What’s Happening

• 
  Dogwood Days 2026

  Enjoy our annual week-long celebration of the arboretum’s collection of Kousa Dogwoods. Check out our list of events and happenings here.

• May Plant of the Month – Eastern Redbud

  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 Express’. Two of the original cultivars Polly kept in the collection are ‘Forest Pansy’ and ‘Royal White’. ‘Forest Pansy’ has bright pink blooms, and ‘Royal White’ has white blooms. These blooms are a source of nectar for hummingbirds, bees, and several species of butterflies. Redbuds are typically understory trees in the wild, but Polly planted them in the hot summer garden where they thrived for many years. The trees were replaced in 2015 when the Front Garden was renovated and this spring the redbuds were stunning. Redbuds produce prolific seed pods and are known to self-sow. Here at the arboretum, there are volunteers of both the white and red redbuds throughout the garden. 

  

  Fabaceae or Leguminosae, commonly known as the legume, pea, or bean family, is a large and agriculturally important family of flowering plants. Redbuds are a member of this family. This family includes trees, shrubs, perennials and annual herbaceous plants. The young flowers of the redbud are edible, full of vitamins and are quite tasty, resembling the flavor of peas. The flowers can be sprinkled into a salad, used as a garnish, or even baked into cookies or cakes. The young leaf and flower buds can also be added into a stir fry, salad, or even lightly sautéed with other greens as a vegetable side dish. The long seed pods, when young and purple, can also be harvested from the tree. These make a great addition to a stir fry, or when finely chopped, they can be added to dressings and dips.

  

• 
  Enjoy our May e-newsletter!

  Click here to check it out!

• April Plant of the Month – Winter Hazel

  

  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, humus-rich, well-drained soil. The leaves, which resemble those of hazelnuts, are arranged in an alternate pattern on the stems and appear after flowering. Fall color ranges from green to straw yellow. Fruits are insignificant, greenish dry capsules. Winter-hazel is tolerant of many different soil conditions. Corylopsis spicata and Corylopsis pauciflora are both native to Eastern Asia. Fossils of the extinct Corylopsis reedae has been found in Washington State. These fossils are dated from the Eocene epoch, which is 56 million years ago. One of the noteworthy characteristics of winter-hazel is the beautiful yellow green, vaguely fragrant, bell-shaped flowers that emerge in mid April.

  This spring our Corylopsis was heavy with flowers and almost glowed in the center of the formal gardens. At the arboretum, you can find two different species of Corylopsis, Corylopsis pauciflora and Corylopsis spicata, both are commonly called winter-hazel. Both species can be found within the formal gardens. They are considered low maintenance shrubs and both species grow no more than 10 feet tall. The new lane planting includes several Corylopsis.

• 
  Early Morning Birding

  Join staff member Mathew Noiseux for a walk around the Arboretum to observe a variety of resident and migrating birds.

  May 5, 2026, 8:00 AM – 9:30 AM

  Register here

• 
  Enjoy our April e-newsletter!

  Click here to read our April e-newsletter.