 | Eric Larson, manager of the Marsh Botanical Garden, holds the label that for years misidentified the rare Japanese Arborvitae behind him for the more common Northern Arborvitae. The Yale tree is one of only two in the state. |
A case of mistaken identity at the Marsh ,Botanical Garden ultimately resulted in the "discovery' of a state champion.
A state champion tree, that is.
This new designation for a large evergreen near the Prospect Street side of Marsh Gardens is owed to the keen observational skills of Glastonbury, Connecticut, resident Ed Richardson, who happened to notice the tree on a visit to Yale earlier this year. A tree lover who serves on the Connecticut Botanical Society's Notable Tree Committee, Richardson stopped to examine the evergreen, and was convinced that the 47-foot-high tree was not something commonly found in this region.
The tree, which was planted nearly 70 years ago as part of an overall campus grounds beautification project led by noted landscape designer Beatrix Farrand, had been labeled as a Northern Arborvitae, a white cedar native to the eastern third of North America.
After some investigation, Richardson identified the tree as a Japanese Arborvitae, an import from the Orient much less commonly found in New England.
The mistake in the tree's classification is not all that unusual, according to Eric Larson, the manager of the Marsh Botanical Garden. Both the Northern Arborvitae and the Japanese Arborvitae belong to the same plant group -- the Thuja genus -- and closely resemble each other.
Nevertheless, Richardson discovered on Yale's tree the distinguishing features of the Japanese Arborvitae: upturned branch tips and white glands on the underside of the leaves, among other characteristics.
Once it was determined that the evergreen was indeed a Japanese Arborvitae, Richardson looked into whether Yale's tree might qualify as a Connecticut state champion.
State champion trees are specimens that are certified as the largest of their kind in the state. The Notable Tree Committee determined that Yale's tree did qualify for the honor; the only other known Japanese Arborvitae in the state, located at the Connecticut College Arboretum in New London, is much smaller.
"As trees go, the Yale tree is not a huge tree, so what really makes it stand out is
According to Walter Debboli Jr., supervisor of Grounds Maintenance, Yale now boasts three state champion trees. A Siebold Viburnum (Viburnum sieboldii) near the back patio of the President's House on Hillhouse Avenue and a Tree-of-Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) in the Pierson College courtyard are certified as state champions by the Notable Trees Committee.
Via Larson, Yale received a certificate of commendation from the Connecticut Botanical Society citing the University for conserving a notable tree in the state. In addition to the tree's height, the citation also notes its span (31.5 feet) and its circumference (60 inches). Information about the tree is now part of the Notable Trees Archive maintained at the Connecticut College Arboretum.
Certification of notable trees in Connecticut is part of the Connecticut Botanical Society's ongoing program to identify the state's historic and biggest trees, and to encourage their preservation. "The governments, agencies, organizations and individual citizens who own and care for these special trees are being recognized as stewards of our state's natural heritage," noted Glenn Dreyer, chair of the Notable Trees Committee, in the letter to Larson that accompanied the certificate of commendation.
One of Larson's first projects in his role as manager was to remove the old, incorrect identification tag on Yale's state champion evergreen. Eventually, the tree will have a plaque with its correct name and which notes its state champion status.
"It's a lovely plant, really," says Larson of the Japanese Arborvitae.
The Marsh Botanical Garden is an eight-acre property located on a hillside between Prospect and Mansfield streets. Yale acquired the site in 1899 when paleontologist Othniel C. Marsh (B.A. 1860) bequeathed his home, grounds, greenhouses and plant collections to the University. Today, the garden supports research and instruction by faculty in the Departments of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology (MCDB) and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, as well as the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. It is also a public greenspace, designed to educate visitors about plants and ecology. Timothy Nelson, a professor in MCDB and an expert in plant developmental biology, serves as director of the garden.
As its manager, Larson is helping oversee the restoration of the botanical garden, a project that has been ongoing for several years. As part of the renovation, native trees, shrubs, wildflowers and grasses are being planted, and a rock garden designed by Farrand has been weeded out and replanted.
Since his arrival in April, Larson, who was formerly the arboretum supervisor at Haverford College in Pennsylvania, has planted a colorful annual garden near one of the Marsh Garden's several teaching and research greenhouses and introduced a water garden inside another greenhouse. His plans for the garden include diminishing the area of the lawn space over time, replacing it with wildflowers and other plants.
"The garden is a beautiful spot to visit and an important educational tool, and having a state champion among its trees adds to its value," Larson says.
-- By Susan Gonzalez
T H I S
Once-misunderstood tree is now a state champ
its uniqueness," notes Larson, who was named the new manager of Marsh Garden shortly after the true identity of the tree was discovered.
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