Fred Hoyt, UW Botanic Gardens Director and Orin and Althea Soest Chair for Urban Horticulture, has announced he will retire at the end of January, 2021. Please join us in showing our appreciation for Fred’s service and congratulating him on his retirement.

1.12.21

Around The Farm

by Dannette Lombert, UW Farm AmeriCorps Member
MLK Day of Service

Since 1994 on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Corporation for National and Community Service leads the national Day of Service – "a day on, not off".
Across the country various organizations are organizing volunteer events and work parties to physically give back to their communities directly. 

1)   Camellia sasanqua ‘Briar Rose’                                          Briar Rose Camellia

This medium-sized, flowering evergreen shrub is native to Japan.  Camellia sasanqua has many cultivars with the most popular being varieties that bloom in winter.
You can currently view ‘Briar Rose’ Camellia in bloom, sitting at the Mary Hughes Foxworth memorial in the Camellia Collection.

 
 
 
 
 
2)  Garrya x issaquahensis                                                               Silk Tassel Tree

The Silk Tassel Tree is a medium-sized evergreen bush with an abundant winter floral display of long male catkins that are creamy white-to-light green with pink highlights. 

As we anticipate La Niña bringing us a snowy winter, let’s take a moment to appreciate a snowy plant, or rather a plant named for its snowy berries – common snowberry. Botanically known as Symphoricarpos albus, the plant is aptly named for its white clusters of fruit.  The genus is a combination of “symphori” referring to the Greek verb “to bear together,” and “carpos” from the Greek word for “fruit.” The specific epithet “albus” is the Latin word for “white.”  This species of snowberry boasts ripe, white berries that develop in late summer and persist all winter, through the rain, cold temperatures, and even through, you guessed it, our [occasional] snow. 

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.  

Gift certificates for our Adult and Professional Continuing education classes are now available for purchase online. Certificates can be purchased for any amount, and you can send the code generated upon payment to anyone to use towards a class of their choice.
Makes a great gift for the plant-lover in your life!
Certificates available here. 

1)  Coprosma propinqua                                       Mingimingi

Coprosma is a genus of about 90 species of shrubs and trees found in various Pacific regions, including New Zealand and Australia.  They range from trees to low-growing spreading shrubs and those with a divaricating habit.
A member of the plant family Rubiaceae, C. propinqua is found in swampy areas and near streams throughout New Zealand.  The leaves are very small and oblong and the berries are a translucent blue color. 

The SER-UW Native Plant Nursery, a student-run organization that promotes local ecosystems, is hosting a fall native plant sale! We will be selling a variety of species native to the Puget lowlands. Do you have a backyard restoration project you need plants for? Are you looking to attract some native pollinators in your garden? Look no further – check out our plants!  

1)    Forsythia                                                        Common name:    Forsythia or Easter Tree

A staple of many gardens, it is a harbinger of spring with its early yellow blossoms.  It also provides some very nice fall color, extending its garden interest.
A member of the Olive family, Oleaceae.
Nicknamed the Easter Tree because it blooms around Easter time in early spring.
There are approximately 14 species, mostly from Asia. 

Despite unique challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Rare Plant Care and Conservation program’s (Rare Care) volunteers successfully completed another busy field season of monitoring rare plant populations all across Washington State. The start of field work was delayed by the closure of most public lands, which gave us time to develop a Health and Safety plan for staff and volunteers.