Sweet Olive Blooming (Osmanthus americanus)

 

The tree with an unfortunate lean is one of the best-smelling in the arboretum. But if you want a sniff, you'll have to act fast!

These delicate white, yellow, and green flowers belong to the sweet olive.

They can be found near the Southwest entrance to Mickle Hall.

If you look closely, you will be able to see how many tiny flowers are littering the ground.

They'll be gone soon at this rate!

The flowers are closely packed, so although many have fallen, quite a few remain in each clump.

If you miss them, don't worry. More species will be blooming and for the sweet olive, there's always next year.

Springtime in the Arboretum

Spring is officially here, having begun on March 20th, and many of the inhabitants of the arboretum are in full vigor. A walk through will reveal a variety of species putting out new leaves, putting on flowers, performing reproduction, and otherwise enjoying the change in seasons.

These are samaras of the red maple (Acer rubrum).

Here we see flowers of the devilwood (Osmanthus americanus).

Laurel cherry (Prunus caroliniana) flowers are numerous!

These are purple pawpaw (Asimina triloba) flowers.

These are green pawpaw flowers. They will soon turn maroon or purple.

This pretty little white flower is produced by the mayhaw (Crataegus opaca). Last spring, an eastern red cedar was cut down in the hopes that we would see more of these flowers. As compared with the last three years, we are certainly seeing more mayhaw flowers today.

In northwest Louisiana, we love our azaleas, but not all azaleas are native to the southeastern United States. Here we have the stunning flowers of our native yellow-flowered azalea (Rhododendron austrinum).

 

 

 

Tree of the Week: Devilwood (Osmanthus americanus)

Back in December we added a young devilwood to the arboretum catalogue. There are now two devilwoods growing in the arboretum, in very different locations. You can read about the senior devilwood here. The new addition can be found in a sunny spot near the Fitness Center. It was grown by Dr. Gladden Willis on his tree farm in Webster Parish.

Devilwood (Osmanthus americanus) is known for its evergreen leaves and persistent, dark blue drupes that ripen in the fall.

There are quite a few fruits on our little tree—pick a few, take them home, and try your luck at germinating them.

Drupes are approximately ⅜ inches in diameter. According to the University of Florida IFAS Extension, you are in for a challenge if you try to germinate these drupes: "Propagation is by cuttings or seed, and is difficult by either." Please don't attempt any cuttings with our little tree!

Tree of the Week: Devilwood (Osmanthus americanus)

The devilwood (Osmanthus americanus) is blooming this week, and the flowers provide the opportunity for a pleasurable olfactory experience. The devilwood is a small, slender tree that keeps a low-profile. Unlike the numerous, bright, white flowers of the Mexican plum that we discussed last week, the devilwood's flowers are inconspicuous. So, in order to appreciate their splendid aroma, you will need to seek it out. Pictures are provided below to help you locate it!

There is only one devilwood in the arboretum. It's located west of Mickle Hall, down the slope, below the sidewalk and next to the gravel path. Ed Leuck collected this specimen in March of 1985, from the Caroline Dormon Nature Preserve in rural Bienville Parish. At over 30 years old, the tree is healthy, but due to tough competition, it isn't thriving.

The devilwood tree is pictured center with Mickle Hall in the background. It is over 30 years old. The trunk is slender and the drooping branches are light and elegant.

Over the years the devilwood has developed a considerable lean in its trunk, bending eastward toward the sidewalk, away from all of the shade cast by the southern sugar maple. The devilwood and the maple were actually collected in the same year, 1985, but the maple quickly grew up and out, crowding out the devilwood, gobbling up all of the sun rays.

The elegant branches have evergreen leaves and small clusters of white flowers. 

These tiny white flowers have a delightful fragrance of modest potency.

The simple evergreen leaves have a lanceolate shape, coming to a point at the tip. They have a dark green waxy upper surface and a pale green lower surface. The leaf edges are smooth.

The leaves are long and thin, measuring up to 4 or 5 inches in length.

You can find more images of the arboretum's devilwood here.

For more information about this species consult the following online sources:
United States Department of Agriculture
University of Florida IFAS
NC State University
Louisiana Plant Identification and Interactive Virtual Tours (LSU AgCenter)

Osmanthus americanus