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We continue our series on Friends of the Farm volunteers and their recommendations for particular plants or items of interest at the Farm. This month we present a short article authored by Blair Jarvis, one of our Team Leads in the Arboretum.
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I have always loved being in a forest. I have fond memories of summer days spent wandering in the aspen forests at the family cottage on the prairies, and in the dry interior forests of central BC where my grandfather lived. I think this is what ultimately prompted me to study biology. I became an entomologist rather than a botanist but continue to have an enduring interest in plants and trees. Whenever I have moved to a new location, be it northern Ontario, New Zealand, or Ottawa, I have spent time hiking in the woods to learn about the plants and trees.
I have been a volunteer with the arboretum team for two years and have enjoyed learning about this diverse collection of trees and their history. A day spent tending the trees with like-minded people is very enjoyable and relaxing.
Seeing a tree in bloom or in fruit is most satisfying, so late autumn and winter may not seem like the best time to visit the arboretum. However, there are a few gems that stand out. American witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) is of particular interest because it is at the edge of its natural range here and blooms in the autumn. The delicate, four-petaled flowers are somewhat frost tolerant and the fruit remain throughout the winter and mature the following year. When you look at a witch hazel in autumn you see this year’s flowers and last year’s fruit, now mature. If you are lucky, the fruit, which is a hard woody capsule, might eject their seeds while you are looking. Being a pharmacist, I am particularly interested in plants with medicinal properties – witch hazel is one that continues to be used as a medicine in the 21st century.
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