Cercis canadensis, or Eastern redbuds, are noted for their profuse, brightly-colored flowers in early spring. The flowers are particularly showy as they bloom along the stems of the tree before the leaves come out. At the arboretum, there is an abunance of stight species redbuds and cultivars. This includes ‘Flamethrower’, ‘Alley Cat’, ‘Forest Pansy’, ‘Royal White’, ‘Vanilla Twist’, ‘Black Pearl’, and ‘Midnight […]

Corylopsis, commonly called winter-hazel, is a medium-sized shrub that grows best in full sun to part shade. The word Corylopsis derives from the Greek korylos (hazelnut) and opsis (resembling), meaning “resembling a hazelnut”. It is in the witch-hazel family, and shares several characteristics with witch-hazels (Hamamelis): late winter or early spring bloom, horizontal branching, and pest and disease resistance. All Corylopsis species grow best in light shade and moist, […]

While hiking along a stream or wetland on a warm March day, you may stumble upon a swath of green and purple fleshy flowers. They may not look like a flower at first glance, but once you get a closer look, you can see the inflorescences within the hooded spathe. These flowers are a part of skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) […]

Hammamalis vernalis – Ozark Witch Hazel Even on these blustery February days, bright colors can be found in the garden. Ozark Witch Hazel (Hammamelis vernalis) is just starting to open this time of year. As you can see, the sunshine yellow, tendril-like petals are beginning to unfurl on sunny, mid-30s days. These little yellow flowers in the above photo are […]