Plants In Bloom

In front of Prospect Hall there is an ‘Arnold Promise’ Witchhazel {Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Arnold Promise} in full bloom with yellow flowers. This is a hybrid between Japanese and Chinese Witchhazels that bloom in early spring. There are other spring blooming Witchhazels on the east and south sides of Ellen Reed. This larger ‘Arnold Promise’ Witchhazel is planted on the north side of Pease Public Library and was plated in 1992.

Welcome to our 2012 calendar of blooming plants on the campus of Plymouth State University! It seems that Mother Nature has been teasing us this month with a random  flux of cooler snowy days to  balmy breezy ones.  With only 11 days left till Spring, I believe most faculty, staff & students are ready for warmer weather.  At the Holmes House location is a group of Snowdrops {Galanthus nivalis} with small white nodding flowers which have popped up through the snow.   Snowdrops, among the first bulbs to bloom in spring, grow to around 7–15 cm tall, flowering between January and April in the northern temperate zone.  In front of Prospect Hall, up against the the brick wall,  several groups of Crocus “Yellow Mammoth”, a stunning golden yellow color, have also come into bloom. The cup-shaped, solitary flowers of the Crocus vary in color, although lilac, mauve, yellow and white are predominant. The spice saffron is obtained from the stigmas of Crocus sativus, an autumn/fall-blooming species.  Keep your eyes peeled for the Daffodils {Narcissus sp.} to start opening next!  Looking forward to seeing our beautiful campus in full bloom soon!  Sherri

Snowdrops {Galanthus nivalis}

At the west entrance to the HUB is an ‘Early Amethyst’ Purple Beautyberry {Callicarpa dichotoma ‘Early Amethyst’} that has very small pink flowers that will yeild 1/8″ diameter fruits in a beautiful shade of lilac-violet. The fruit is beautifully displayed above the leaves in about a months time. We need a little luck with a late frost for these fruits to achieve their color, if we are lucky it is a pretty sight. At the  west wentrance to Speare Hall is a Siebold Viburnum {V. sieboldi} with red to orange fruit above its lustrous green foliage. At the southeast corner of Prospect as well as behind the Children’s Center on Langdon Street we have more examples of this Viburnum which is having a very fruitful season. Thank you to all  of my readers over the last 15 years of Plants in Bloom. This is my last post before my retirement.   Steve

In front of the Frost House is a planting of Summersweet Clethra {C. alnifolia} that is just coming into bloom. Many fragrant white flower spikes above very deep green foliage. It will spread by suckers and increase in size. It has become very popular in recent years and there is an enormous choice of varieties available. It is a common part of the understory of lowland forests in Massachusetts, Connecticut and points south.

Behind the northwest corner of Prospect Hall is a group of Bottlebrush Buckeyes {Aesculus parviflora} with flower spikes 18″ and longer held high above the rich green foliage with 5 to 7 leaflets. The flowers open from bottom to top and are still not fully open. There are three plantings on Highland St, though the group at Prospect Hall is the most floriferous this year.

At the northwest corner of the HUB Snackbar are a few Rosebay Rhododendron {R.maximum} in bloom with white flower clusters above their dark  evergreen foliage. This species is native to New Hampshire and still forms the understory to the forest in Rhododendron State Park, in Fitzwilliam , N.H.

Along the north side of the HUB Snack Bar are four Korean Stewartias {S. koreana} that have begun to bloom with 3″ white flowers with yellow stamens. The flowers will open sporadically for the next two to three weeks. This tree has bright green fioliage, wonderful orange to bronze fall color and very attractive multi-colored patchy bark.

Between the east end of Speare Hall and the northwest corner of the Silver Center is a Northern Catalpa {C. speciosa} that is in bloom with spikes of white flowers with yellow throats. This tree is a volunteer and has needed little pruning to achieve its current form. The leaves are very large, and the fruit are very long pods that give it its common name: Stringbean Tree, along with the dropping of the spent flowers it has a reputation of being a very dirty tree. On the east side of Hyde Hall at the entrance to the lower level, our Japanese Hornbeam has fruit for the first time since it was planted a decade ago. The fruit looks like small paper lanterns and lends a graceful look to the tree. In front of Prospect Hall is a large planting of ‘Henry’s Garnet’ Virginia Sweetspire {Itea virginica ‘Henry’s Garnet’} that has numerous 3″ white flower spikes. This plants most valuable asset is the excellent deep red fall foliage that lasts from early October to mid-November. In front of Lamson Library the ‘Anthony Waterer’ Spiraea {S. japonica ‘Anthony Waterer’} is in bloom with 4″ flat carmine flower clusters above its small green foliage.

Along the east side of Russell House is a group of Bush Cinquefoil {Potentilla fruiticosa} that has many 1″ pale yellow flowers above its gray green foliage. This plant will keep flowering until frost and comes in many shades of white, yellow, orange and red. In the large garden on the north side of Memorial Hall is a group of Flame Azaleas {Rhododendron calendulaceum} that have yellow and orange flowers. This is one of the showiest American Rhododendron species, and comes in countless shades of yellow, orange and red and is abundant through the southern Appalachian Mountains. At the southwest corner of the Counseling Center is an Oyama Magnolia {M. sieboldi} in full bloom with many white flowers that have very showy pink stamens. This is one of the more unique flowering plants on campus.

Above the Grafton parking lot on High St. is a group of three ‘Satomi’ Kousa Dogwoods {Cornus kousa ‘Satomi’} with pink bracts [similar to petals} in abundance. Very showy flowers that will lighten in color as they age. In the fall it will have red fruits and as the tree ages it develops attractive mottled bark. In front of the Bagley House on Highland St. is a small group of Red Buckeye {Aesculus pavia} that has very attractive 5 lobed foliage as well as one red flower spike. At the southwest corner of Smith Hall on High St is a group of 'Onandaga' Vibrunums {V. sargentii 'Onandaga'} with clusters of white flowers. The new growth has a red cast to it and red fruit and red fall foliage will follow. Next to the main entrance of D&M Hall is an 'Erie' Viburnum with large 8" clusters of creamy white flowers, to be followed by red fruit and very striking mahogany fall foliage. This is a fabulous shrub with interest from spring into early winter.