We invite you to enjoy our “Game of Groves”.
Can you name the following iconic tree groves based on the photos shown and hints below?

#1)
I am a grove of nine broadleaf evergreen trees with berries that are commonly used as Christmas greens.  My location is an “island” in the middle of the ocean surrounding our five Pacific Rim flora.  

Despite not having showy flowers this demure evergreen fern deserves to be grown in more Northwest gardens.

1)   Buddleja longiflora

This rare evergreen butterfly bush is native to the Serra do Caparao mountains in Brazil.
What makes this Buddleja species unique from other species and cultivars is its stunning, long tubular orange flowers that are paired in three-to-five flowered cymes.
Its flowers, plus striking white tomentose leaves and small stature (four feet), make this a worthy plant to introduce into the nursery trade. 

Pacific Northwest Natives
1)   Berberis aquifolium, formerly known as Mahonia aquifolium                                                                                                                                                                       Tall Oregon Grape

Native to the Pacific Northwest from British Columbia to northern California.
Its yellow flowers in April smell like honey and attract hummingbirds and insect pollinators.
Blue-black berries are edible and are used to make jam and juice. Pacific Northwest aboriginal peoples used the bark and roots to make a yellow dye. 

1)   Cornus mas                                                                            Cornelian Cherry

This yellow flowering tree that blooms in late winter to early spring, is native to southern Europe and southwestern Asia.
The common name refers to the fruit that matures in late summer.  The fruit has many cultural uses including jams, medicine, beverages, tools, and spears.
There is a grove of this Cornus at the Center for Urban Horticulture along NE 41st Street.  

The following ex-situ conservation plants are all listed as endangered in their region of origin due to habitat loss and climate change:
1)   Araucaria araucana                                                                          Monkey Puzzle

This unique looking conifer is native to the Chilean Andes and considered a living fossil dating back over 60 million years.
The Mapuche Pehuenche people of the Andes value these trees for their edible seeds and spiritual significance. 

My name is Chloe, and I am serving at the University of Washington Botanic Gardens through AmeriCorps and Washington Service Corps. Before I go into the duties of my specific position, I’d like to give a brief explanation of what it means to serve as an AmeriCorps member. AmeriCorps members often find themselves recruiting volunteers and promoting active community engagement to better serve their local neighborhood. 

This showy, small tree deserves space in Northwest gardens.

My Experience As A Member Of The Farm Team

Organic…All-Natural…non-GMO…no additives. So what do these all really mean? My summer as a graduate student farmworker has given me the opportunity to investigate this appetizing discussion frequently circling food communities and connoisseurs. Now I am far from claiming myself a food guru, but my time so far on the UW Farm has opened tremendous insight on the day-to-day experience of an urban farmer. 

Grown for their delicate showy flowers rather than pungent leaves, the ornamental oreganos deserve a place in Pacific Northwest gardens.