By Jack Monsted, Assistant Curator, Native Plant Trail
Winter at Blandy. The holidays have just passed, and the quarters building is still bedecked with greenery from our winter wreath-making workshops. As the festive afterglow of the holiday season wanes, we begin the long, slow journey towards spring.
On the arboretum’s landscape, grays, browns and muted greens become nature’s palette. The fiery colors of autumn have faded and the vibrant green of summer is a distant memory.
And yet there are still fascinating sights to see in the arboretum. Our extensive conifer collection is an attraction for many this time of year, and understandably so - they’re the only trees still covered in green, holding on to their waxy needles despite the cold winds and frequent freezing. While they are certainly worth appreciating now, there are many more amazing plants to admire on your winter walks at Blandy if you know what to look for.
Bamboo Grove
Along the southern edge of the arboretum, south of the loop road, is a large grove of bamboo (Phyllostachys sp.), with many of the stems reaching over 20 feet tall. These massive plants, woody members of the grass family, remain green year-round. Like most bamboo species, ours are highly effective at spreading through root-sprouts, so the bamboo forest is a dense stand of stems, most of which are connected underground.
Walking through the bamboo grove at Blandy is always something of a magical experience – the stalks tower over you, often gently arching to form vaulted ceilings over the paths. Their leaves block out much of the sunlight above, creating a gloomy, cathedral like atmosphere as you stroll amongst them. If a strong wind picks up the stems will sway hypnotically, often lightly clacking against each other like giant wind chimes. If you’re lucky enough to visit on a day when there is some snow on the ground, they become even more beautiful. The green stems contrast perfectly with the white snow, and it almost feels like being transported to a pastoral scene in China or Japan, the native lands of these fascinating plants. The grove is also a perennial favorite for kids, who invariably find the fallen, dead bamboo stems and pile them up to construct forts and sculptures of all shapes.
While our bamboo doesn’t spread by seed, this plant is an aggressive grower and requires regular maintenance from arboretum staff to keep in check. We encourage you to come appreciate ours rather than planting any on your own property.
Sycamores
American sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) are fantastic trees throughout the year. They are among our largest native trees, and put out enormous leaves during the growing season, many of which reach over 12 inches across. These magnificent leaves drop in late autumn, which just makes it easier to view the tree’s amazing bark.
Sycamore trees shed their flaky outer bark as they age, and their inner bark is smooth and bright white. During their leafless winter months, their upper branches and limbs stand in stunning contrast to the trees around them, ivory spires twisting ever skyward.
Look towards the ends of these branches and you may also notice spherical seed pods dangling high above the ground. These curious orbs begin to ripen in October, but many will stay on the tree throughout the winter. Look at one up close and you’ll notice it’s not a single seed at all, but a ball consisting of several hundred small fluffy seeds, all arranged around a hard, pitted center. Squeeze a ripe one and they’ll fall apart in your fingers, a satisfying eruption of brown fluff.
There are numerous sycamore trees around Blandy, but my favorite (and the biggest) are found just off the southern portion of the loop road, near the rose family collection. There are several sycamores around 100 years old and they emerge from a series of limestone rock outcrops like massive skeletal fingers. Golden-crowned kinglets and other overwintering birds are frequently found flittering amongst their branches.
Broomsedge and winter grasses
We often don’t think of grasses as being particularly showy or interesting. They are too often considered simply filler – the boring green stuff there to take up space where we walk, park, or simply don’t want other plants. While this description seems apt for frequently mowed turf grasses, many native grasses can create stunning winter landscapes.
One perfect example here at Blandy can be found in our infrequently mowed fields where broomsedge (Andropogon virginicus) is allowed to grow to maturity in the autumn and winter months. These grasses reach about 2-3 feet in height and produce fluffy seeds that shimmer beautifully in the low-angled rays of winter sunlight. They’re found in many places at Blandy, but perhaps the biggest and most reliable field is on the hill to the west of the main entrance road by route 50, colloquially called ‘Wyatt’s Hill’ in memory of a long time Blandy volunteer.
The rolling hills of this area are carpeted in golden-bronze broomsedge throughout winter. On breezy days they sway in waves, painting the invisible movement of wind across the landscape.
