Cornelian Cherry
Cornus mas
Blooming from March to early April, its small, round clusters of yellow flowers are showy up close and from a distance! Dark-red edible fruit form after the flowers. Find a cluster of Cornus mas next to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial’s spiral path, which is visible from Marquam Trail via the connector from Wildwood Trail.
Indian Plum
Oemleria cerasiformis
Indian Plum is an understory plant that is native to the Pacific Northwest. In late winter and early spring you can see its hanging racemes of white, slightly fragrant bell-shaped flowers. In summer the plant is covered in green lance-shaped leaves that, when crushed, have a cucumber-watermelon scent. Find it on the Fir Trail and throughout the Arboretum.
Witch Hazel
Hamamelis mollis ‘Pallida’
Growing up to 12 feet tall and wide, this vase-shaped shrub is great for group plantings at home. It has ascending branches of bright green leaves that fade to yellow in the fall. With clusters of sulfur-yellow flowers appearing in mid- to late winter, the Witch Hazel is an all-season shrub! Find it along the path to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial parking lot, below SW Knights Blvd.
Silk Tassel Bush
Garrya elliptica
A native to Oregon and California, this reliable evergreen shrub can reach 15 feet. The leaves grow opposite along the branch; they are leathery and dark green to gray-green. This plant is stunning in bloom. The catkins (flower clusters) on the male plants are the showiest: the cultivar ‘James Roof’ displays the best blooms, some more than 6 inches long. Check out the male plants in the Visitor Center beds along SW Fairview Blvd.