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Laurel Rimmer is Assistant Director of Public Programs. Among her many contributions are botanical drawings of plants found at Wave Hill, such as the bottlebrush buckeye drawing below, and the photographic portrait beneath it, too.
The bottlebrush buckeye (Aesculus parviflora) demands attention in the landscape. Not a plant for small city gardens, this southeastern native matures into a multi-stemmed shrub eight to twelve feet tall with an infinite spread, advancing slowly and politely over time. Large compound leaves, showy summer flowers and a dense mounding habit give it a distinctive look in the landscape.
The showy flowers of Aesculus parviflora appear at a time when few other woody plants are in bloom. At Wave Hill, our plants bloom in late June and early July, their large, upright flower panicles temporarily luring butterflies away from the bounty of perennial flowers in other areas of the garden. From a distance, the entire shrub appears to be accented with fuzzy, white rhinoceros horns. Upon closer inspection, the individual flowers have a dainty spidery appearance. Nuts in pear-shaped capsules develop in late summer; they are enjoyed by squirrels but are poisonous to humans. Our large old bottlebrush buckeye dates back to the Perkins era; look for it on the hillside between Wave Hill House and the Aquatic Garden.
Bottlebrush buckeye grows best in rich, moist, well-drained soil in sun to part shade. Once established, it requires no pruning or other special attention. Despite its ease of culture it is not a common plant in the nursery trade, in part because of its rather poor appearance as a young containerized plant. To the untrained eye it resembles a couple of gangly sticks with a few tufts of leaves on top. Gardeners who are familiar with the plant, however, can look past its youthful awkwardness to see its true potential as a beautiful and unusual landscape specimen.
Laurel Rimmer is Assistant Director of Public Programs. Among her many contributions are botanical drawings of plants found at Wave Hill, such as the sweetbay magnolia portrayed here.
The spectacle of spring has passed, and with it the boisterous spring flowers of the Asian magnolias and their hybrids. Now is the time to enjoy the lesser-known native American magnolias. Though the blossoms are a bit more subdued, other attributes make these plants worthy garden companions.
We grow four species of native magnolias at Wave Hill. The SUV of native magnolias, bigleaf magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla), is the largest of the lot. The mature tree has a tropical appearance with leaves up to three feet long. To match the beefy foliage, creamy-white flowers nearly a foot across unfurl a few at a time from late May through early June. A mature tree may reach 40 feet in height; its size and coarse appearance require a large space in the landscape. Slightly smaller in stature is the umbrella magnolia, Magnolia tripetala. On this multi-stemmed tree, two-foot leaves cluster at the tips of the branches like leafy green parasols. The white blossoms are a bit malodorous but are offensive only at close range. The umbrella magnolia is lovely in a woodland garden planted in the shade of larger trees. Look for these two magnolias cavorting together along the woodland edge south of the front gate.
The third magnolia is the sweetbay, Magnolia virginiana, pictured here. This small tree features smooth gray bark and a silvery underside to the leaves that flashes attractively in a stiff breeze. Lemon-scented flowers appear in late May and bloom on and off throughout the summer. Sweet bay also attracts wildlife to the garden: the aromatic leaves are food for swallowtail butterfly caterpillars and birds relish the bright red fruits. It is a perfect tree for a small garden or entrance courtyard where the sweetly scented flowers lure passers-by. At Wave Hill, two sweetbay magnolias greet visitors to Glyndor Gallery.
The last native magnolia in our collection is the southern magnolia, Magnolia grandiflora. Indispensable in southern gardens, this evergreen species suffers in our chilly New York winters; luckily for gardeners with southern magnolia-envy, several cultivars show increased cold-hardiness (to zone 5b). At Wave Hill, ‘Bracken’s Brown Beauty’ joins the sweet bay magnolias in front of Glyndor Gallery and ‘Edith Bogue’ thrives near the delivery gate at West 252 Street. Both trees feature the dark shiny leaves and fragrant white flowers typical of the species. A protected site with shelter from winter winds is best for this classic southern tree.
With attractive foliage, flowers and fruit, Wave Hill’s native magnolias are more than one-season wonders. This season, experience their subtle beauty in person. Or, if you’re looking for a tree to plant at home, add these to your list; there is a native magnolia for almost every landscape.
Lone flower, hemmed in with snows and white as they
But hardier far, once more I see thee bend
Thy forehead, as if fearful to offend,
Like an unbidden guest.
from To a Snowdrop by William Wordsworth, 1819
Long before flamboyant tulips and daffodils boldly announce the arrival of spring, the precocious snowdrops challenge the waning winter by pushing up graceful flowers through the melting snow. The botanical name Galanthus comes from the Greek words gala for milk and anthis for flower. Look for the first “milk flowers” to emerge just south of Glyndor House in late February, where the warm slope encourages the sturdy little flowers to push up through the lingering snow. By early March, the Wild Garden is blanketed not with snow but with the white blossoms of the giant snowdrops, Galanthus elwesii, which have happily seeded around the garden.
The pendulous flowers lure hungry bees who receive a shower of pollen as they probe into a blossom in search of its sweet nectar. On a warm March day, you may find our Wave Hill honeybees visiting Wordsworth’s admired flower, busily collecting the first nectar of the season in anticipation of the summer honey harvest.
Laurel Rimmer is Assistant Director of Public Programs. Among her many contributions are botanical drawings of plants found at Wave Hill, such as the snowdrop protrayed here.
