September Highlights

Hawthorne Trail

Crataegus calpodendron (Pear Hawthorne), Crataegus coccinoides (Kansas Hawthorne), Crataegus laevigata (English Hawthorne)

It’s time for our Hawthornes to begin going into fruiting! Take a walk down the Hawthorne Trail and look out for the brilliant red fruit ripening on the Pear, Kansas, and English Hawthornes. Even once all of the leaves have dropped for the season, the fruit will still be on the branches for the winter months.

Steven’s Pavilion

Symphoricarpos albus - Common Snowberry

Though the Common Snowberry doesn’t have a reasonably showy flower display, its fruit is quite the opposite! Fruiting usually begins in September, and this multi-stemmed shrub produces large clusters of white drupes. These drupes stand out against the brown bark, after the leaves have dropped.

Taylor Trail

Magnolia cylindrica - Yellow Mountain Magnolia

The Yellow Mountain Magnolia is yet another beautiful tree to see, even after the leaves have dropped! It has very smooth gray bark, which allows for the fruit, which has formed by now, to stand out. This Magnolia tree produces two to three inch upright fruit that of which resembles a pink pinecone!

Bristlecone Pine Trail

Acer palmatum ‘Sango Kaku’ - Japanese Maple

Fall and winter are beautiful months for the ‘Sango Kaku’ Japanese maple. The leaves begin to take on their fall color of golden yellow starting in September. At the same time, this maple’s bark takes on a new color as well! The ‘Sango Kaku’ Japanese maple has a beautiful coral red winter bark color, which intensifies with the cold weather!

What's in Bloom?

Ribes sanguineum

Red Flowering Currant

This Pacific Northwest native is an early bloomer with gorgeous pink, red, and sometimes white blooms. They can be found throughout the Arboretum as they are a common understory shrub. They provide very valuable habitat for many little critters that rely on their nectar for food. A great compliment to any home garden, because of its habitat qualities and drought tolerance, this species is widely available at nurseries in the Portland Metro area.

Monthly Highlights