Autumn Colors Appear at the Washington Park Arboretum

Kyra Matin
1) Viburnum rhytidophyllum Leatherleaf Viburnum
- This large evergreen shrub grows to 6-10 feet and is native to central and western China.
- Fragrant creamy-white clusters of flowers emerge in spring, followed by berries in the fall that first appear red and change to glossy black.
- You can view this shrub along the east side of the Arboretum Loop Trail in the Viburnum Collection.
2) Viburnum sargentii Sargent Viburnum
- This deciduous shrub has a native range that spans Siberia, Mongolia, China, Japan, and Korea.
- This shrub has nice fall color and bright red berries.
- You can find this shrub at the northern tip of the Viburnum Collection on the west side of the Arboretum Loop Trail.
3) Osmanthus x fortunei ‘San Jose’
- This broadleaf evergreen shrub is of garden origin; it is a hybrid of Osmanthus heterophyllus and Osmanthus fragrans.
- The genus name Osmanthus is from Greek osme: fragrance and anthos: flowers.
- In fall, powerfully-scented small white flowers emerge and remain for two months.
- Find two specimens along Lake Washington Boulevard across from the Japanese Garden.
4) Vaccinium ovatum Evergreen Huckleberry
- This evergreen shrub is native to the Pacific Northwest!
- This shrub is typically found in woodland settings, but can thrive in more urban areas.
- The berries are edible to people and wildlife.
- There is a patch of this species across from the Japanese Garden.
5) Taxodium distichum Bald Cypress
- Native to the southeastern United States, this species is found growing in swamps and riparian areas.
- The common name for this species is Bald Cypress because, while in summer it looks like a needled evergreen tree, it loses its needles in the winter.
- You can find a few of these trees along the creek south of the Wilcox footbridge.