PHOTO: The Arboretum’s national champion Pacific crabapple blooming in late April.
Washington Park Arboretum is known for its rich tapestry of native trees, which are the remnants and offspring of the original vegetation that grew on the land before it was logged in the late 19th century. The native matrix predates the formation of the Arboretum by several decades, and now these plants are finally being incorporated into the park’s formal plant collection.
In the latest issue of the Arboretum Bulletin, UW Botanic Gardens’ manager of horticulture David Zuckerman has created a walking tour highlighting eight of his favorite native tree specimens around the Arboretum. David chose the specimens based on physical traits such as impressive size, as well as their rich Arboretum lore.
The tour follows, for the most part, the Arboretum Loop Trail. See the Arboretum’s national champion Pacific crabapple (Malus fusca), meet our dancing bigleaf maples (Acer macrophyllum) “Fred and Ginger,” and much more.
