What's in Bloom: December

Pinus densiflora 'Oculus-draconis'
Oak Allée

The Dragon’s-eye Japanese red pine gets it’s name from the unique bands of variegation within the green needles, resembling a fierce dragon eye when viewed from above. Along with the stately needle color, this evergreen grows with a twisted, contorted form that offers a beautiful sculptural element to the garden.

Ilex opaca
Holly Slope, Widener Woods

A southeastern U.S. native adored for it’s evergreen foliage and beautiful fruits that are a bright pop of color in the winter landscape, especially highlighted in the Holly Slope. Many varieties can be found in the garden such as ‘Princeton Gold’ and the Morris Arboretum introduction ‘Lydia Morris’. Search “ilex opaca” in the Garden Explorer Map to see all the varieties and locations in the garden!

Cedrus deodara ‘Shalimar’
near Garden Railway by Lydia and John statues

A stunning cedar with gracefully hanging branches that grow in horizontal tiers, offering a lovely sculptural presence to the garden. The dusty bluish-green needles pop in the fall and winter season, with small, upright whitish-green cones adorning branches for a nice added accent.

Sciadopitys verticillata
Overlook Garden, Hill and Water Garden

As the only member of the family Sciadopityaceae, this stately conifer shows off it’s glossy whorls of dark green needles which resemble the spokes of an umbrella, hence the common name.

Stewartia monadelpha
Bark Park, Morris Pond

Even after the summer display of gorgeous large white flowers come to an end, tall stewartia maintains it’s brilliancy through the fall and winter where it exhibits a stunning mosaic of exfoliating bark – warm tones of copper, grey and beige that shine in the landscape.

Acer capillipes
Bark Park, Spring House Garden

After the display of striking orange-red fall leaf color, the snake bark maple displays it’s aptly named ornamental bark of olive green with vertical white stripes that offers a brilliant textural pop in the garden.

Pinus koraiensis ‘Morris Blue’
Oak Allée

An introduction from the Morris Arboretum & Gardens from a seedling selected in the early 1930’s, Morris Blue Korean pine features vibrant silvery blue-hued needles and a beautiful dense branching habit.

Pinus wallichiana
near Overlook Garden

The Himalayan pine offers a soft, gracefully flowing texture to the garden with it’s arching branches covered with long, draping bluish-green needles.