The past two weeks have led to wonderful changes in the arboretum's fall foliage. Our tree of the week is a particularly stand-out specimen for autumnal color. The winged sumac (Rhus copallina) has eye-catching rich, red leaves.
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There are presently three winged sumacs in the arboretum collection. All are located near the southwest corner of Mickle Hall, presumably coming from the same root stock. Our tree of the week is the oldest of the three. In 2013, it entered into the catalogue as a sucker from a now deceased tree. Perhaps this germplasm has had many lives.
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Our tree of the week is young and small compared to the other trees in the surrounding landscape, but you can easily identify the winged sumac by its bright red leaves. Several other deciduous trees retain a green hue, which makes the red leaves of the winged sumac much more vibrant by contrast. What a wonderful synergy when two species make each other more beautiful.
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Our winged sumacs grow along the sidewalk in the middle of a rather steep slope.
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From another angle, we can appreciate the steepness of the slope. The Ratcliff Gazebo can be seen at the top of the hill.
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Rhus copallina, autumnal foliage, pictured November 21, 2021
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