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.
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| The elegant branches have evergreen leaves and small clusters of white flowers. |
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| These tiny white flowers have a delightful fragrance of modest potency. |
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| 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. |
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| 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)
