Enkianthus campanulatus | Laburnum x Watereri | Prunus sargentii
Scilla siberica | Stewartia koreana
Enkianthus campanulatus
When visitors cross the north field parking area leading to the entrance to Garland Farm, they immediately notice an arch formed by two stately Enkianthus campanulatus flanking the stone path through the wild garden to the Lunaform birdbath. On a spring day, masses of tiny bell-shaped flowers can be seen hanging from the tips of twigs. The shiny green foliage provides shade on a warm summer day and turns a dazzling shade of red in the fall. Layered branching, visible in the winter, makes this slow-growing shrub a lovely sight any time of the year.
Enkianthus campanulatus is a member of the Ericaceae (heath) family,
along with Rhododendron, Pieris, heather, blueberry, and cranberry. Often
referred to as Redvein Enkianthus, the Japanese native is an upright and
deciduous shrub named for its pendulous clusters of bell-shaped flowers.
Enkianthus takes its name from two Greek words meaning “swollen,” while
campanulatus is Latin for “bell shaped.” Redvein describes the appearance
of the cream-colored flowers with little red lines.
Redvein Enkianthus can be used in the landscape as a single specimen, in groups, or trained as a small tree. Reaching a height of 6 to 12 feet and a width of 4 to 6 feet, this shrub has an oval form at maturity, with a layered branching habit. Bark on new shoots has a reddish coloration. The foliage, resembling that of Rhododendron leaves, may also appear layered, and leaf clusters are attached to twig tips by red petioles. Leaves are alternate, 1” to 3” long and up to 1” wide, and are elliptical in shape, with bristly teeth along the margins. Bristles may be found on the leaf surface also. Summer color ranges from medium green to bluish green, turning to spectacular shades of red, orange, or yellow in the fall. Although flowers of Enkianthus campanulatus bloom as early as May in some areas, at Garland Farm they open in early June. This year the shrubs were covered with pendulous clusters of these delicate, creamy bells. Tiny yellow stamens are tucked inside of the red-veined corolla with red tips. Fruits are small brown capsules that add no ornamental value to the shrub.
This four-season shrub looks well with other members of the Ericaceae family. Hardy in zones 5A to 7B, it grows best in cool, well-drained soil that is moist, acidic (pH range of 4.5 to 6.0), and rich in organic matter. It requires full sun to partial shade, but hot, dry sites should be avoided. Pruning is usually unnecessary as offset branches add to the winter interest. Plants do well if mulched to keep the roots cool and feeding after thebloom cycle is recommended. Propagation can easily be done from seed, softwood cuttings, or tissue culture, although plants grown from seed may not have red fall color. To maximize enjoyment of this plant, it should be sited with the flowers, foliage, and branching easily seen throughout the year.
Laburnum x Watereri
June brings glorious color to the small entrance garden at Garland Farm. Plump Rhododendron buds are bursting open, while pink and yellow flowers of Lonicera cascade over the front fence. The lovely soft pink blossoms of Kolkwitzia amabilis beckon visitors to stop and admire their beauty, but it is the sight of the long, yellow racemes of the laburnum x watereri silhouetted against a clear blue sky that takes one’s breath away after a long, cold Maine winter.
Laburnum x watereri is a cross between Laburnum anagyroides (the Common Laburnum or Golden Chain), with short, dense flower stems and Laburnum alpinum (the Scotch Laburnum), with longer racemes and fewer blossoms. Native to southern Europe, both trees were introduced into Britain between 1560 and 1590. Also known as Voss’s Laburnum, Laburnum x watereri was hybridized around 1864. The result was a tree with long racemes, densely packed with flowers.
Often called the Golden Chain Tree, Laburnums are members of the Class Magnoliopsida (flowering plants) and the Family Fabaceae (legumes). Obovate (egg-shaped) and 12 to 15 feet in height, laburnum x watereri has alternate, trifoliate leaves (three leaflets) that are 1¼ to 3” long, bright green to blue-green in summer, with insignificant color in the fall. Stems and bark are olive green and smooth, while the older bark of the trunk becomes rough and sometimes fissured. The spectacular yellow “chains” (racemes) can be 10 to 20” in length and are composed of individual pea-like flowers attached by short flower stalks (pedicles) to a central axis (peduncle). The bloom time of these flowers is seven to ten days, before giving way to flat green pods that turn brown in the fall. All parts of this plant contain Cytisine, a toxic compound that is poisonous to people and livestock.
Although hardy in zones 5 through 7, and tolerant of a pH range of 5.5 to 8.0, a protected, well-drained site is necessary, as Laburnum x watereri is prone to sun scald and twig damage during severe winters. Twig blight and canker can be problematic as well. Propagation is possible using leaf-bud and root-cutting techniques or by growing from seed. Site requirements make this Laburnum a perfect specimen for growing in protected corners of buildings or by a patio where the spectacular floral display will be a springtime delight for anyone.
Prunus sargentii
In early May visitors to Garland Farm are enchanted by the sight of the Sargent Cherry (Prunus sargentii) in full bloom. Located in the Entrance Garden and towering over the Farrand addition, this magnificent tree is listed in the Maine Register of Trees.
Named for Farrand’s mentor, Charles Sprague Sargent (1841–1927), and native to Japan, Prunus sargentii is considered to be the hardiest of the cherry trees.
Useful in both home and urban landscapes, it thrives as a street tree, in buffer strips surrounding parking lots, and in highway medians. Beautiful structure, bark, spring flowers, and fall color provide four-season interest for gardens located in zones 5 through 8A. Its only requirements are full sun and an acid, well-drained soil. The dense canopy makes this a perfect shade tree.
Prunus sargentii belongs to Class Magnoliopsida and the Family Roscaeae and Subfamily Prunoideae. Growing to a height of 20 to 40 feet, the tree has a symmetrical canopy that can spread as wide as the tree is tall. The bark is an attractive polished cinnamon color, with prominent, horizontal lenticels. The showy, pink flowers on short pedicles bloom in spring before the new red-tinged leaves appear. The flowers give way to inconspicuous dark purple fruit that provides a summertime treat for birds. Shiny dark leaves, 2 to 5 inches long, are alternate, simple, and oval with serrate margins. Fall coloration ranges from yellow to orange and red.
Propagation of Prunus sargentii is possible from seed after two or three months of cold stratification or by softwood cuttings in spring or by half-ripe wood with a hell in summer. Pests of the tree include aphids, borers, scale, and tent caterpillars. The tree is also susceptible to Verticillium Wilt and will not tolerate smog. The longevity of this Champion tree at Garland Farm demonstrates its ability to withstand most of the issues that might affect this species.
Scilla siberica
Springtime at Garland Farm brings color back to the grounds with the emergence of many small bulbs. Winter Aconite, Snowdrops, and Chionodoxa appear at the end of March, but by late April, the carpet of Scilla siberica in the
entrance garden puts on a show that should not be missed.
Scilla siberica, under cultivation since 1796, originated in Russia and Eurasia. Hardy in zones 2 to 8, these bulbs thrive in rich soils that have good drainage. Classified as a “true bulb,” S. siberica has five major parts: a basal plate from which the roots grow, fleshy scales serving as storage tissue, a tunic, or skin-like covering, protecting those scales, a shoot consisting of the developing leaf buds and flowers, and lateral buds which develop into bulblets.
Scilla siberica produces nodding blue or white flowers on stalks that arise from the center of a rosette of narrow, dark green foliage. A single flower up to 1” wide or a raceme of two to three flowers appear on the stalk. Flowers have six tepals (petals) with blue anthers. On blue flowers, a single dark blue vein runs down the middle of the tepal. Pollinators are attracted to the little flower, and if fertilized round seed capsules are produced, yielding reddish-brown seeds. Lateral buds offer a second method of propagation. It should be noted that all parts of this plant are poisonous.
For maximum effect, plant S. siberica in masses during the fall months. Full to part sun is required, but early flowering of these spring bulbs allows us the ability to naturalize them in deciduous woodlands, enjoying the blooms prior to the trees leafing out and casting shade on the ground. Planting them along walkways or paths allows
full appreciation of their beauty and fragrance, a welcome ght after the long winter months have passed.
Stewartia koreana
One of the more fascinating trees at Garland Farm is the Stewartia koreana, with its lovely exfoliating bark, attractive white flowers, persistent seed capsules, and good fall color. Since the tree is located adjacent to the garage and next to the driveway, it is visible from the Farrand addition, the barn, and the field beyond that was once the Garlands’ vegetable garden.
Stewartia koreana was introduced to the west from Korea (where it is called the silk tree) in 1917 by the famed plant collector Ernest Henry Wilson. The tree, which is classified as a member of the Family Theaceae and the Order Ericales, is deciduous, oval to pyramidal in shape, and has upright spreading branches. 
A mature specimen grows 20 to 30 feet high. Its leaves are bright green, alternate, and simple with fine serrations. Fall color ranges from purple to orange or red, but a few specimens exhibit little coloration. The three-inch flowers are white with yellow stamens and five or six concave petals. Since they open over a long period of time, it is possible to observe bud, flower, and capsule at the same time.
They are flattened compared to those of S.pseudocamellia koreana (Japanese Stewartia), which are more cupshaped, a characteristic that aids in differentiating the two species that share similar characteristics.
The flowers give way to a pointed, five-valved fruit capsule that becomes triangular and reddish brown when mature. The distinctive bark of the S. koreana is smooth underneath, ranging in color from a light gray to an orangebrown. All these colors may be present on the same tree, with older bark exfoliating and flaking off in irregular pieces.
The tree requires sun with some shade and an acidic soil that is moist, cool, well-drained, and high in organic matter. S. koreana, which is hardy in zones 5B through 7, offers a high degree of pest resistance, but is often difficult to propagate and to transplant. Propagation can be accomplished from softwood cuttings or from seeds. Some sources suggest that the seeds require a double dormancy to germinate and if they do germinate, the viability rate is low. Softwood cuttings are a challenge to root and need to enter dormancy before transplanting. Once established, however, S. koreana requires little maintenance other than occasional pruning of lower limbs to expose more of the fine bark. To compare the various trees, visit the national collection of Stewartias held at the Polly Hill Arboretum in West Tisbury, Massachusetts.
