The Trees of Bushnell Park by Pamm Cooper, Uconn Home & Garden Education Center
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The Trees of Bushnell Park By Pamm Cooper, UConn Home & Garden Education Center Bushnell Park, the oldest publicly funded park in the United States, was named for the Reverend Horace Bushnell, who conceived the idea of an open space in Hartford that would be available for people to enjoy free of charge. His good friend was the landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, who was involved in the designs for both Central Park in New York City and Forest Park in Massachusetts at that time. Olmsted recommended Horace consult his Swiss-born counterpart, Jacob Weidenmann, who was also a botanist. Weidenmann became the first superintendent of parks in Hartford, and not only designed Bushnell Park, but also Cedar Hill Cemetery on Fairfield Avenue. Both of these parks are dotted with many notable trees, including those considered state champions. American beech, image by Pamm Cooper. Bushnell Park has many rare and native trees and originally contained more than 150 species of trees. Some have been lost, but many are specimen trees worthy of a walk and a look. You can stop by the League of Women Voters desk at the Legislative Office Building entrance on Capital Avenue and get a free “Tree Walk” brochure before heading out. This brochure is highly recommended as, although some trees have labels, many do not. You could also bring a good illustrated tree field guide that includes trees that are from a more southern climate. Some of the trees of interest include a doubled-trunked gingko, bald cypresses, dawn redwoods and magnolias. There are three state champion specimens and these are a turkey oak (Quercus cerris), a Chinese toon (Cidrela sinensis) by the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch, and a hardy rubber tree (Eucommia ulmoides). The bald cypress, Taxodium distichum, is considered by many Europeans to be the finest North American tree, according to Michael Dirr, author of Dirr’s Hardy Trees and Shrubs. This is a deciduous tree most would recognize immediately by its fluted base and ‘knees’ that grow out the water in southern areas, especially in the Everglades. While bald cypress is a tree species with a moist natural habitat, it will do well in drier soils, as evidenced in the tall stands growing well in Bushnell Park. The turkey oak, Quercus cerris, is a native to Europe and is a fast- growing tree that may reach a height of 130 feet when mature. Trunks can grow to a diameter of three to four feet. The park’s state champion specimen has a trunk with a circumference of 17 feet. This tree can tolerate strong winds, but not in a maritime exposure. There are four turkey oaks in the park, which supply resident squirrels with large numbers of acorns known for their wooly cups that ripen in October. The bark of mature trees is attractive, ridged and furrowed with an orange color within the fissures. Turkey oak acorns resemble a lion with a full mane of curly green hair. Turkey oak images by Pamm Cooper. There are several sweet gum trees in Bushnell Park. Liquidamber styraciflua are deciduous trees found in North America from Connecticut to Florida and the mountains of Mexico and Central America. Its sap can be boiled down to make a medicinal balsam used for skin ailments. This tree typically has a very straight trunk and is highly resistant to insect attacks. The leaves are palmate with five lobes, reminiscent of light green stars. The autumn color is a rich burgundy, yellow or orange, and the bark is equally attractive with deep ridges as it matures. Several branches may become dominant as trees grow older, and their diameter can be strikingly large. With its broadly pyramidal shape, richly colored and patterned bark, and star-shaped leaves, sweet gum is a highly prized specimen tree. However, it does have dangling, round, golf ball-sized spiny fruit that can be a nuisance when they fall in the yard. Sweet gum tree image by Pamm Cooper. There are also several saucer magnolias dotted around the park and a fine granddad of a cucumber magnolia, (Magnolia acuminata). While saucer magnolias are commonly seen in Connecticut, the cucumber variety is seldom seen as it is not known for the prominent floral display of the saucer magnolia. Both trees are natives to North America. The cucumber magnolia is suited for large properties that can accommodate its height of 50 to 80 feet with a similar spread. Saucer magnolias, which have profuse pink flowers in the spring before leaves appear, are an excellent specimen plant reaching 20 to 30 feet at maturity. The saucer magnolia also has a very appealing smooth gray bark, which is of interest year-round. There are many more trees of interest in Bushnell Park, all within a comfortable walking distance of each other. It can be a pleasant way to spend an afternoon at any season of the year. So, go and sit in the shade of one of these on a hot summer day and return in the fall to enjoy the foliage. And, if you need a little extra reason to smile, for one dollar, you can go for a ride on the historic Stein and Goldstein carousel. It is hard to be in a bad mood in Bushnell Park, with its magnificent trees, historic monuments, carousel, and surrounding skyscrapers to boot. If you have tree questions or any other horticultural query, feel free to contact us, toll-free, at the UConn Home & Garden Education Center at (877) 486-6271, visit our website. .