your way to Arboretum destinations, tell stories about fascinating plants, and highlight the Arboretum’s work as a research institution and living museum.

Family ExplorationArboretum VolunteerSaturday, May 7, 11am–noonFree, no registration

Life on the Wild SideAna Maria Caballero, Arboretum Education FellowSaturday, May 21, 11am–noonFree, no registration

Ten Trees Kids LoveNancy Sableski, Manager of Children’s EducationSaturday, June 18, 10:00–11:30am Free, registration requested

Family ExplorationsArboretum VolunteerSaturday, July 16, 11am-noon and Saturday, August 20, 11am–noonFree, no registration

New England Society of Botanical Artists: The Art of Woody Plants

Cra

bapp

le, S

ue N

eff


16 Arnold Arboretum

visit

Special Events for All Visitors

Of the thousands of flowering plants in the Arboretum, only one, the lilac (Syringa spp.), is singled out each year

for a daylong celebration. With more than 380 lilac plants of 172 kinds, the Arboretum holds one of the premier lilac collections in North America. Tours of the lilacs and other special collections, family activities, picnicking (on

this day only) and food vendors make for a memorable day. Be a part of this beloved Boston tradition.

Sunday, May 22, 1:00–3:00pm

Saturday, June 4, 4:00–5:00pmLeventritt Shrub and Vine Garden

Select Thursdays and Sundays, see online calendar for listings. Volunteers will be on hand to allow you access to the pavilion and answer questions about our renowned collection of Japanese bonsai and Chinese penjing.

Sunday, May 8, 10:00–3:00pm

Eric

Rot

h

Members' Tour Day

Bonsai and Penjing Pavilion Open House

Collections Up Close: The Bonsai and Penjing Collection

The Arnold Arboretum hosts Palaver Strings, a musician-led orchestra formed in 2012 by a group of passionate young musicians from the Boston area. Dedicated to collaboratively interpreting masterworks of the classi-cal repertoire, the ensemble highlights the changing light in nature for their Arboretum concert.

Lilac Sunday

Palaver Strings Sun Salutations: Celebrating the Beauty and Light of Earth

Collections Up Close events offer a great way to explore one of the many plant collections with Arboretum staff to learn more about their uniqueness.

Get up close and personal with some of the most histori-cally intriguing and culturally rich specimens at the Arbo-retum. Join Steven Schneider, Director of Operations, in-side the display pavilion for a special tour of the dwarfed plants collection, and learn about the differ-ences between bonsai and penjing. See the new Martin Klein Collection—featur-ing Japanese, Chinese, and North American species—and learn how dwarfed, potted plants are cared for and kept looking their best. Docents will also be on hand to help answer questions and share their knowledge of this ancient art form.

Jon

Het

man

Jon

Het

man

An annual rite of spring, Members' Tour Day is our annual gathering for staff-led tours of the living collection. All current members of the Friends of the Arnold Arboretum are invited to register to join us on Saturday, June 4 for this event focused on fun,

learning, and exploring the awakening spring landscape with our expert staff. Postcard invitations will be mailed to all current and new members in March and additional event details will be posted on our website and online registration portal.

Spring into HealthRhoda Kubrick, Arboretum DocentSaturday, Apr 9, 1:00–2:30pm

The Arboretum Before it was an ArboretumBrian Karlsson-Barnes, Arboretum VolunteerSunday, Apr 10, 1:00–2:30pm

Weld Hill, Research on ViewFaye Rosin, Director of Research FacilitationThursday, Apr 14, 4:00–5:00pm [Weld Hill Research and Administration Building]

A Hidden Treasure: Arnold Arboretum Herbarium of Cultivated PlantsIrina Kadis, Curatorial AssistantThursday, Apr 21, 2:30–4:00pm

Maples, Roses, and More (Oh My!)Rhoda Kubrick, Arboretum DocentSaturday: Apr 30, 1:00–2:30pm

Spring Bird WalksBob Mayer, Arboretum DocentThree Saturdays: Apr 30 [Arborway Gate], May 7 [Peters Hill Gate], May 21 [Arborway Gate], one Sunday (with Arboretum Park Conservancy): May 15 [South Street Gate], 8:00–9:30am

From Seed to TreeDana Greenhouses’ StaffFirst Tuesday of the month: May–October, 1:00–1:45pm [Bonsai/Penjing Pavilion]

Explorers Garden: The World on Bussey HillFrances Doyle, Arboretum DocentSaturday, May 14, 1:00–2:30pm, [Explorers Garden and Chinese Path]

Bonsai and Penjing Matching: Plants in the Bonsai and Penjing Collection and their Counterparts in the Arboretum LandscapeRobbie Apfel, Arboretum DocentWednesday, May 18, 10:30am–noon

More than RosesNancy Rose, Editor, ArnoldiaTuesday, Jun 7, 5:30–7:00pm [map table at Dawson Pond]

Plant Conservation in ActionMichael Dosmann, CuratorTuesday, Jun 21, 5:30–7:00pm

Let’s Look at the LeventrittKate Stonefoot, Manager of Visitor EngagementSaturday, Jun 25, 1:00–2:30pm

A Walk on the Wild Side: Wildlife at the PondsBob Mayer, Arboretum DocentSaturday, Jul 23, 1:00–2:30pm [Forest Hills Gate]

Landscape Explorations for AdultsGuided ToursThis season, we will be offering many free landscape tours. Tours are available each Saturday at 10:30am and Sunday at 1:00pm beginning April 16th and continuing through October. Weekday tours on Mondays and Thursdays at 10:30am will be available during May, June, September, and October. Please check the website for days, times, and additional details on each tour. These tours last approximately 90 minutes, are geared toward adults, and are free of charge. Our tours are for individuals, not organized groups. However, private group tours are available for a fee upon request. For more information see my.arboretum.harvard.edu or call 617.384.5209.

Theme tours offer a look into a special focus or area of the Arnold Arboretum. They are led by Arboretum staff or Arboretum volunteers. The Arboretum calendar provides further descriptions of these tours and others. Meet at the Hunnewell Building unless otherwise specified. The tours below are geared toward adults, free, and registration is requested.

Theme Tours

Jon

Het

man

ArborwayBoston, MA 2-500

NONPROFITORGANIZATION

U.S. POSTAGEPAID

ARNOLD ARBORETUM OFHARVARD UNIVERSITY

visit us online at arboretum.harvard.edu

In our Collection

Although the Arboretum’s Bonsai and Penjing Collection (dwarfed, potted plants trained in styles originating in Japan and China, respectively) traces back to a large donation

of bonsais from Ambassador Larz Anderson and his wife in the 1930s and 1940s, those who have tended the collection over the past half century have added additional specimens representing their own tastes and talents in this horticultural art form. First among these transformational caretakers was Constance (Connie) Derderian, named honorary curator of the collection by Director Richard Howard in 1969, whose hallmark achievement was bringing new life and vigor to a collection that had declined due to benign neglect.

In 1984, failing health forced Connie to pass her duties on to her apprentice, Peter Del Tredici. Prior to her death in 1988, Peter and Connie selected several of her own plants—those best representing her talents and love for bonsai—to join the Arboretum’s collection. Of the four surviving plants from this donation, Ulmus crassifilia (86-758), or cedar elm, truly stands apart in the bunch. Native to Texas, U. crassifolia presents an excellent choice for bonsai due to its adaptability (its already small leaves can be reduced to just under ¾” when dwarfed), response to pruning, vigorous root regeneration, and good pest resistance.

Ulmus crassifiliaStephen Schneider, Director of Operations and Curator of the Bonsai and Penjing Collection

The journey from seedling to bonsai likely saw this plant evolve through a series of repottings in training pots, extensive pruning, and sculpting with wires into the dwarfed tree we see here. Each autumn, Connie’s elm puts on a brilliant show of

yellow, gold, and orange foliage which may persist for several weeks in favorable conditions. Its stately crown, diligently manicured year after year, rises from a straight and slender trunk, supported by a fantastic flair of roots which elegantly fan out and disappear beneath the lava and pumice stone soil. A number of evocative scenarios suggest themselves while observing this tiny potted plant, a testament to Connie’s ability to communicate the expressive spirit of bonsai through her work.

Three decades after Connie donated this little elm to the Arboretum, the plant continues to thrive, build character, and add excitement to the collection. Although she likely had a vision of what it might eventually look like when she started this bonsai over fifty years ago, there is no way to tell for sure whether her intentions have been fully realized. It will depend on the next generation of caregivers to mold and interpret that

vison for the next fifty years and beyond—preserving not only this beautiful bonsai, but the legacy of Connie Derderian as well. e

Jon

Het

man

Fall foliage displayed by Ulmus crassifilia (86-758),

a cedar elm cultivated by Connie Derderian and

donated to the Arnold Arboretum in the 1980s.

spring/summer 2016fall/winter 2011-2012 news, … · spring/summer 2016fall/winter 2011-2012. ......

Documents