A Kentucky Coffeetree at the Gardens thoughtfully self-seeded itself
while we were all otherwise occupied, and sent up a number of small
saplings, some robust enough for transplanting in other areas of the
BRG. Here are some photos of
Gymnocladus dioicus: the 'Kentucky' in its name marks that it was at one time the state tree of Kentucky.
 |
| Seed Pods Hanging from Kentucky Coffeetree |
This Kentucky Coffeetree is located at the south end of the
rejuvenated Peony Garden.
In fact, part of the reason the Peony Garden needed re-doing was due to
encroaching shade from this healthy specimen. Southern Ontario is the
northern limit for this species, and we are happy to have it in our
Garden.
 |
| Small Self-Seeded Kentucky Coffeetree - Mississauga Ontario |
This bushy shrub in the foreground is a small
Kentucky Coffeetree that sprouted from seeds near the base of the parent
tree. The brown area middle of the photo is the Peony Garden, late
fall; The building is the bunker (office, washrooms) at the BRG.
 |
| Kentucky Coffeetree Sapling Transplanted into Wetlands BRG |
Here is one of the self-propagated Kentucky
Coffeetrees transplanted into its new home in the naturalized area in
the East Garden. Look for this newcomer just east of the
small footbridge over the wetland /
bioswale.
 |
| Kentucky Coffeetree Saplings Self-Seed near Parent Tree |
The picture above shows more Kentucky
Coffeetree saplings that self-seeded in the bark mulch close to the base
of the parent tree. Only the largest saplings were suitable for
transplanting at this time (late Fall), but you can see how many seeds
sprouted and how well they are doing. Likely the addition of irrigation
to the adjacent Peony Garden and a nearby Rhododendron Azalea bed also
benefited the Kentucky Coffeetree.
 |
| Peonies Sheltered New Kentucky Coffeetrees |
The gray-white leaves are peonies in distress from
mildew and fungus, etc. promoted by shade from this large tree; as the
tree canopy grew, so did the shade. The border for this Peony Garden was
moved a further 6-10 feet away from the tree. The bright green leaves
are more self-seeded Kentucky Coffeetrees.
 |
| David Preparing to Transplant Kentucky Coffeetrees Fall 2011 |
As preparations were underway to re-do the Peony
Garden, David Culham, BRG volunteer and Stewardship Committee Chair,
prepares to dig up these Kentucky Coffeetrees that had seeded themselves
among the peonies.
There are more
photos of this tree in Fall 2009 that show how close it was to the peonies, and another
picture from October 2009.
[Sharp-eyed
readers may note that these earlier posts refer to this tree as
Kentucky Coffee Tree. That the tree name is only two words, not three as
previously thought, has been noted and corrected as of this post.]
For more information on this tree, see
Wikipedia page and
Royal Ontario Museum/ Ministry Natural Resources Ontario information page. According to the Ontario site's information,
the Kentucky Coffeetree is a threatened species. We are more than happy
to see the ones at Brueckner Rhododendron Gardens doing so well.
This
tree is one of the first to drop its leaves in Fall, and one of the
last to put forth new leaves in Spring. There is a fairly short window
over summer when this tree is in full leaf, with seed pods, so do make a
point of dropping by in late August to mid-September to see it in all
its glory.
In Other News:
When will the Rhododendrons Bloom?
As Winter winds down, plans are underway to fertilize the rhododendrons
and azaleas. It's far too soon to predict what type of blooming season
they will have in Spring 2012, nor when it will start and how long it
will last. As the season progresses, we'll post the latest estimates
here.
Volunteers Needed Spring Summer 2012:
With much of the major plantings and projects completed last year, what
is needed desperately this year is a lot of help to weed and cultivate
existing beds and gardens, as well as maintain the many new beds,
wildflower areas etc. For information on how you can help or get
involved, see the contact information on the volunteer page.
