Arboretum Bulletin
Header photo: River otter in the Arboretum wetlands (courtesy Larry Hubbell).
Our full-color horticultural and botanical magazine
Published since 1937, the Washington Park Arboretum Bulletin is a quarterly botanical and horticultural magazine. A benefit of Arboretum Foundation membership, it includes in-depth articles on the Arboretum collections and history, as well as general information of interest to botanists, gardeners, and plant lovers in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
You can also purchase the Bulletin at the Arboretum Gift Shop for $5 per copy.
Summer 2023
CONTENTS
Page 2 Help Shape Our Future! — Jane Stonecipher
Page 3 Woody Members of the Mint Family — Phil Wood
Page 6 HIDDEN TREASURES OF THE ARBORETUM: Dipteronia sinensis — Walt Bubelis
Page 9 The Garden is a Dangerous Place! — Barbara Ashmun
Page 11 Horticultural Haiku — Barbara Ashmun
Page 12 Bigleaf Maple: A Native Tree With a Lot to Offer — Theodore Hoss
Page 17 Rhododendron Glen Restoration Completed — Niall Dunne
Page 19 PLANT ANSWER LINE: Edible Plants from the Middle East — Rebecca Alexander and Lena Youkhana
Page 24 Book Review: “Cascadia Field Guide” — Bill Thorness
Page 26 IN A GARDEN LIBRARY: Plant Books for Youth — Brian R. Thompson
Thanks to Our Sponsors!
The summer 2023 issue of the Bulletin was made possible by:
Molbak’s
The Berger Partnership
For information on advertising/sponsorship opportunities—or to submit an article idea—please email the editor, Niall Dunne, or call him at 206-325-4510.
Bulletin Archive
Back issues of the Bulletin can now be viewed online for free at the Biodiversity Heritage Library. The digitization was paid for by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. We also publish select articles from past issues of the Bulletin on our news blog.

Bigleaf Maple: A Native Tree With Much to Offer!
Aug 19, 2023
As the warmth of summer fills our days, the canopy cover of trees provides welcome respite from the heat. With a spreading crown and thick branches covered with a profusion of foliage, mosses, lichens and ferns, the bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum) stands out as a...

Marvelous Woody Mints of the Arboretum
Jul 25, 2023
The mint family, Lamiaceae, is a familiar one for gardeners. We plant lots of low-growing herbaceous plants from this group - such as salvias, basil, and bee balm - in our kitchen gardens and ornamental borders. But you may be surprised to learn that the family also...

Renovated “Tot Lot” Reopens at Lynn Street Entrance
Jul 21, 2023
Lots of toddlers and their caregivers attended our July 19 event celebrating the renovation of the "Tot Lot" playground at the Lynn Street entrance to the Arboretum. They enjoyed the beautiful new woodland-wildlife-themed play structure, plus live music by violinist...