Spring 1999 Page 1 Planning and planting for a better world Friends of the JC Raulston Arboretum Newsletter Number 7, Spring 1999 Lib and Willie York and their daughter, Phyllis Brookshire, enjoy a moment under the arbor in the Finley Rose Garden. Photo by Ginger Long York Challenge Announced at Gala On May 2, 672 revelers streamed through the Arboretum to celebrate the 1999 Gala in the Garden. They shopped at the hat boutique to capture designer creations by Susan Stephenson. They vied for the fantasy bird houses decorating the paths and the tables. They competed hotly for items in the silent auction, strolled the garden, and settled in for a dinner under the big top. The spired white tent, rising from a floor constructed over the annual trial gardens, allowed all the gala guests to dine together for the first time since the gala’s inception. The biggest news of the evening, however, came during a surprise announcement made by Chancel- lor Marye Anne Fox. She told guests of a $300,000 challenge grant extended by Lib and Willie York to support the future Educa- tion Center. William C. Friday, Executive Director of the William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust and former president of the UNC system, spoke eloquently to the signifi- cance of the York’s challenge. “The Arboretum represents the fulfillment of the great dreams of Professor Raulston and all that he has meant to the greening of North Carolina,” Friday said. “At this place, he developed whole new industries for our people. Now, the state, through its friends, will build here a lasting tribute to this man whose noble spirit impacted each of us. “Lib and Willie York are the strong right arm of JC Raulston in making his dreams come true. They have devoted so much of their lives to making NC State the important institution that it is today.” Bill Wilder, chairman of the Arboretum Board of Advisors and legislative liasion for the NC Association of Nurserymen, officially accepted the challenge. “Lib and Willie York have chal- lenged the Arboretum community to raise $3.4 million in legislative funding and $800,000 in private funds to build the future Education Center,” Wilder said. “On behalf of the Arboretum Board of Advisors and the North Carolina green industry, I accept that challenge, See York, page 2
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Spring 1999 Page 1
Planning and planting for a better world
Friends of the JC Raulston Arboretum Newsletter Number 7, Spring 1999
Lib and Willie York and their daughter, Phyllis Brookshire,enjoy a moment under the arbor in the Finley Rose Garden.Photo by Ginger Long
York ChallengeAnnounced at Gala
On May 2, 672 revelers streamedthrough the Arboretum to celebratethe 1999 Gala in the Garden. Theyshopped at the hat boutique tocapture designer creations bySusan Stephenson. They vied forthe fantasy bird houses decoratingthe paths and the tables. Theycompeted hotly for items in thesilent auction, strolled the garden,and settled in for a dinner underthe big top. The spired white tent,rising from a floor constructed overthe annual trial gardens, allowedall the gala guests to dine togetherfor the first time since the gala’sinception.
The biggest news of the evening,however, came during a surpriseannouncement made by Chancel-lor Marye Anne Fox. She toldguests of a $300,000 challengegrant extended by Lib and WillieYork to support the future Educa-tion Center.
William C. Friday, ExecutiveDirector of the William R. Kenan,Jr. Charitable Trust and formerpresident of the UNC system,spoke eloquently to the signifi-cance of the York’s challenge.
“The Arboretum represents thefulfillment of the great dreams of
Professor Raulston and all that hehas meant to the greening of NorthCarolina,” Friday said. “At thisplace, he developed whole newindustries for our people. Now, thestate, through its friends, will buildhere a lasting tribute to this manwhose noble spirit impacted each ofus.
“Lib and Willie York are the strongright arm of JC Raulston in makinghis dreams come true. They havedevoted so much of their lives tomaking NC State the importantinstitution that it is today.”
Bill Wilder, chairman of theArboretum Board of Advisors andlegislative liasion for the NCAssociation of Nurserymen,officially accepted the challenge.
“Lib and Willie York have chal-lenged the Arboretum communityto raise $3.4 million in legislativefunding and $800,000 in privatefunds to build the future EducationCenter,” Wilder said. “On behalf ofthe Arboretum Board of Advisorsand the North Carolina greenindustry, I accept that challenge,
See York , page 2
Page 2 Friends of the JC Raulston Arboretum Newsletter
Tableof
ContentsPlant News...........................3Development News..............9Volunteer News...................11Reviews and Previews.......12
Director’s Letter
On February 1, 1999, Flocks of pink and white flamingos mysteriouslylanded in the Arboretum. It was also Bob’s first day as director. Anyconnection? What’s next, pink elephants? photo by Jonathan Nyberg
See Director’s Letter , page 24
1998 Accessions...............13Editor’s News....................22Staff and Curators.............23
Remember that movie from thesixties, something like “If this isTuesday it must be Belgium?” Well,I have been following a similarcourse for the past two months as Itraverse the state to meet ourmembers, advocates, and othersupporters. Destinations in NorthCarolina and beyond are beingcovered, and will continue to be forseveral months ahead. Thesemeetings enable me to not onlyintroduce myself, but also articulateour mission and express the need tocomplete the new Master Plan,including the Education Center. Iam very excited about the potentialbenefits which can be derived fromthese new facilities, and I’ve madeit a priority issue in my travels andtalks. Remember, improvedfacilities for the entire JC RaulstonArboretum (JCRA) staff andvolunteers are also integral to theMaster Plan and we critically needthem. This is particularly truewhen you consider the majorupgrade in computer systems
York , cont. from p. 1
and thank Lib and Willie York forthis generous commitment and thismotivation to move forward.”
Wilder asked the legislators andother friends of the Arboretumpresent to work with him towardthe passage of legislation currentlyintroduced in NC House andSenate. He and Libby Wilder alsopledged the first $1,000 toward
matching the York Challenge.
Lib and Willie York and MaryeAnne Fox and Jim Whitesell servedtogether as honorary co-chairmen ofthe Gala in the Garden.
“Jim and I were honored to serve ashonorary co-chairs alongside suchgreat friends of NC State,” said Fox.“Lib and Willie York have bothbrought strong leadership to theArboretum and to this University.NC State is a far greater institutionas a result of their unwaveringfriendship and support.”
Arboretum director Bob Lyons alsoexpressed his gratitude for theYork’s commitment and for all thosewho made the 1999 Gala in theGarden a success.
“This challenge is a tremendousinspiration to all of us, and we cannever thank Lib and Willie enoughfor this latest example of theirleadership and generosity. In
recognition of their commitment,the auditorium in the futureEducation Center will bear theirname. This is a fitting legacy totwo individuals whose contribu-tions can be seen everywhere in theJC Raulston Arboretum, and afamily that, for four generations,has been - and are still - integral tothe history of NC State University.”
“I also want to thank event co-chairs Pickett Guthrie and Char-lotte Martin, the rest of the amaz-ingly talented and dedicatedcommittee, and all the very gener-ous sponsors who made thisevening possible.”
The gala raised over $61,000 towardthe construction of the EducationCenter. Ground breaking for thecenter will begin as soon as the $4.2million necessary for constructionis raised.
See the summer issue of the news-letter for more on the gala! ■
Spring 1999 Page 3
PlantNews
See Magnolia , next page
EvergreenMagnoliaceaeEvaluations
By Pat McCracken
The collection of Magnoliaceae atthe JC Raulston Arboretum atNorth Carolina State Universityhas become extensive over the pastseveral years. As curator of themagnolia collection, I have taken apersonal interest the last few yearsin the evergreen members of thisfamily. Most people are familiarwith the popular southern magno-lia (Magnolia grandiflora); however,most people have never seen themore exotic species of evergreenMagnoliaceae. One of my goals isto introduce the gardening publicto this diverse and landscapeworthy group of plants. To myknowledge, a thorough and seriouscollection of these plants has notbeen done to date.
Initially, I decided to emphasizeMagnolia grandiflora cultivars. Thecollection now contains over 100selections of this wonderful speciesand represents one of the largestcollections of this species in theworld. Unfortunately these plantsrequire a tremendous amount ofspace, and can not all be grown atthe arboretum. The collection isbeing housed by Taylor’s Nurseryin Raleigh, NC and will be main-tained there for the duration of theevaluations. Taylor’s has gra-ciously agreed to donate several
acres of field space for this exten-sive collection. I am currently alsotrying to collect all other speciesand cultivars of evergreenMagnoliaceae for evaluation.
One of the primary interests in theMagnolia grandiflora collection is toevaluate for cold hardiness. Thiswill be done with cooperativeresearch with Dr. Paul Cappielloat Bernheim Arboretum in Ken-tucky. Dr. Cappiello will beconducting laboratory experi-ments to determine the theoreticalminimum temperatures eachcultivar can withstand. At thetermination of the laboratory trial,we will conduct extensive fieldtrials of the hardiest cultivars innorthern test sites. This knowl-edge will be invaluable to thenursery industry because it willallow us to aggressively makeselections of magnolias that can bemarketed far north of the currentmarket. It will also be of greatvalue in magnolia breeding. Bycrossing the hardiest Magnoliagrandiflora cultivars with other lesshardy species it should be possibleto produce cold hardy hybridswith great garden merit.
The other evergreen species willalso be evaluated for cold hardinessand landscape value. There is alarge number of species that mayhave commercial value in thewarmer regions of the UnitedStates. In the following section, Iwill discuss my breeding ideas inmore detail.
Breeding Work withinthe EvergreenMagnoliaceae
Plant breeders have long over-looked evergreen magnolia species(and other evergreen genera in theMagnoliaceae). This remarkablegroup of plants offers a wide rangeof hardiness, plant size and growthhabit, leaf form, flower size andflower fragrance. Flower color hasbeen basically only white (with avery few pink selections in generaother than Magnolia).
Hardiness ranges from a limitednumber of plants that will survivezone 5 all the way to plants that are
Can you imagine the above magnolia flower in shades of pink andred growing on a trellis in your garden? Breeder Pat McCrackencan! photo by JC Raulston
Page 4 Friends of the JC Raulston Arboretum Newsletter
Magnolia , continued
Plant News
See Magnolia , next page
tropical zone 10 hardy. The primaryproblem with evergreen magnoliashas always been cold hardiness.The large evergreen leaves areextremely susceptible to desiccationduring the winter. There are a fewselections of Magnolia grandifloraand Magnolia virginiana that havedone fairly well in zone 5a climates.These same species also extend atleast into zone 9. These two specieswill be the focus on breeding formore cold hardy evergreenMagnoliaceae.
Plant size and growth habit areextremely variable within theevergreen members of theMagnoliaceae. Plants like Magnoliagrandiflora can easily grow to be 60feet tall with equal or greaterspread. I know of a single plant insouthern Georgia that is over 100feet wide! Smaller members of thisfamily are small shrubs. Growthhabit can range from wide-spread-ing to narrowly upright. Mangletiayunnanensis has a very upright,formal growth habit and appears tobe an ideal candidate for breeding. Ihave been successful in crossingMagnolia grandiflora ‘Little Gem’with this species. The reciprocalcross has not been successful. I havetried crossing many evergreen anddeciduous species onto Mangletiayunnanensis and to date have beenable to produce no viable seeds.
Leaf form varies widely within theevergreen members of theMagnoliaceae. The largest leafforms would be found on Magnoliadelavyii or Magnolia grandiflora, withleaves often over twelve inches inlength and over five inches wide.Some of the smaller leaves can befound on Michellia species. Michelliafigo has leaves usually two incheslong and one inch wide. Extremelylong, narrow leaves are found
within the genus Mangletia.Mangletia yunnanensis has leaves sixinches long and three-quarterinches wide. Some species haveleaves that are extremely glossy onthe upper surface (Magnolia grandi-flora), and others have leaves withvery dull, matte surfaces (Magnoliaguatamalensis and several othersubtropical species). Some specieshave extremely heavy indentatumon the lower surface of the leaves(Magnolia grandiflora) and somespecies have a white or silverylower leaf surface (Magnoliavirginiana).
Flower size ranges from extremelylarge blooms over 15 inches wide(Magnolia delavyii and Magnoliagrandiflora), to very small flowersless than one inch wide (Michelliafigo). Fragrance can range fromoverpowering musty smells tosweet, tropical fruity smells. Mostevergreen members of theMagnoliaceae do have a distinctfragrance. Flower color is basicallyan off-white or cream color. Asflowers age they often develop ayellow cast to them. Yellow (oftenwith green or purple undertones)flower color can be found inMichelia figo. Rare pink flowers canbe found in Magnolia virginiana,Michelia affinis and Manglietiainsignis. A red flowered form ofMagnolia delayvii has been reported.I am planning on working withMagnolia virginiana, Magnoliadelayvii and Manglietia insignis tobring pink flower color into otherspecies of evergreen Magnoliaceae.
Breeding Goals ForThe Future
1. Develop cold hardy Magnoliagrandiflora cultivars (hardy intozone 4b?)
2. Develop large pink/red flower-ing evergreen magnolias that arehardy to at least zone 7b. This maybe difficult since Magnolia delayvii“red flowered form” is a zone 9plant.
3. Develop improved growth habitand flowering characteristics. Iwould like to develop hybrids withMagnolia grandiflora and otherspecies (both evergreen and decidu-ous) that have bright red stamens.
4. This, perhaps, should be listedunder “delusions of grandeur forthe future,” but I hope to crossevergreen Magnoliaceae with themagnolia vine (Scasandra species).The goal here would be to developan evergreen, large flowered(maybe even with pink flowers!),vining magnolia! One can onlydream!
5. Under the same category above,I hope to cross Liriodendron tulipiferainto Magnolia. The dream is to bringin the orange flower color found inLiriodendron into the rest of themagnolia family. This will beattempted with both evergreen anddeciduous species of magnolia.
This will be more work than I canhope to accomplish within mylifetime. However, this is a passionthat I have developed (especiallyafter having the honor to work withAugust Kehr of Hendersonville,NC) and I’m sure it will be a lot offun!
I would love to hear if you haveany comments or ideas on breedingprojects or if you know of anyMagnolia grandiflora that are grow-ing in zone 5 or colder.
Spring 1999 Page 5
Plant News
Magnolia , continued
Cultivars needed for evaluation
If you have any of the followingcultivars and would be willing to sendeither cuttings or small rooted plants,please contact me by the various meanslisted at the end of the article.
If you have any information on any ofthe cultivars listed anyplace in thisarticle (breeder or originator, coldhardiness information, date of release,nomenclature, etc.) please send me thatinformation.•Email: [email protected]•Fax: 919-231-7688•Phone: 919-365-7878 (H)
Page 6 Friends of the JC Raulston Arboretum Newsletter
Plant News
Plants to Create aGarden of Winter
Delights
Green and Growin’ ShowWinston-Salem, NCJanuary 14-15, 1999
Plant descriptions byJonathan Nyberg and Douglas
Ruhren
Plants selected by Douglas Ruhren, Mitzi Hole, Bryce
Lane and Jonathan Nyberg
The follow plants were displayed by theArboretum at the Green and Growin’trade show, January 14-15, 1999.
Arum italicum (Araceae) “ItalianArum” This plant is known as thehosta of the winter garden. Its idealsite is the same as for hosta, and itsfoliage dies back in May andreappears in October – talk aboutan ideal time share arrangement!Showy orange berries. Zone 6-8.
Aspidistra elatior ‘Asahi’(Convallariaceae) “Asahi Cast IronPlant” White tipped foliage. Zone7b or sheltered site in zone 7a.
Aspidistra elatior ‘Variegata’(Convallariaceae) “Variegated CastIron Plant” Evergreen foliage plantfor shade gives that tropical look.Elegant…and truly as tough as castiron. This cultivar striped withwhite. Zone 7b or sheltered site inzone 7a.
Chimonanthus praecox(Calyconthaceae) “FragrantWintersweet” No need for any-thing but a average nose to enjoythe aptly named fragrance of thisslow growing shrub/small tree inJanuary. Open flowers recentlysurvived 15 degrees at the Arb withno problem, and reportedly will
take muchlower temps.No insect ordisease prob-lems. Brancheseasily forcedinside. Thisplant is a bigshould for thegardener whoappreciates thefiner things inlife. Zone 6-9(flowers morereliable inzone 7).
Cornus alba(Cornaceae)“Red TwigDogwood”There are many cultivars of thisbeautiful and well-adapted decidu-ous shrub. Prune to ground eachspring to maintain brilliant color oftwigs in the winter landscape. 3-5feet; zone 3-8.
Cornus mas ‘Spring Glow’(Cornaceae) “Cornelian CherryDogwood” Blooming near the endof winter, Cornus mas blooms at atime when there is little competitionfrom other flowering plants.‘Spring Glow’ is a selection madeby JC as a good-flowering clone forzone 7, where, although the treedoes well, the flowers are generallynot as prolific as they are furthernorth. Beautiful bark adds to thevalue of this 20 foot tree in thewinter garden. Zone 4-8.
Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’(Cornaceae) “Bloodtwig Dog-wood” This has been one of themost stunning plants in the wintergarden the past two years. We cutit back to the ground last Marchand it has grown four feet ofupright orange/red branches. Itlooks especially good on cloudydays. It looks best of all, however,on a drizzly day when the moist-
ened branches are glowing like thesun setting through polluted air.Now, how valuable is a plant thatlooks so good on a rainy, graywinter day? Priceless. For the rest,there’s Mastercard. Zone 4-7.
Cornus stolonifera ‘Silver andGold’ (Cornaceae) “Yellow TwigDogwood” Yellow twigs in winterand white variegated foliage insummer. Zone 3-8.
Crataegus viridis ‘Winter King’(Rosaceae) “Green Hawthorn”Come to the far West side of theArboretum, see the majestic WinterKing hold court, and you will soonbe under the reign of this regal treethat truly lives up to its name. Theprolific fruits are larger than thespecies. Introduced by SimpsonNursery of Indiana in 1955. 20’ to25’ tall and less susceptible to rustthan other hawthorns. If you haveroom for one tree this size in yourwinter garden, this would be thechoice. Zone 4 to 7.
See Winter , next page
Valerie Tyson makes a new friend at a staff partygenerously hosted by Arbortem volunteer Gay Gallins inher unique Winston-Salem home. photo by Jonathan Nyberg
Spring 1999 Page 7
Plant News
Karen Jones, Shep Lassiter and Anita Kuehne (left to right)sell the popular Arboretum T-shirts and hats. photo by JonathanNyberg
Danae racemosa (Ruscaceae)“Poet’s Laurel” Elegant, archingstems with evergreen leaves andorange berries make this a must forthe winter garden. Cut stems aregood for indoor arrangements.Zone 7b-9.
Daphne odora ‘Variegata’(Thymelaeaceae) “VariegatedDaphne” Gardeners who are ableto grow this temperamental shrubtaller than 2 feet often have a littleair of superiority – until one day, forno known reason, theirsource of pride withers anddies overnight. “Oh, howthe mighty have fallen!”This cream-edged beauty isworth killing over and overagain. Zone 4-7.
Edgeworthia papyrifera(Thymelaeaceae)“Paperbush” Choice shrubfor a woodland wintergarden. It needs highorganic matter soils, light tomoderate shade and someprotection if possible. Theflower clusters hang downshowing a hairy, whitesheen most of the winter.The foliage gives a little bitof a tropical look duringthe summer. Zone 7-9.
Euonymus alata ‘Montrosus’(Celastraceae) “Montrosus WingedEuonymus” A selection with evenmore pronounced wings and corkybark. Good, rock solid specimenshrub in the winter garden tounderplant with crocus and daffo-dils. 15’ to 20 ‘ tall. Zone 4-8.
Hamamelis X intermedia(Hamamelidaceae) “Witchhazel”Winter/spring flowering hybrids ofH. mollis and H. japonica. Small,loosely spreading trees to 15-20 feet,generally excellent fall color, andfragrant flowers (if you have a goodnose). Zone 5-8.‘Diane’ – bronze, copper-redflowers‘Early Bright’ — yellow‘Jelena’ – red, orange and yellowmix gives a strong coppery look.
Hedera helix (Adult Form)(Araliaceae) “Adult Ivy” “Don’tget Jonathan started on this plant,”I can hear my co-workers advising.
My only question is this, with somany green blobs in the landscape,why not plant an interesting greenblob? Consider: lustrous, greenleaves that just shine year around;globose, white flowers in latesummer that are insect magnets;blackish fruits all winter. Plus, it’sIVY! Meaning it’s very hard to kill,widely adaptable to site and willnot only live, but live well, in dry
Helleborus foetidus(Ranunculaceae) “Stinking Helle-bore” If ever a plant needs an agentto negotiate a name change this is it.The stinking part comes from anunpleasant smell, released whenthe leaves are crushed, but there’sno real reason to go around crush-ing the leaves. H. foetidus is theherbaceous workhorse of the wintergarden, a strong grower and a free
seeder with longlasting handsomefoliage, bracts andpale green flowers.Humus-rich soil andpartial shade is best,but it is adaptable tomany sites. Zone 6-8.
Ilex crenata ‘YellowFruits’(Aquifoliaceae)“Japanese Holly”This plant, which isjust outside of theKlein-Pringle WhiteGarden at the Arb,consistently catchesone’s attention withits pretty, under-stated, creamy-yellow berries. Well
worth searching out. Zone 5-8.
Ilex decidua ‘Finch’s Gold’(Aquifoliaceae) “Possumhaw”Yellow-fruited form of the nativePossumhaw holly. Zone 5-9.
See Winter , next page
Winter , continued
Page 8 Friends of the JC Raulston Arboretum Newsletter
Plant News
Ilex X ‘Carolina Cardinal’(Aquifoliaceae) “Carolina CardinalHolly” I. verticillata X I. serratahybrid seedling selected by JC forits low spreading habit, ultimatesize probably under 8 feet. Fruitsheavily practically every year atthe Arboretum. Deciduous holliesare a must for any winter garden.Zone 5-9.
Koelreuteria bipinnata(Sapindaceae) Very much like K.paniculata but larger; blooming inlate summer. Zone 6-8.
Koelreuteria paniculata ‘Septem-ber’ (Sapindaceae) “GoldenRaintree” This well known smalltree is grown for its eyecatchingyellow flowers in summer. ‘Sep-tember’ was selected for its lateflowering. At the Arb, we appreci-ate the dried fruits all winter. Zone4-8.
Lonicera fragrantissima(Caprifoliaceae) “Winter Honey-suckle” Well known, old-fashioned,10 foot tall shrub that has to besomewhere in the winter garden, ifonly to bring its fragrant branchesinside during the winter. Notinvasive in woodlands as are someof its relatives. Zone 4-8.
Nandina domestica ‘Alba’(Berberidaceae) “Heavenly Bam-boo” The yellow berries on thisNandina look incredibly good if oneplant is mixed into a block of redberried ones. Great for Christmasdecoration, too. A high percentagecome true from seed. 4’ to 6’ high;zone 6-9.
Phellodendron amurense (Rutaceae)“Amur Corktree” Fast growing 30’to 40’ tree was often touted by JCfor its toughness, ornamental
qualities and easy propagation fromseed. We highlight it here for theattractive black fruit that persist allwinter on a female tree. Zone 3-8.
Pinus densiflora ‘Oculus Draconis’(Pinaceae) “Dragon’s Eye JapaneseRed Pine” Well known cultivar withyellow banded needles. Zone 3b-7
Poncirus trifoliata ‘Flying Dragon’(Rutaceae) “Contorted HardyOrange” This cultivar has beenaround awhile so we were sur-prised at SNA last summer when aspecimen received more attentionthan any other plant. It’s like theTV rerun promos - if you haven’tseen it, it’s new to you! Formsimpenetrable hedge for all creaturesexcept elephants or rhinos; fragrant,white, gorgeous flowers in spring;and barely edible, ornamentaloranges in winter. Zone 5-9.
Prunus mume (Rosaceae) “Japa-nese Apricot” One of JC’s mostbeloved trees. He once said that hisgoal was to plant one at everyMcDonalds so people would seethem. JC was able to convert MikeDirr, who writes glowingly ofmumes in his new addition of theManual of Woody Landscape Plants.Small tree to 15-20 feet, showy
flowers Dec.-Feb.,many cultivars aresweetly fragrant.Zone 6-9. Easilypropagated bysoftwood cuttingsin summer.‘Kobai’ – red, semi-double flowers.‘Peggy Clarke’ –double, deep roseflowers with longstamens and redcalyx.
Rhapidophyllumhystrix(Arecaceae)“Needle Palm “ SE
native. One of the hardiest palms.Survived the winter of 1984 in theArboretum. Reliable through zone7. Sun or shade. 10 feet tall.
Sabal minor (Arecaceae) “BushPalmetto” A hardy palm for zone 7gardens. The broad, fan-shapedleaves make this a great texuralplant. The blue/black berrieswhich are borne on 6 foot stalksmake it even more valuable in thewinter garden. Zone 7-10.
Symphoricarpos orbiculatus(Caprifoliaceae) “Coralberry,Indian Currant” Purple berriespersist all winter on this adaptablenative shrub. Great choice for awoodland winter garden. Zone 2-8.
Ulmus alata f. pendula ‘LaceParasol’ (Ulmaceae) “Lace ParasolWinged Elm” The outstandingspecimen at the Arb is memorableby all who are fortunate enough tosee it at its winter peak. This is aplant to build a winter gardenaround. The original found in thewilds of Person Co., NC Zone 6-9.
Winter , continued
Look who showed up to help us take down the booth!Dan Hinkley, left, and Richard Olsen. photo byJonathan Nyberg
■
Spring 1999 Page 9
Plant News
■
A neighbor’s leylandhedge left Joneswithout enough
sunshine for a decentherbaceous border.
In England, conflictingdesires and a fast-
growing conifer add upto hedge rage
Reprinted by permission from theAssociated Press.
“The leyland cypress in NC is closelyassociated with The NCSU Arboretum(for better or worse!)”, wrote JCRaulston in 1988. Because of thisassociation, I thought our friendswould find the following articleamusing. The article calls it the“American leyland cypress tree.” Theparents of this intergeneric hybrid areAmerican (Cupressus macrocarpaand Chamaecyparis nootkatensis) ,however it should be pointed out thefirst cross was made in Great Britianjust over 100 years ago. —JN
Suburbanites brandish axes andchain saws. The government is onthe brink of joining battle. Thenational news media are on thescene. Towering green aliens arehere and they are marching acrossBritain, pitting neighbor againstneighbor and killing off innocentlawns wherever they cast their 30-foot shadows.
Cupressocyparis leylandii, the Ameri-can leyland cypress tree whichgrows more than three feet peryearcan cause great distress whenplanted between neighbors as ahedge. Hundreds of these hedgesare sprouting nationwide ashomeowners discover the almostinstant privacy they provide.
“It’s our highest-selling conifer,”says Simon Eade, manager of theAlexandra Palace Garden Center.“It’s definitely not for the smallgarden,” he added.
Privacy is not the only motive forplanting a leylandii hedge. Thepetty-minded might be tempted toretaliate for past grievances withthe folks next door by allowinguntrimmed leylandii to shade theneighbor’s patio and turn theircherished lawn into a brown patch.Rage sometimes takes root on theshady side of the shrubbery, forwhich the British use the Latinname, pronounced lay-LAN-dee-eye.
At the nub of the leylandii problemis a conflict of national characteris-tics: the sunlight cravings of a cool,
damp, northerly nation; a pride andpleasure in gardening; and aprofound desire for privacy. Add tothis the conviction that a man’shome is his castle, and you have themakings of a neighborhood war.
Britain’s chief leylandii warrior isMichael Jones, who won a six year;$168,000 court fight against hisneighbor, whose 24-foot hedge leftJones without enough sunshine fora decent herbaceous border. Tobuild a fence higher than six feet ina garden, a homeowner has toapply for planning permission. Butno such permission is required forhedges of trees.
So Jones took matters into his ownhands a couple of times, lopping off5 feet, then 4 feet. His neighbortook him to court, alleging damage
and trespassingand ended upwith a hedge reduced to 12 feet anda bill for all the court courts.
Jones’ widely publicized ordealstruck a chord with other leylandiisuffers. About 2,000 people havejoined Hedgeline, a support grouphe established “to provide fellow-ship in adversity,” and to convincethe government that leylandiilegislation is needed. The DailyMail newspaper is waging anational campaign to bringleylandii planting under legalcontrols, and the government hasset up a leylandii working group todetermine what should be done.Hedgeline’s goal is to get hedgeslisted with other “statutory nui-sances” under environmental law.
On its Web site, Hedgeline warnsmembers that lopping off aneighbor’s hedges is still illegal,despite Jones’ victory, made pos-sible only because local regulationsgave him leverage most othersdon’t have. Instead, pendingnational legislation, the organiza-tion recommends sufferers “appealgently” to their neighbors’ sense offair play before resorting to thelocal government or small-claimscourt.
And speaking of gentle appeals,how are relations nowadaysbetween Jones and his neighbor?Another hedge has been plantedbehind the infamous one and Jonesjudges it to be about 20 feet high.We don’t exchange Christmascards,” he said.
Page 10 Friends of the JC Raulston Arboretum Newsletter
DevelopmentNews
Michel Foundationsupports Education
CenterMarge and Jake Michel havealways been champions ofeducation. Now, with a gift of$10,000 from the Michel FamilyFoundation to the ArboretumEducation Center, they’ve
the landscape design, but also withthe overall planning. And now, thegardens continue to evolve sobeautifully through the wonderfulteamwork between Hunter andChip. They have both put all theirheart and talent into makingRichmond Hill what it is today.”
Both professional educators, Dr. andMrs. Michel run the EducationCenter, a educational publishingfirm located in Greensboro.
Thanks to leadership fromRedge and Jane Hanes ,the Raise the RoofCampaign has received$50,000 from the James G.Hanes Memorial Fund andthe JW and Anna HodginGanes Foundation .
An open letter from Redge and Jane Hanes
Honorary Chairs of theRaise the Roof Campaign
The long awaited day has arrived.On February 1, 1999, Dr. Robert E.Lyons assumed the directorship ofthe JC Raulston Arboretum at NCState University, opening the dooron a new and exciting era for theArboretum. He is already hard atwork meeting constituents,working with staff, and spendingtime in the Arboretum, gatheringinformation and developingstrategies to enrich theArboretum’s plant collections andeducational outreach.
This also signals a new beginningfor us, as Friends of theArboretum, in our work to supportthe future Education Center at theArboretum. After the uncertaintyof a two year interim period, wecan point with confidence to atalented new leader, to increasinguniversity support, and to thereaffirmation of the Arboretum’sunique central mission: to promotenew and better adapted plants fora better world.
We were pleased to learn that BobLyons fully embraces the plan forthe Education Center, andconsiders its expedientconstruction a top priority. Heshares our vision of a uniquefacility that will set a new standardfor the integration of garden andarchitecture, and be a vibrant hubfor the education of students,schoolchildren, the green industry,and gardeners everywhere.
Over the coming months, he will
meet Arboretum constituents at aseries of regional receptions acrossthe state. Bob’s infectiousenthusiasm for the Arboretum andits goals is guaranteed to inspireand energize. These meetings willprovide a forum for your questionsabout the Arboretum, a springboardfor new ideas and new programs,and momentum to achieve the goalsahead.
The tour got off to a great start inWilmington on March 24. Other
events are scheduled in Asheville,Greensboro, and High Point, andplanning is underway for receptionsin Charlotte, Chapel Hill andnortheastern NC. We hope you’lljoin us at the one nearest you.
broadened their patronage ofhorticultural education.
Their first foray into publichorticulture was at Richmond Hill,an inn and conference center theydeveloped in Asheville, NorthCarolina. The inn was developedas a gardener’s wonderland, andhas become a venue for gardeneducation.
“In addition to this generous gift,the Michels have made a majorcontribution to horticulture throughtheir vision to create finegardens and horticultural events atRichmond Hill,” said landscapearchitect Chip Callaway. “Annualsymposia at Richmond Hill havebrought in renowned gardeners
such as Penelope Hobhouse, PeterLoewer, and Rosemary Alexander.
“They’ve contributed to thecommunity in so many ways,”said Callaway. “They alsorecently provided support for anarchitectural history ofGreensboro.
“We were delighted to make thisgift in honor of Chip Callawayand Hunter Stubbs,” said Mrs.Michel. “Chip did a tremendous
job at Richmond Hill, not only with
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Spring 1999 Page 11
VolunteerNews
by Harriet Bellerjeau
TOP 10 MOST WANTEDVOLUNTEER POSITIONSDatabase entry: Two volunteersare needed, one as back up.Computer skills a plus, our systemis user friendly. Must be availableto train Tuesday or Thursday. Onceproficient, can schedule own hoursat the Volunteer Office or oncampus. Weekdays, evenings andweekends 2 – 4 hours per week.Spiff-er Up-ers: These 2 – 4challenging positions requireexpertise in small and large broomhandling. Leaf raking skills are amust. Seriously, we need a small team of folks who have akeen eye for detail and a passionfor keeping things fresh and wellmaintained. Emphasis is onkeeping paved areas swept,groundcover areas free of leavesand plant debris picked up. Thisteam will be responsible formaintaining the What’s-In-Bloomdisplay in the Visitor Center.Orientation is required. Scheduleyour own hours, regular andweekly.Telephone Callers: Two or threevolunteers who have time availablein the evening or on weekends, thisis a great opportunity to serve.Requires dialing skills, persistence,patience and the ability to giveclear and concise instructions toother volunteers. Callers areneeded for mailings and specialprojects. Call from home or thevolunteer office. Flexible times,once or twice per month.T-shirts Team: One leader and twovolunteers are needed to managethe t-shirt sales. Volunteers shouldhave good organizational and
accounting skills. The job entailsseeking designs, taking inventories,ordering and stocking as well ascoordinating a t-shirt booth forspecial events and Arboretumfunctions. One year rotation, 2 – 4hours per week shared.Curators: Positions are open forexperienced gardeners with strongknowledge of the care, maintenanceand identification of plants in aspecialty area. Work is coordinatedwith Arboretum staff and othervolunteers. Supervisory skillsare a plus. Opportunities forexpanding and promotingcollections. Must be willing tocommit 3 - 4 hours weekly.Volunteer Office Staff: Severalpositions are available. Volunteersgive directions, answer questionsabout the Arboretum, sell t-shirts,make phone calls, answer the phoneetc. Computer training provided –we’ve got the latest and the greatest!Several afternoons, Saturday andsome Sundays need coverage. 3 – 4hours weekly. Substitutes alsoneeded.
All interested volunteers shouldcontact the Volunteer Coordinator at515-3132 or complete a VolunteerInterest Forms located in the VisitorCenter.
NEW CURATORSCJ Dykes joins us as curator of theWisteria Garden. He will be takingon the weekly pruning during thegrowing season. He was a personalfriend of JC’s and thought it wastime to give something back. CJ issupervisor of Landscape andGrounds for the Wake CountyPublic Schools.
Pam Baggett will become thecurator for the new EntranceGardens. Pam is currently theowner of Singing Springs Nurseryin Cedar Grove, NC. Herexperience and expertise in tender,
and unusual perennials willprovide a special welcome tovisitors.
Susan Cheatham has been waitingin the wings for the opportunity tobecome the Klein-Pringle WhiteGarden curator. Susan has awealth of experience to share withus, as a designer, horticulturalist/gardener and a painter.
MANY THANKS!We have recently completed ourannual Tour Guide Training. Nowthat the challenging task ofbringing some 15 new guides onboard and encouraging experienced guides to continue isover, Vivian Finklestein can relax.Well almost. At the time of thiswriting, she is preparing for aspecial “Story Tour” In which shewill tell anecdotes and storiesabout JC Raulston and many of theplants in the Arboretum’scollections. Not to despair if youmissed hearing it in person.Thanks to Harley Mudge, we havea new lapel mic and voiceactivated recorder to tape thetours. Tapes are available in theVolunteer Office for guides whofind them especially useful inpreparing for their tours.
Many, many thanks to all theguides for providing such avaluable outreach. To new guides,we look forward to having youwith us and to experienced guides, thanks for yet another season.Thanks to Kathe Rauch andCarolyn Weathers, Roy Dicks andBob Lyons for taking the time tolead tours and trainings. Thanksto Fran Johnson, Carolyn Faganand Vivian we’re off to a wonder-ful season of tours! ■
Page 12 Friends of the JC Raulston Arboretum Newsletter
by Jonathan Nyberg
Reviewsand
Previews
Ruhren WinterGarden Open
House
On February 21, 1999, DouglasRuhren generously opened hisDurham house and winter gardento Arboretum staff and volunteers.The winter garden was at its peakwith drifts of hellebores, cyclamens,crocus, daffodils and iris reflectingthe beauty of the blue winter skyand warm sun. Tours were also ledacross the boardwalk to the hiddenserpentine pond in the back yard.
The Arboretum staff presentedDouglas a gift of fresh pears andother goodies in appreciation of hisrecent efforts as Arboretum horti-cultural advisor. Thanks to Dou-glas for opening his house andgarden to us, and thanks for thehours of effort freely given over theyears in support of the JC RaulstonArboretum.
Here is the recipe for Doug’sfamous Cranberry Cake, whichwas very popular.
•Preheat oven to 325 degrees.•Bottom of 10-12” pie pan or tartpan place 2-3 cups whole freshcranberries, 3/4 cup choppedwalnuts or pecans, 1 cup canesugar.• make a batter of 3/4 cup meltedunsalted butter, 2 eggs beaten, 1cup sugar, 1 cup flour, 2 teaspoonsalmond extract.•mix till blended and pour batterover ingredients in cakepan.•Bake for 45-60 minutes untillightly golden brown.•Either leave in pan and serve, ortry and turn it out (It usually sticksa little.)•Serve with whipped cream.•This recipe is 100% fat and choles-terol free!
Many Arboretum members were involved in the recent Rock Garden SocietyWinter Study Weekend. Above, Bobby Ward visits the magnificient magnoliadisplay at the Arboretum table. Many gardeners from the north asked if we grewthem in a greenhouse!? We don’t need a greenhouse down here in paradise.photo by Jonathan Nyberg
Yes, pink elephants joined the flamingos in welcoming Director Bob Lyons!photo by Jonathan Nyberg ■
OR; seed; 4/08/98980889 - Juniperus oxycedrus; Portugal Instituto de Bot; seed; 9/5/98980892 - Juniperus phoenicea; Portugal Instituto de Bo; seed; 9/5/98980223 - Juniperus virginiana; Tony Avent, NC; 1 gal; 2/18/98980827 - Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola ‘Brodie’; Head Lee
Page 22 Friends of the JC Raulston Arboretum Newsletter
Editor’sNews
CalendarLook in the upcoming summerissue of this newsletter for our slateof fall 1999 FOA lectures,workshops and classes.
For those of you in the plantindustry, be sure and stop by ourbooth at the following summertrade shows.
Southern Nursery AssociationJuly 30 - August 1, 1999. 100thAnniversary year. Atlanta, Ga.Contact SNA for furtherinformation. Phone: 770-973-9026.
NCAN Charlotte Show
Invasive SpeciesPresident Clinton recent issued anexecutive order entitled InvasiveSpecies. Members are highlyencouraged to read this order.We have set up a link to thisexecutive order at our websitehttp://arb.ncsu.edu
Look to upcoming issues of thisnewsletter for comments anddiscussion of this executive order,which could possibly have aprofound impact on all aspects ofthe plant industry as well as thehome garden. There are a lot ofrumors about this executive order.Please, read it for yourself. If youdon’t have access to the Internet,and can’t bug a friend to get it foryou, send a self-addressed stampedenvelope to us and we will be gladto mail you a copy. Send it to: JCRaulston Arboretum, ExecutiveOrder, Box 7609, Raleigh, NC27695-7609.
Dragon WatchWe have distributed a plant underthe wrong name. If you received aCryptomeria japonica ‘Giokumo’ inany of our distributions, know thatit is actually Cryptomeria japonica‘Black Dragon’. The Black Dragonin our collection has been here sinceKim Tripp’s days, and is now over7' tall, with dark green foliage andupright conical habit. Please don’tlet this get confused in your gardenor nursery with the shrubbierGiokumo. Both are garden worthy,but produce very different results.Come see our collection of the Japanese cedar varieties.They’re great!
It’s with great sadness we say farewell to two of our part-time staffers, Karen Jones and Douglas Ruhren. Karenis leaving to become a home gardener, raising children along with her vegetables and flowers. We wish her andhubby Chris only the happiest of times. Douglas will continue to volunter as co-curator of the perennial borders,and inspire all of us with his knowledge and generousity of spirit. Douglas and Karen truly leave the Arboretuma better place. They epitomize what has made the Arboretum great -- quality people who deposit their love alongwith their physical efforts.
Douglas’s final official act was to design this brilliantlycolorful display of winter interest plants at the January,1999 Green and Growin’ Show in Winston-Salem, NC.photo by Jonathan Nyberg
Karen’s range of skills will sorely be missed. Above, shespends a rainy day repairing plastic label-making machines.photo by Jonathan Nyberg
August 20 - 21, 1999. MerchandiseMart, Charlotte, NC. ContactNCAN for further information.Phone: 919-266-3322,
Spring 1999 Page 23
The JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State UniversityDepartment of Horticultural Science
Box 7609Raleigh, NC 27695-7609
World Wide Web Address: http://arb.ncsu.edu
Friends of the JC Raulston Arboretum Newsletter is published four times a year.
Jonathan Nyberg, Editor
JC Raulston Arboretum Staff
Director Bob Lyons 515-1192Development Director Catherine Maxwell 515-2000Program Coordinator Jonathan Nyberg 515-3132Volunteer Coordinator Harriet Bellerjeau 515-3132Arboretum Secretary Pamela Christie-Tabron 515-3132Arboretum Technician Mitzi Hole 515-1632Plant Recorder Valerie Tyson 515-1632Arboretum Volunteer Office Staffed by volunteers 515-7641
Volunteer Curators (* indicates help needed)
Butterfly Garden* Chris Allen 732-0902Blue Bird Houses Bill Satterwhite 787-5248Blue Conifer Collection* Guy Meilleur 387-7045Entrance Gardens Pam Baggett 732-9403Iris Curator Catherine Gaertner 380-5172Japanese Garden* Dan Howe 848-5462JC Raulston Archives Mary & Claude Caldwell 515-3132Labeling* Tom Bumgarner 231-7450Labyrinth Natalie Sadler 968-6921Lath House* Bob Roth 481-9911Magnolia Curator Pat McCracken 365-7878Mixed Shrub Border* Amelia Lane 787-6228Paradise Garden Frankie Fanelli 546-8745Perennial Borders* Edith Eddleman 286-7691
Douglas Ruhren 688-0240Rose Garden Harvey Bumgardner 832-5426
Anne Clapp 787-9852Southwest Garden* Ken Zearfoss 846-7211T-shirt Coordinator Curator neededTour Guide Coordinator Fran Johnson 847-5274Visitor Center Coordinator* Kathleen Thompson 469-0991Volunteer rep. to Arboretum Board Anne Clapp 787-9852Volunteer Office* Weekends needed Harriet Bellerjeau 515-3132Water Garden Alicia Berry 829-2524White Garden Susan Cheatham 834-7095
Jeff Briggs 836-0969Garden of Winter Delights Jonathan Nyberg 688-0240Wisteria Garden* CJ Dykes 856-8012
Director , cont. from page 2
JC Raulston Arboretum at NCState University
Department of HorticulturalScience Box 7609
Raleigh, NC 27695-7609
NONPROFIT ORGU. S. POSTAGE
PAIDRALEIGH, NC
PERMIT NO. 2353
we’ve recently completed. We’rerunning faster, we’re upgrade-ready for future softwareinnovations, and we’ve put acomputer into the volunteer officefor improved communications,printing, and access to JCRAinformation.
Widespread incorporation ofinformation technology is an issuewe’ll constantly face with openarms. Apart from our website(http://arb.ncsu.edu) which isgenerously maintained by Dr.Arthur Kelley, we’ve got a coupleother mechanisms to keepourselves and others “in the loop.”Vivian Finklestein, another tirelessvolunteer, worked with Art toinitiate an email listserve forvolunteer guides, but anyone iswelcome to subscribe andparticipate.....and all of us hope youwill! Its main purpose is to permitand encourage rapid access to verytimely happenings at the JCRA forpossible guide use in upcomingtours. I hope that such discussionswill also make novice guides moreat ease with their roles after“listening in” on anything fromhistorical perspectives, curatorcomments, personal impressionsfrom recent visits, and theappearance of noteworthy plantfeatures. To get on board, send anemail to “[email protected]”(don’t use the quote marks) and inthe SUBJECT line of your email,type the word “subscribe” but leaveoff the quotes again. A reply goesto everyone on the list, which isgreat if you have a questionneeding quick attention.
And speaking of tour guides, Irecently conducted the finaltraining tour for the new groupcoming up through the ranks. It isa pleasure to work with people whodonate their time and then sharetheir enthusiasm for the JCRA withothers via touring. Thanks! Now, if
you’d simply like to get some fastaccounts of what’s happening at theJCRA each week, then you’rewelcome to be added to my specialemail list of JCRA current plantevents. It currently goes to theentire Horticultural Sciencedepartment throughout the stateand is freely passed along to otheremail groups by recipients. EachSunday or Monday I post a fewbullets of timely observations basedon my own walks through theJCRA.......what’s in flower at themoment, what happened to thoseplants that used to be there, what’sthat curator doing......you get thepicture. This is not a listserve so ifyou want on, please send me anemail ([email protected]); I’mhappy to add you.
Well, there’s much more to talkabout but, before I close, I’d like toextend special thanks to two very Bob Lyons
important people to the JCRA.Karen Jones and Doug Ruhren havebeen associated with us informallyfor a long time, eventually beingemployed as the Klein-PringleWhite Garden Curator (Karen) andJCRA Horticulturist (Doug; whoalso shares Perennial Bordercuratorship with Edith Eddleman).Their departures won’t mean anabsence, however, they are justgetting way too busy. Their talentsand insights will be missed butnever far off. Thanks to both ofyou!
I guess I’ll sign off with a reminderto check out our annual listing ofnew acquisitions at the JCRA in thisissue, it’s a long one! Stay tuned,spread the word, and visit often!