Plants In Bloom

On the south side of Speare Hall is our oldest Korean Mountain Ash {Sorbus alnifolia} in full bloom with clusters of white flowers.  This tree was moved to its present site to make way for the redesign of the green space between the HUB and Speare Hall.  The flowers are followed by very showy coral colored fruit that remains on the tree well into winter.  Along the sidewalk in front of the Hogan House is a bed of two Exbury Azaleas {Rhododendron x ‘Exbury’}, the reddish-orange flowered plant is ‘Gibraltar’ and the yellow flowered plant is ‘Percil’.

In the beds by the Roundabout on Main St are our first Dwarf Korean Lilacs {Syringa meyeri ‘Palibin’} to bloom with fragrant pink flower spikes.  This fine shrub stays at a reasonable size of less than six feet, blooms from an early age and has very attractive mahogany colored fall foliage.  We have several beds along Highland St. that will be in bloom later this week.  In the bed above the entrance to the Bagley House is a deciduous Carolina Allspice {Calycanthus floridus} in bloom with fragrant dark reddish brown flowers that appear to be dried.  It is most fragrant in the evening.

To the left of the Hyde Hall ramp is a 33 year old planting of Wilson Rhododendron {R. x laetervirens} with a groundcover of Japanese Pachysandra {P. terminalis}.  The Wilson Rhododendron has flowers in shades of white to pink above its small evergreen foliage.

On the east side of Russell House is a ‘Shasta’ Doubefile Viburnum {V. plicatum tomentosum ‘Shasta’} with white flower clusters held above the horizontal branches.  It is the way the flowers sit above the foliage that ‘Doublefile’ refers to.  The flowers will be followed by red fruit in July.

'Shasta' Doubefile Viburnum

In the garden at the north end of the Silver Center on Main St is our Umbrella Magnolia {M. tripetala} that has very large white flowers beginning to open.  This tree has the largest leaves of any plant on campus, up to 24″ long, which gives it a tropical appearance once they are fully expanded.  The flowers are creamy white and up to 12″ in diameter, but they are borne rather high up in the tree and not that easy to see.  In the same garden are several ‘Rosy Lights’ Azaleas {Rhododendron x “Rosy Lights’} that have deep pink flowers.

In front of the southeast corner of Prospect Hall is a Siebold Viburnum {V. sieboldi} with a very heavy flower set just beginning to open.  This shrub is usually grown in a multi-stem habit but it lends itself very well to be trained as a single stem tree. It has bright green fragrant foliage and clusters of red fruit that turns black.  In the same bed is a Redvein Enkianthus {E.campanulatus} that was raised in the college nursery and has pendulous red bell shaped flowers.  It also has very attractive red fall foliage.  We have some very large Enkianthus in the garden on the north side of Memorial Hall.  Along the south side of High St. below Speare Hall are five ‘Winter Gold’ Crabapples {Malus ‘Winter Gold’} that are covered in white flowers.  This variety gets its name from the large numbers of yellow berries that are effective through fall and early winter.  In front of Mary Lyons Hall is a white flowering Cutleaf Crabapple {Malus toringoides} that has a much finer texture in leaf than other Crabapples because of it’s finely cut foliage.  Just south of the Rounds Hall Clock Tower is a ‘Brioti’ Horsechestnut {Aesculus x carnea ‘Brioti} that has very showy flower spikes of red flowers with yellow throats.

In the front of D&M there are several multi stem ‘Brilliant’ Red Chokeberry {Aronia arbutifolia ‘Brilliantissima’} shrubs in full bloom with clusters of small white flowers with bright red anthers.  This will be followed by glossy green foliage and fabulous red fall foliage.  The flowers yield very showy clusters of red fruit that will remain effective into early winter.  A wonderful multi season shrub that will form a large suckering colony if allowed.  On the east side of Speare Hall is a large Lantanaphyllum Viburnum {V. x rhytidophyllum} with clusters of cream colored flowers above its rather coarse semi-evergreen foliage.  Just behind the Shuttle stop on Highland St. is a group of Koreanspice Viburnums {V. carlesi} that have very fragrant white snowball shaped flower clusters.  In the large garden at the north end of the Silver Center are some Northern Hi-Lights Azaleas {Rhododendron x ‘Northern Hi-Lights’} coming into bloom with white and yellow flowers.  We also have ‘Rosy Lights’ with deep pink flowers coming into bloom in the same bed.

On the common between the HUB and Speare Hall are several ‘Madonna’ Crabapples {Malus ‘Madonna’} with double white fragrant flowers.  This variety has among the longest lasting Crabapple flowers, partially because the flowers are double rather than single.  Hopefully these flowers will last until graduation.  On the west side of Mary Lyons Hall is a group of Dwarf Fothergilla {F. gardenii} with white fragrant flowers that look like small bottlebrushes.  This fine shrub has among the best multi-colored fall foliage of any plant on campus.  In the middle of the bed below the stone wall on the east side of Belknap Hall is a Carolina Silverbell {Halesia carolina} with small white bell shaped flowers hanging below and all along each branch.  This small tree was planted in 1978 and died to the ground each winter until about ten years ago.  It now appears to be able to withstand our milder winters.  Behind the Shuttle stop on Highland St. is a group of Myrtle-leaf Rhododendron {R. myrtifolium} covered with bright pink flowers above small evergreen leaves.  This shrub’s flowering has been improving each year for the last several.

At the northwest corner of Speare Hall is a group of Common Lilacs {Syringa vulgaris} with white and purple flowers that are extremely fragrant.  This is our state flower and much loved because of the fabulous fragrance.  There are many different varieties with a large choice of colors.  In front of the Hogan House are three native, deciduous Pinkshell Azaleas {Rhododendron vaseyi} covered in rose colored flowers.  Under the branches of the Saucer Magnolia at the entrance to Memorial Hall is a group of evergreen ‘Purple Gem’ Rhododendrons {R. x ‘Purple Gem’} in bloom with light purple flowers and very small leaves.  This plant is very brittle and has a hard time standing up to our usual snow loads.  In front of Prospect Hall are several Linden Viburnums {V. dilatatum} in bloom with clusters of creamy white flowers above their new light green foliage.  In front of the Physical Plant is an Amur Cherry {Prunus maackii} in bloom with small clusters of off white flowers.  This tree has attractive bronze colored bark to provide winter interest.

Our extensive collection of Crabapples {Malus sp.} has come into bloom earlier than any year since they were planted.  We are two weeks ahead of our average blooming time.  At the main entrance to the Silver Center are several ‘Centurion’ Crabapples that have deep rose red flowers that yield very glossy red fruit.  On the right side of Court St. is a narrow vase shaped ‘Adirondack’ Crabapple {M. Adirondack’} with deep pink buds opening to white flowers.  The fruit will be orange to red.  Across the street from the Physical Plant are a group of Siberian Crabapples {Malus baccata} that are our largest Crabapples on campus with white flowers.  Just east of these in the Arold Field is a group of ‘Royalty’ Crabapples with purple foliage and dark red flowers.  The foliage remains dark red for the entire growing season and the flowers are followed by dark red fruit.  In front of the Athletic Center, on the west side of the main entrance is an ‘Indian Magic’ Crabapple with very showy rose-pink flowers that will yield red fruit.  To the east of the main entrance of the Athletic Center is a dwarf ‘Jewelberry’ Crabapple that is covered with white flowers and will have orange-red fruit.  At the entrance to Grafton Hall is a group of ‘Zumi’ Crabapples {Malus x zumi calocarpa} that have white flowers and will have red fruit this fall.  In front of Human Resources and Hogan Annex are Japanese Flowering Crabapples {Malus floribunda} with white flowers followed by yellow fruit.  This variety was introduced to America in 1851 and is still considered one of the best white flowering Crabapples available.