Springtime's irresistible magic.....watch the wildflowers appear and disappear as nature waves her wand over the forest floor, as if to say, "Ta-dah! Let me enchant you daily!"

Dear Friends of the Arboretum,

The fresh Spell of Spring……I never tire of this feeling of being enchanted; no one does. And there is much to celebrate as we shake winter out of our hands and out of our feet. May you embrace the symphony of smells, color and form before us now.

I simply love how each spring is uniquely different in how it progresses and what players show up when; each year its own orchestrated show of beauty. The wildflowers will some years advance into new locations, never seen before. While also taking turns in their flowering pageantry to show off in full glory one year while another wildflower steps to the back of the stage, though still beautifully present. Each year unfolds a new surprise with how the stage will be set and who will dance together when.

It is just as important this year to get out into spring as it was last year. We want you to take our 2021 theme to heart and make it a reality....

May the Forest Be Your Sanctuary

Whether here in the Arboretum’s oak-hickory forest or in the many national forests nearby such a sanctuary can be transformative. We all benefit from breathing forest air - remember it boosts your immune system and provides many other health benefits - and we become more fully human by walking a trail in the wood under the trees. Let springtime nourish your soul yet again,

Jan Sievers Mahon, Arboretum Director

Flowering Trees – Eye Catching and Life-preserving

Bridget Murphy | Arboretum Social Media Assistant

There’s more than what catches the eye when it comes to the flowering trees of Virginia. Not only do they add beautiful colors throughout the landscapes they are growing in, but some of them prove to be crucial to the local pollinators and wildlife.

Forests and gardens are continually providing habitats for the wildlife that live in them. An excellent flowering spring tree that truly fills the role of habitat provider is the Serviceberry Tree, also known as Shadblow and Juneberry. There are a number of native species in the genus Amelanchier, and numerous cultivars.

This tree is most commonly known for attracting over 20 species of birds to feed on the small berry-like fruits that are a deep blue-purple at maturity. Birds are essential to forest ecosystems, especially those that feed on fruits because they disperse the seeds. The Serviceberry is also a hot spot for pollinators, beetles and butterflies. It serves as an early nectar and pollen source for early-emerging pollinators and can help build up colonies in the Spring.

Another habitat-supporting Spring tree is the American Fringe Tree, otherwise known as Chionanthus virginicus. This fragrant beauty supports wildlife in the summer months with fresh fruit, but is consistently supporting smaller life forms as well in the spring. Moths and plant-eating insects thrive on and within the Fringe tree. Some insects feed on the sap while moths, like the fringe-tree sallow, make it a larval host plant.

A variety of insects in any habitat provide a great food and protein source for other wildlife. Even fruit-eating birds and animals often resort to local insects, especially for their young. Biodiversity is crucial in every forest, garden and ecosystem – and knowing the trees and plants that support the wildlife and insects is an important first step in achieving that.