sign in sign up
<<
Home , Botanical garden

VOLUME 12, ISSUE 4 FALL 2017

NEWS SFANotes from the Director GardensIn This Issue: By Dr. David Creech 2 | Witch Hazels Is this the most lean, mean, weed- Needed to Deal with a Salt-Challenged pulling team you’ve ever seen? For Environment.” After the conference, 3 | Sedges are the New Black those of you who have been with us Janet and I jumped in bullet trains, 4 | Pests in the ? from the start, isn’t it hard to believe planes and automobiles with friends that since 1985 we’ve gone from about and colleagues from Nanjing Botanical 5 | Collaborative Power half an acre on the south side of the Garden for a busy schedule of seminar 6 | Foodscape Building to nine staff presentations, touring bald cypress members, 128 acres, four major theme projects in the Jiangsu Province 6 | Be a Friend and an amazing collection of on a scale that’s hard to imagine, 7 | Upcoming Events ? Never underestimate the power visiting a kiwifruit breeder in Central of adventuresome . , who has seven new varieties Since the summer newsletter, I spent that will be emerging from the three weeks in China where I attended U.S. Department of Agriculture’s the International Botanical Garden quarantine in 2018, and touring Congress in Shenzhen, which hosted nurseries in the Ningbo Region. As more than 7,000 registrants from is my way, I returned jet-lagged, around the world. Shenzhen is one of confused and a little grumpy. Dawn those new “from-the-ground-up cities” says I’m always like that. that is home to 11 million citizens. After Hurricane Harvey There are shrub- and vine-lined, dumped record-setting rains on vegetated and mist-cooled skywalks our friends to the south and then between the high-rises that tower above Irma tore through and wide tree-lined streets. Underground, the Southeast, I’m convinced there’s a city of malls packed with elevation matters. The scale of restaurants and shops. Go down another these two tragedies is impossible level, and you can hop on the subway. to comprehend. We dodged I moderated a session on “Botanical the bullet at SFA Gardens. Gardens and the Exploration of Lanana Creek stayed in her Salt-Tolerant ” and presented banks, and while we had a

the paper “Finding Climate Change few giant water oaks fall, all Friendly Ornamentals for Galveston « Island, Texas, and the Strategies Continued on pg. 2 in all we came through in fine shape. Even our Moody Gardens research plots on Galveston Island came through in good shape. The surge edged near our plots, which are only four feet above sea level, but never entered. While we had a few trees blown down and some beat up plants, Malcolm Turner made short work of getting them propped, tied to a stake, and now we’re back in business. The golden kiwifruit research project is moving forward. If you haven’t seen it lately or followed the SFA Gardens Facebook page, pay a visit. Malcolm has constructed the first teepee system of training in Texas. This project is supported by a Texas Department of Agriculture Specialty Crops grant that we share with Tim Hartmann of Texas A&M University, who is building a research block in the Brazos river bottom near College Station, which is a more challenging location. In the years ahead, we will be testing golden kiwifruit varieties in other locations. We Top: SFA Gardens has grown to include nine staff members. Pictured back have much to learn, and in four or five row, from left, are Duke Pittman, Chris Dempsey, Elyce Rodewald and years, we will know if this exciting Jordan Cunningham. Pictured front row, from left, are Jocelyn Moore, is destined to be a commercial success, Dawn Stover, Dr. David Creech, Malcolm Turner and Anne Sullivan. a backyard garden adventure or a waste Bottom: Photos of Creech’s visit to the International Botanical Garden of time. Time will tell. Congress in Shenzhen, China. We have been promising a actually slower than we look. It’s all bay Quonset structure going in on the new for a number of about following rules, laws, regulations, north side of the Pineywoods Native newsletters, and I’m here to say we’re getting close. Someone once said that policies, procedures and guidelines. Center facility. We’re the speed of paperwork making it Specifications are going out for bid, and excited. Stay tuned. In the meantime, through a university is deceiving; we’re hopefully we will soon see a new three- let’s keep planting!

The Persian and Chinese Witch Hazels By Dr. David Creech Like few of us, the Persian and a lively conversation piece. For best Chinese witch hazels only get better performance in the Deep South, keep with age. While Persian ironwood is the tree in a location that’s slightly not overly encumbered with a blinding acidic, has medium moisture and floral display, this tree makes up for it is well drained. This tree has been with great form, bark interest, good through the grinder here from freezes, fall color and a durable disposition in droughts and blasting heats to floods, the garden. Given a little time (OK, tornadoes and hurricanes, and it just Parrotia persica 10 years or more), this tree will create keeps on trucking.

2 Stephen F. Austin State University The genus name recognizes the another variety and seems to feature what separates the two immediately. P. founder F.W. Parrot (1792-1841) who a slightly different foliage look in the subaequalis is a brilliant red in the fall. was a German naturalist. Parrotia fall and is perhaps a bit more upright. We are multiplying P. subaequalis as persica is a small, single- to multi- I don’t have an opinion on whether fast as we can. I don’t think I’ve ever trunk deciduous tree that will top it’s really smaller statured. There are met a plant enthusiast who didn’t find out at 20 to 40 feet tall. The flowers other varieties reported, but we haven’t Parrotia special, and the conversation lack petals and comprise reddish acquired them yet. wanders into why it doesn’t make a top stamens surrounded by brown bracts. Parrotia subaequalis should be a rage. 10 list somewhere. I guess it’s the lack The flowers appear before leaves. It’s related to P. persica but rare and has of showy flowers? Maybe it’s because With a good hand lens, you might only been recently introduced. What’s it’s so slow to get going? It’s just not call them pretty. Fall foliage color is odd about P. subaequalis is that it was well known in the South and rarely a key feature with most showing off found in Eastern China, about 3,500 encountered in the nursery trade or with butterscotch to yellow hues as miles away from the natural range of seen at mass markets. For whatever temperatures cool in the fall. With P. persica. Another odd fact is this tree reason, this tough and durable tree is age, the bark exfoliates to show green, was a recent find, first characterized worthy of any well-drained, full-sun white or tan patches beneath, and it’s by Deng Xiaoping, a Chinese leader, location in the Southern garden. quite striking the older a tree gets. in 1992. Arnold had small There are varieties. We’ve worked plants in the garden in 2004. From hard to get the pendulous form and that auspicious start, have had several purported weepers the plant has been that never panned out. I acquired scattered far and wide. three that were fakes before finally We’re contributing to getting the real thing. I think it’s a Kew that. What’s sad for plant under many names, but me is I saw the plant at ‘Kew’s weeping’ is best. It’s strongly the Nanjing Botanical weeping and defines the word slow. Garden years ago but We are rooting it, and if I hand you assumed it was P. persica a gallon, it means I like you. It’s a and never gave it a special plant for someone looking to second glance, chalking be edgy. We have one cultivar named it up to Chinese ‘Biltmore,’ and I assume it’s from nomenclature issues. the big tree there but it looks like the I never caught it in straight species to me. ‘Vanessa’ is the fall because that’s Parrotia subaequalis

Sedges are the New Black By Dawn Stover With the increasing popularity of important as it covers bare soil acting distinguished from rushes that have designed plant communities and the as a green mulch, keeping weeds at solid, round stems. Many sedges successes we’ve seen with that type of a minimum. Sedges are extremely prefer moist, shady locations, but a design at SFA Gardens, I’m always useful in the groundcover layer and few tolerate some sun, while some are on the lookout for plants to use in the are gaining popularity in the perennial even drought tolerant. Some form groundcover layer. I wrote about the plant world because of that. clumps, while others spread slowly layers of designed plant communities Sedges can easily be mistaken for by rhizomes, and many species are in the winter 2016 edition of SFA grass, but they are really a grass-like native to . The Lady Gardens News and outlined layers plant in the Cyperaceae or sedge Bird Johnson Wildflower Center lists consisting of structural plants, family. Unlike grasses, their stems 432 species in the Cyperaceae family, seasonal-themed plants, groundcover are triangular and solid compared which includes both sedges and rushes. plants and filler species. While the to hollow stems of grasses. Sedges

I am focused on the genus Carex, of groundcover layer is typically not the are more closely related to rushes « showiest layer, it is possibly the most than they are to grasses and can be Continued on pg. 4

Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture 3 which there are at least 70 species other layers together. native to Texas and more worldwide. In addition to the Sedges seem mundane at first Cherokee and Texas glance, but when used en masse, they sedges, we are looking are quite spectacular. Many are best at two : suited to the woodland garden where the white-tinged sedge, soil stays fairly moist, like Cherokee Carex albicans, and sedge, Carex cherokeensis. A handful, pretty sedge, Carex including Texas sedge, Carex texensis, woodii. We are looking thrive in dry shade, which is one the at one non-native most difficult situations to garden. species with wider, Their finely textured foliage is an powdery blue foliage excellent complement for broadleaved called blue sedge, shrubs like hydrangeas, evergreens, Carex glauca. My past azaleas and camellias. Although they experience with non- Texas sedge, Carex texensis, is used as a groundcover in won’t withstand heavy foot traffic, native sedges hasn’t the landscape at Duke University’s West Union . dwarf varieties can be used as a turf been positive in our Photo courtesy of Hoffman Nursery grass alternative in heavily shaded East Texas heat. I’ll try are not preferred. landscapes. Clumping sedges can be anything at least once and try to kill it Look for mass plantings of Carex at planted densely, while rhizomatous at least three times, so we’ll see! SFA Gardens in the upcoming months varieties could be allowed to fill in Finally, sedges are host to many as we begin to incorporate them garden beds among the stems and caterpillar species, and a variety into the landscape. There is a small trunks of perennials and shrubs to of birds enjoy the sedges’ seeds. In planting at the Brundrett Conservation help prevent weeds from establishing. addition to soil-holding capacity and Building using the pretty sedge as a Repetition of this element in such weed suppression, sedges get high groundcover under swamp milkweed, a manner also lends legibility to the marks in the wildlife category. While Asclepias incarnata. Look for it the next landscape and bonds the elements of deer may nibble on occasion, sedges time you visit!

Pests in the Garden? By Elyce Rodewald Dr. Creech pretends to dislike experiential-learning opportunities at children, referring to them the PNPC and Mast Arboretum often as pests in the garden. for students in kindergarten In reality, I think he really through fifth grade. The is glad they are in the programs are correlated gardens; they can just be to state science standards a bit intimidating to him. and complement what They are full of energy students are learning in and endless questions. the classroom. Our goal They move erratically and is to create a positive could possibly crush an and exciting learning important plant. They environment for students don’t always show respect and teachers. and appropriate deference to Fifth graders attend unfamiliar men (aka Dr. Creech). an “Adventurous Earth So, what are all these children Science Exploration” to view doing in the gardens? They are ancient rocks and real-life attending a learning excursion. SFA examples of constructive Gardens offers a range of hands-on, and destructive forces. They

4 Stephen F. Austin State University also investigate the water cycle, erosion treasure in the arboretum and meet 963 hours to SFA Gardens. Garden and solar energy used at the Brundrett live pollinators. Guides bring enthusiasm and Conservation Education Building. First graders and kindergarteners knowledge, and their assistance is vital Fourth graders are “Wild About attend “Bugs, Bees, Butterflies and to our programs. Unlike Dr. Creech, Science” as they participate in work Blossoms” where SFA elementary they are not intimidated by children scientists perform such as data education interns teach action-packed and seem to embrace the “organized” collection, tree measurement and lessons about forest habitats, plant and chaos that accompanies outdoor, water analysis. animal adaptations, and the world of inquiry-based learning. Third graders discover rare and pollinators. This program is an integral To join this group of volunteers, endangered plants, investigate plant part of the interns’ science teaching contact Elyce Rodewald, research adaptations and soil, and explore methods course and a wonderful associate and educational programs native East Texas ecosystems on the opportunity for them to put new coordinator, at (936) 468-1832 or “Go Wild” learning excursion. knowledge into practice. [email protected]. The next Second graders use their observation Staff members, student assistants training is scheduled for 10 a.m. and inquiry skills during their and volunteers, called Garden Guides, to noon Jan. 8 and 9, 2018, at the “Arboretum Adventure.” They take lead the learning excursions. Last Brundrett Conservation Education a close look at flowers, discover what year, volunteers involved in education Building. Join us as we change the seeds need to grow, locate the greatest programming donated more than world, one child at a time!

The Collaborative Power of with Children By Jocelyn Moore SFA Gardens’ weekly afterschool club, plants the Caddo Nacogdoches Naturally, is gearing up people grew, we to start the year with 21 eager students are sourcing native ages 8 to 12. I am amazed by the seeds from a variety partnerships and collaborative spirit of historical seed unfolding within our program. banks. Our students Since its inception, Nacogdoches will help plant many Naturally has partnered with the Boys of these native and Girls Club to provide students edibles, including outdoor education and adventure elderberry, goosefoot, at the PNPC. Through the years, dewberries, vegetable gardening has been a major Jerusalem artichokes, theme in our programs. Last year, in traditional bean, hopes to expand our edible gardens at squash and more. the PNPC, holistic design consultant When students are Ingrith Lopez-Santiago delights in edible rosebud Theron Beaudreau of Integrated taught how to grow flowers from last spring while standing in front of the Acres led community members in and harvest their own beginning stages of a natural playscape at the PNPC, a service-learning project to build fruits and vegetables, which is for children to explore and interact with their rich soil in our beds through the they are often excited outdoor environment. use of “lasagna layering” (similar to to eat them. We have gardening and culinary supplies for composting in place). We’ve waited been pleased to see this same result the program this year. Our vision is to patiently for the “lasagna beds” to at the Thomas J. Rusk Elementary empower students to make healthier finish cooking, and now we are ready School gardening program. choices by learning about the origins to get to work. Staff members and students are of their food and delicious ways to First things first ... what to plant? looking forward to learning how to cook and prepare their harvest. We With the help of Rachel Galan at cook the fruits of their labor. Thanks look forward to sharing updates of our Caddo Mounds State Historic Site, to another example of community exciting year of gardening, cooking who will plant her Snake Woman support, Texas A&M AgriLife and outdoor adventure! Garden as a living showcase of Extension Service generously provided

Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture 5 Color Garden Foodscape By Jordan Cunningham With the pleasant temperatures we brassica family like broccoli, collards at our existing perennials and decided have been experiencing lately, it’s no and kale, but we also use some to include Cuphea and Monarda. surprise that visions of cool weather flowering plants. Since we are sharing our original crops have started dancing in my Using edibles and ornamentals space with more edibles, we decided head early this year. When we started in the same landscape is called a to sort our plant materials by color. thinking about pulling new seeds foodscape, a term Brie Arthur coined. In the summer, our bed No. 1 will and replacing summer-heat-loving Arthur was our guest speaker at the have ‘Royal Cosmo’ Lantana, yellow crops, we also started looking at new Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Italian cooking peppers and Coreopsis. ideas for our Color Garden, which Series in May. She authored the Bed color: yellow! In the cooler is located behind the greenhouse book “The Foodscape Revolution,” months, our bed No. 4 will contain off Wilson Street and behind the in which she gives great ideas for Aesculus , ‘Prima Rosa’ Swiss Agriculture Building. Every season in residential areas and chard and red snapdragons. Bed we display our brightest, seasonally provides helpful tips on creating your color: red! Our future Color Garden appropriate plants to create a own foodscape. Inspired by Arthur’s will be a beautiful mix of edibles and rainbow garden. It’s the perfect place book and lecture, we decided to ornamentals, annuals, perennials, to appreciate all the shades Mother transform the Color Garden into a beautiful flowers and bright leaves. Nature has to offer. full foodscape. Most of our designs are still on paper, We use mostly annuals, so we Measurements were taken, and we but they are looking good. We hope spend a good amount of time in the started a new design to implement. to upgrade our new and improved Color Garden when the weather We began with a list of our favorite Color Garden Foodscape after our fall starts to change. In the winter, many annuals and added edibles like Swiss plant sale. We would love for you to of the plants we use are from the chard, rice and peas. Then we looked come and check it out!

Brie Arthur, writer of “The Foodscape Revolution,” served as a speaker at the Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series in May. Her book and lecture inspired SFA Gardens to transform the Color Garden into a full foodscape.

Be a Friend By Anne Sullivan If you are returning members for the upcoming support education and interpretation receiving this fall 2018 membership year. SFA Gardens in the Gayla Mize Garden, Jimmy newsletter, you needs your support to continue its Hinds Park, Kingham Children’s are probably a goals to provide outdoor educational Garden, Mast Arboretum, PNPC and past SFA Gardens programming for families and Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden. member. At this afterschool programs for elementary Membership benefits at a $50 or time, we are and middle school students. higher level include membership to seeking new and Membership funds continue to all of the gardens, early notification

6 Stephen F. Austin State University of special events, quarterly issues ($1,500) or Patron ($5,000) levels have members, please share your newsletter of the newsletter, discounts to the added option of attending the with them and encourage them to garden seminars and affiliate garden presales for the fall and spring plant become friends of SFA Gardens. discounts at the Lady Bird Johnson sales each year. Anyone interested in learning Wildflower Center in Austin. Other If you are a friend already, thank more about becoming an SFA opportunities are available based on you for your continued support of this Gardens member can contact Anne membership levels. outstanding natural resource in our Sullivan, SFA Gardens program Members joining at the Supporting community! If you have gardening associate, at (936) 468-4129 or ($250), Friend ($500), Sponsor friends or neighbors who are not [email protected]. Upcoming Events

OCT. 7: FALL PLANT SALE NOV. 9: THERESA AND LES REEVES Shop for hard-to-find, “Texas-tough” LECTURE SERIES plants, including Texas natives, heirlooms, Join Andrew Bunting, assistant director perennials, shrubs and trees, with an of the Chicago Botanical Garden in emphasis on pollinator-friendly natives Chicago, as he presents “Magnolias: and exclusive SFA introductions. The sale Queen of the Garden.” runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the PNPC, located at 2900 Raguet St. DEC. 2: DECK THE HALLS ­— CREATING EVERGREEN OCT. 12: THERESA AND LES REEVES DECORATIONS FOR THE HOLIDAYS LECTURE SERIES Design beautiful holiday wreaths and Hear Rebecca Turk, education and hangings with Dawn Stover, SFA Gardens events manager at Moore Botanical head grower, using materials from Gardens in Lake City, South Carolina, Mother Nature from 9 a.m. to noon at discuss “Moore Farms Botanical Garden: the Brundrett Conservation Education A Germinating Success from Concept Building. Learn principles of wreath, and Collections to Programs.” garland and centerpiece construction, and make a wreath to enjoy at home for the NOV. 4: GIFTS FROM THE GARDEN holidays. The cost is $25 for SFA Gardens — CREATING SOAPS members and $30 for non-members. Learn how to use the cold press method to make soap with natural oils DEC. 14: THERESA AND LES and ingredients from an garden REEVES LECTURE SERIES from Elyce Rodewald, SFA Gardens Listen as Dr. David Creech, SFA Gardens research associate and educational director, reminisces with “The Year in programs coordinator, from 9 a.m. to Review: Surviving a Career in Academia noon at the Brundrett Conservation with No Permanent Injuries.” Education Building. The seminar costs $25 for SFA Gardens members and $30 for non-members.

Lecture series events listed above will begin at 7 p.m. in the Brundrett Conservation Education Building. Lectures are free. A drawing for plants from SFA Gardens will follow.

For more information, call (936) 468-4129, or email [email protected].

Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture 7 COME GROW WITH US.

Stephen F. Austin State University Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture P.O. Box 13000 Nacogdoches, TX 75962 936.468.4404 [email protected] sfagardens.sfasu.edu Facebook: SFA Gardens

“Planting a garden with food potential is one of the most valuable things we can do.” – Isabell Shepard

“Thomas J. Rusk Garden Buds” harvest their bounty from the garden.