…March: a time of transition…

 Featured Plant of the Month: Thinleaf Alder (Alnus tenuifolia)

• Garden Location: Cascades, Gift Shop, Unusual Tree Grove, Water Garden

• Distinguishing Features: The textured catkins of the Thinleaf Alder tree make for a spectacular find in The Gardens during the mid to late winter months. The woody female catkins slightly resemble the form of a tiny pinecone whereas the male catkins are more elongated and flexible. The catkins are approximately ˝” long and can grow either separately or in clusters. Often growing as a multi-stemmed tree, the Thinleaf Alder tree flowers in April and displays dark green summer foliage. The bark is finely-textured and is either brown or gray in color depending on the age of the tree.

• Growth and Maintenance: The hardy Thinleaf Alder tree is native to the mountainous regions of Canada and the United States. It is fast-growing and thrives in moist soils with full sun to partial shade, reaching a height of 15-30’ with a spread of 15-20'. The Thinleaf Alder tree is sometimes susceptible to sunscald in the winter and may also need to be pruned to maintain an upright habit.
  
  

Russian Hawthorn
Crataegus ambigua
Oval Garden, Water Garden

Joe Pye Weed
Eupatorium purpureum
The Inn, Island, Oval Garden

Paper Birch
Betula papyrifera
Picnic Area

Staghorn Sumac
Rhus typhina
Iris Garden, Island, Cascades

Swamp White Oak
Quercus bicolor
Picnic Area, Oak Grove, Welcome Garden, Amphitheater

Alleghany Viburnum
Viburnum x rhytidophylloides
Oval Garden, Rose Garden, Hudson Residence

All photos by David Winger