What's in Bloom: January What's in Bloom: January Image January at the Morris Image Lassie Koehne holly Ilex x koehneana ‘Lassie’ Morris Pond Boasting clusters of bright red berries, this broad-leafed evergreen tree is a cross between Ilex aquifolium (English holly) and Ilex latifolia (lusterleaf holly). Selected for its prolific fruit, the Lassie cultivar stands out in the garden this time of year. Image spicebush Lindera salicifolia Long Fountain After their vibrant display of fall color, the leaves of these spicebush shrubs turn a warm tan color and stay on through the winter. Image Japanese stewartia Stewartia pseudocamellia Bark Park Native to the mountainous regions of Korea and Japan, this small tree displays a patchwork of orange, tan, and gray bark as its outer layers shed off of the trunk. Japanese stewartias are in the tea family, Theaceae, and share similar flower characteristics to camellias as indicated in the species name which translates to “false camellia.” Image lacebark pine Pinus bungeana Hill & Water Garden Native to northwest China, this evergreen tree gets its common name from its flaking gray bark that exposes white, tan, and green layers of bark underneath. The lacebark pine at the Hill & Water Garden is original to the Morris Estate. Image Blue Atlas cedar Cedrus atlantica  ‘Glauca’ Between Rose Garden and Pennock Garden Blue-tinted needles create a spectacular display on this striking evergreen tree. Native to the Atlas Mountains in North Africa, Blue Atlas cedars are true cedars, which can be identified by their tight, whorled clusters of needles. The needles get their blue-green color from a waxy coating that helps the tree retain water. Image Winter Gold common winterberry Ilex verticillata ‘Winter Gold’ Sculpture Garden This cultivar of our native deciduous holly is selected for its vibrant orange fruit that stay on significantly into the winter months. Ilex verticillata shrubs are dioecious, meaning the male and female reproductive …

What's in Bloom: April What's in Bloom: April Image April at the Morris Image Virginia bluebell Mertensia virginica Widener Woods These charming native wildflowers are a welcome sign of spring in the garden. Flower buds emerge a bright pink color and turn blue as they bloom, adding brightness to shady areas of the garden. Image Yoshino cherry Prunus x yedoensis Cherry Allée Following some of the early-blooming cherry varieties are the white flowers of Yoshino cherries, marking the peak of cherry blossom season here. These trees are a cross between Prunus speciosa , Oshima cherry, and Prunus pendula f. ascendens , weeping cherry. Learn More Image eastern redbud Cercis canadensis Log Cabin Clusters of pink flower buds cover leafless twigs and branches on this native tree. Redbud flowers are characteristic of the pea family, Fabaceae, with three upturned petals called the wings and banner and a lower cup-like petal known as the keel. In addition to the pink-flowering straight species, there are also several white-flowering varieties, such as Cercis canadensis var. alba and Cercis canadensis ‘Royal White’, on display in the garden. Image Piedmont azalea Rhododendron canescens Native Azalea Collection, across Key Fountain The showy pink flowers of this native shrub display long stamens and emit a strong, pleasant fragrance that wafts through the garden. In their native range of the southeastern United States, Piedmont azaleas can be found in acidic soils and bogs. Image Vilmorin dovetree Davidia involucrata var. vilmoriana   Mercury Loggia Dovetrees get their common name from the white, dangling bracts that resemble doves perched in the canopy. Image white enkianthus Enkianthus perulatus Pennock Garden Clusters of small bell-shaped flowers cover these large shrubs in the spring. Plants in the genus Enkianthus are in the Heath family, Ericaceae, which also includes Rhododendron and Pieris . Image flowering dogwood Cornus florida Seven Arches These popular native trees …

What's in Bloom: February What's in Bloom: February Image February at the Morris Image wintersweet Chimonanthus praecox Oak Allée Delicate yellow flowers hang from the leafless branches of these shrubs. Wintersweet is a member of the calycanthus family, Calycanthaceae, and its flowers add a pleasant fragrance to the winter garden. Image snow drops Galanthus sp. Members of the onion family, Amaryllidaceae, these small perennials can be found blooming throughout the garden this time of year. There are several species of snow drops growing in the garden, each with distinct flower characteristics. Image Chinese witchhazel Hamamelis mollis Witchhazel Collection Native to China, these winter-blooming witchhazel shrubs display clusters of fragrant, bright yellow flowers. Each flower has four ribbon-like petals that emerge from red calyxes. Image Rubin witchhazel Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Rubin’ Between Rose Garden and Pennock Garden This shrub is a hybrid between Hamamelis mollis (Chinese witchhazel) and Hamamelis japonica (Japanese witchhazel), and the Rubin cultivar is bred for its showy orange/red flowers. Image hardy cedar-of-Lebanon Cedrus libani ssp. stenocoma Azalea Meadow This subspecies of Cedrus libani is native to the mountainous regions of southwest Turkey. As its common name suggests, this tree has better winter-hardiness than the straight species. It is also more upright and columnar in form, while Cedrus libani branches have a more horizontal growth habit. Image cornel dogwood Cornus officinalis Dogwood Collection Clusters of small yellow flowers adorn this late-winter-blooming tree. Cornus mas (cornellian-cherry dogwood), planted nearby, has similar flowers and form, but Cornus officinalis blooms one week earlier and has more textured, exfoliating bark. Witchhazel Map Explore our witchhazel collection this winter! The Morris Arboretum & Gardens' witchhazel collection is one of the largest in the country. Discover the many varieties of these delightful winter …