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 FamilyPhil Wood

Page 6 HIDDEN TREASURES OF THE ARBORETUM: Dipteronia sinensisWalt 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 OfferTheodore 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!

Bigleaf Maple: A Native Tree With Much to Offer!

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

Marvelous Woody Mints of the Arboretum

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

Renovated “Tot Lot” Reopens at Lynn Street Entrance

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...