At first glance, Decaisnea insignis isn’t a particularly striking shrub; growing between 10-15 feet high, its pinnately compound leaves arch away from the thick, central branches of the plant. It flowers in June, with long strings of dangling greenish flowers that can be hard to notice, blending with the yellows and greens of the rest of the plant.
What does make you look twice at this plant, though, are the fruits that ripen in the fall between September and early November: thick, blueish bean-like pods dangle where the flowers were, giving this plant its common names: Dead Man’s Fingers, or Blue Bean Tree. 

One of the many gems in our oak collection is Quercus graciliformis, Slender Oak or Chisos Oak, which is endemic to a very limited area in the Chisos Mountains in western Texas. Read on to learn about how the Washington Park Arboretum participates in tree conservation and research, particularly in the case of oaks, maples, magnolias, and hollies.

Scientific Name: Juncus effusus ‘Spiralis’
Common Name: Corkscrew rush
Family: Juncaceae
Native Range (of Juncus effusus): Throughout North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
The straight species of corkscrew rush, Juncus effusus, has a plethora of common names – including common rush and soft rush – and can be found in temperate climates all over the globe. Juncus is hardy in USDA zones 1-11. 

Ilex vomitoria may not be much to look at, but dig just a little deeper to learn its interesting story!

The UW Farm highlights the humble strawberry this month! Managed organically, the campus farm will add a sweet, culturally significant sustainable crop to its curriculum and production.

Skunk cabbage is a sure harbinger of spring in the maritime Northwest.  Among the earliest native species to flower, its bright color, large size and local abundance are easy to spot and promise warmer days ahead after the long dark of winter.

If you visit the grove of Sycopsis at the Pacific Connections Garden along Arboretum Drive this February you will be in for a treat – the flowers, while not showstoppers individually, are blooming in incredible quantity this winter.

Learn all about Disanthus cercidifolius, the redbud hazel – a show-stopping shrub for shady gardens that we have many examples of at the Washington Park Arboretum and the Center for Urban Horticulture.

Scientific Name: Taxus brevifolia
Common Name: Pacific yew, western yew
Family: Taxaceae
Native Range: Western coast of the United States, from southern Alaska to northern California; western Rocky Mountains, from northern British Columbia to Idaho and Montana
Location in the Arboretum: South end of the Arboretum above Azalea Way (Grid 17-1E)
The Pacific yew, Taxus brevifolia, is a native tree or large shrub that is often overlooked below the overstory of large iconic Pacific Northwest trees such as Western redcedars, Douglas firs, and Western hemlocks. 

Scientific Name: Camellia sasanqua
Common Name: sasanqua camellia; the Japanese name for all camellias is tsubaki,“tree with shining leaves,” while the Japanese name for Camellia sasanqua is sazanka, “plum-flowered tea.”
Family: Theaceae
Conservation Status: Least Concern
Native Range: Lowland forests of southern Japan
Culture/Habit: Organically rich, evenly moist, well-drained soils in shade to sun. Small trees to 16 feet tall or vining shrubs growing wider than tall, often depending on sun exposure.