One of the largest nuts native to the United States is the `McCallister’ hican found in 1890 in southern Indiana. A natural hybrid between a pecan and shellbark hickory, the `McCallister,’ like other hicans, is propagated by grafting on pecan or hickory seedlings. Hican (pronounced HICK-an) trees have been found in nine states (Illinois, Indiana, … Read more
The fall of the year, with its cooler weather and more frequent rains, provides perfect conditions for planting trees and shrubs. With the quick pace of spring and the heat of summer now past, we can look forward with renewed zest to our gardening activities, with emphasis on planting. The choice of trees and shrubs … Read more
In last month’s column, we discussed one of the members of that small, select group of trees that bear their ornamental flowers during summer. In this issue, we will consider another member of the same group, one that blooms in August. While quite different from the golden rain tree of July, it is nonetheless equally … Read more
Dwarf fruit trees are both ornamental and productive. In the spring, they produce abundant flowers, and in late summer and fall, a crop of delicious and attractive fruit. Tree-ripened fruits, especially peaches, are far superior to those in city markets. A dwarf orchard on a plot of land only 60’ by 30’ feet will provide … Read more
I learned early in life how useful a willow tree is to a farmer. At home, my foster parents grew a large grape vineyard. Mother tore up hundreds of soft cotton rags to be used in tying up the pruned grape vines to the wires. That was work on Saturdays for all the children. It … Read more
Eucryphias are desirable for the glory of their late summer bloom and, in cool-winter climates, for the brilliancy of autumn foliage. In 1859, E. glutinosa was introduced into England from Chile. Considered one of the hardiest, this tree may be seen in flower in the Arboretum of Washington, Seattle, where five different eucryphias are grown. … Read more
Exceptionally good foliage from spring to fall, beautiful summer flowers, and a dense pyramidal form (the maximum height is 60′ feet, although the tree is usually smaller) make the sorrel or sourwood tree. Oxydendrum arboreum is one of the most serviceable ornamentals hailing from the Southeast. The name sourwood comes from the fact that the … Read more
Homeowners, especially those who live in new developments, are always looking for suitable trees that will be ornamental and provide some shade. The ideal tree, which combines hardiness, rapid growth, toughness, resistance to diseases and pests, attractive foliage, and desirable form, is hard to find. A tree may possess all the qualities but one, but … Read more
More and more, homeowners are searching for small-scale flowering trees since space on most suburban lots today is limited, and there is little room for oaks, beeches, and maples. Cornus Kousa Almost every gardener is familiar with our native flowering dogwood, but few know the gracefully-branched Cornus kousa with its creamy-white bracts, which appear in … Read more
A specimen of the dove tree, Davidia involucrata, a native of Western China, grows on top of Bussey Hilt at the Arnold Arboretum in the rather poor, stony soil of a well-drained area. This handsome tree has large, bright-green leaves and hears conspicuous flowers with beautiful, creamy-white bracts that look like petals. Since there is … Read more