Dogwood Lane

The Quarterly Journal of the Mary May Binney Wakefield Arboretum ___________________________________

Volume Seven Issue 4 - Summer 2025

Restoring the Historic Orchard at the Mary May Binney Wakefield Arboretum

This edition of Dogwood Lane highlights the restoration of the fruit orchard at the Mary May Binney Wakefield Arboretum. Over the past decade, many of the trees have begun to fail due to storm damage and disease. This winter, the members of the trust, advisory board, and staff decided it was time to replant the orchard with more disease-resistant species of apples, pears, and crabapples.

First bloom of the season on the Canadian Strawberry apple.

Orchard History

In the early 1700's, around the time that the Davenport family moved to Milton, the population of the town had reached nearly 400 residents, and was a “well-established farming community.” Major crops included barley, rye, Indian corn, pea vines, and fruit. According to tax and census records, apples were being produced at the Wakefield Arboretum (Known then as the Davenport Farm) before 1771. 

The following items are listed in the 1771 tax log.

The Davenport property:

3 horses

4 oxen

6 cattle

24 goats and sheep

4 swine

Number of cows pasture will keep 6

Tillage 4 acres

Bushels of grain per year 60

Bushels of cider per year 5

English and Upland mowing 10

Tons of English and Upland hay per year 4

Acres of fresh meadow 4

Tons of fresh meadow hay per year 3

According to Wakefield family papers and documents, an orchard was established at the Wakefield that had apples, pears, and crabapples as early as 1740. It is not clear whether or not the orchard was planted originally in the spot where it exists today. But, upon inspection of the rings on some of the removed trees from the existing orchard, they were found to be at least 170 years old. Over the years we have had several Wakefield visitors that fondly remembered picking fruit in the orchard for pies or jams. One visitor remarked that some of the crabapples made the best jam she ever tasted. Unfortunately, there has been no record found to date of the specific types of apples, pears and crabapples that were planted in the orchard.

The orchard has always been an important historical and cultural feature in the landscape here at the arboretum. When working on an historic site it is always necessary to consider various ways of preserving the historic aspects of the landscape and buildings. This proves difficult with plant material because unlike buildings it is transitory. As preservationists it is our goal to replace the existing features, in this case the trees, in the same geographical location where they have existed for many years. In effect, this replicates the historic feel of the orchard.

The trees that were in the orchard were all standard fruit trees which means they were grown on seedling rootstock. If trees on seedling rootstock are not pruned to limit tree size, the trees will reach a height of about 30 feet and have a crown diameter of about 30 feet. All of the new fruit trees that were planted are standard sized trees.

Fruit Tree Grafts



Grafting as a means of propagating fruit trees dates back several thousand years or more. Grafting is used for two principal reasons: most fruit trees don’t come true to seed (seeds from a McIntosh apple won’t grow into McIntosh trees) and cuttings don’t root easily. The technique of grafting is used to join a piece of vegetative wood (the scion) from a tree we wish to propagate to a rootstock. Today we have a wide range of rootstock choices that will produce trees of varying sizes, from full-size “standard” trees to true dwarfs (less than 10 feet tall at maturity). Different rootstocks vary not only in final tree size, but also in their winter hardiness, resistance to certain insects and diseases, and performance in various soil drainage types.

Rootstocks are propagated either by seed (for seedling rootstocks), or by the process of rooting cuttings, known as layering. Dwarf rootstocks are usually rooted cuttings. Several nurseries offer rootstocks in small quantities to home growers interested in grafting, and many nurseries offer fruit trees on a wide selection of rootstocks. Seedling rootstocks produce large trees that are very difficult to prune, harvest and manage for pests, so seedling rootstocks are not recommended for use in home gardens. Few home gardens have space for these large trees and the wait until first fruit will discourage most growers. In addition, pest control of these large trees is very difficult, usually requiring power equipment for spray application. However, these trees may have value when used for wildlife plantings. (1)

Arial photograph of the orchard around 1950.

Arial photograph of the orchard around 1980.

Photo courtesy of Down East magazine.

Selection of apple trees

Once the decision was made to restore the apple orchard the arboretum staff began researching apple varieties that would best emulate a historical New England apple orchard. An important part of the research that went into the selection of varieties was a site visit to New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill to see the Frank L. Harrington Orchard. This orchard has 268 trees and 119 individual heritage apple varieties. Many varieties that originated in Massachusetts and some that are the last remaining specimens of that specific variety. New England Botanic Garden began the restoration of their orchard in the fall of 2018. The orchard was over 100 years old and had a widespread infection of fireblight. They replanted their orchard in the spring of 2021. When the arboretum staff visited the trees were entering their fifth growing season at the botanic garden. The information gained from our site visit and the opportunity to learn about the successes and struggles of the Frank L. Harrington Orchard from the horticulture staff and volunteers was instrumental in the selection of trees for the arboretum. It was clear how much care and work was put into the orchard.

New England Botanic Garden's advice for tree selection was weighed heavily in the selection, as well as disease resistance, historic relevance to New England, and the bloom time of each tree. The fruit of each tree was another consideration but not a top priority during selection. The final list consisted of 15 apples, 2 pears and 3 crabapples.

Apple Orchard Varieties

Ashmead's Kernel

Baldwin

Belle de Boskoop

Black Oxford

Blue Pearmain

Burgundy

Canadian Strawberry

Cox's Orange Pippin

Frostbite

Goldrush

Gravenstein

Hudson's Golden Gem

I-95

Lincolnville Russet

Roxbury Russet

Dolgo Crabapple

Pairiefire Crabapple

Chestnut Crabapple

Patten Pear

Seckel Pear

Disover more about each variety on our plant database, click here.

Cedar apple rust fungus on I-95 apple.

Management of disease and pests in newly established orchards

Disease in fruit trees is a common challenge among all levels of orchardists. This was one of the main considerations taken when selecting the new apple trees for the orchard renovation in the spring of 2025. Our staff prioritized disease resistant varieties, with a focus on resistance to cedar apple rust and fire blight, as both diseases could be lethal to the young trees. To be proactive and catch these issues early, the staff began checking the orchard almost daily and taking detailed notes and observations monthly. Since these trees are still being watered regularly as they establish, this is the perfect time to do a thorough check up on each individual. During the monthly in-depth checkup, notes are taken on evidence of cedar apple rust, insect activity, and signs of stress or other pathogens. This also gives an opportunity to note specific flowering dates and fruit development. 

The arboretum staff uses Integrated pest management (IPM) to mitigate disease and pest issues. IPM is the most common management style in agriculture settings of all sizes. The United States Department of Agriculture definition of  IPM is " ... a sustainable approach to managing pests by combining biological, cultural, physical, and chemical tools in a way that minimizes economic, health, and environmental risks.” (2) IPM helps to mitigate risk of overuse of chemical control while also still offering solutions for pest and disease prevention and management. Some examples of IPM controls are releasing beneficial insects to cut down on aphid populations, or cleaning tools before pruning each individual tree.

Fungal spores of cedar apple rust on crabapple

Disease

Cedar apple rust is a fungus (Gymnosporangium juniperi-virginianae) that requires two hosts to complete the life cycle. The two host species are Rosaceous host, such as malus sp., Amelanchier sp., and Chaenomeles sp. and a Juniperus sp. host.  At the arboretum cedar apple rust has mostly been observed on the native Juniperus virginiana. The fungal bodies need long wet springs to produce the fruiting galls on the cedars. These galls release spores that land on the Rosaceae host and infect the leaves and fruit. The lesions begin to grow as summer progresses and produce spores to reinfect the cedars. There are mixed reviews on the management of the fungi, but many suggest culling the eastern red cedars to stop the spread at the source. This is not a practical management style here in the arboretum as the property is not large enough to protect the apple trees from neighboring cedars. The U.S. Forest Service suggest having a 2-3 mile radius around apple orchards without any cedars. (3)

The Missouri Botanical Garden suggests an integrated pest management strategy to prune, use preventative fungicide, avoid mixing host species, planting resistant varieties, or co-exist with the fungus.(footnote) At the arboretum the plants that are infected by cedar apple rust decline slowly and end up failing. To fully understand how this fungus is affecting the orchard,  thorough notes are taken on what trees are being most impacted. The apple trees that show zero signs of having cedar apple rust are Gravenstein, Belle de Boskop, and Lincoln Russet, all are grafted onto Antonovka rootstock. Those that that have very minimal cedar apple rust are the Frostbite, Gold Rush, and Hudson’s Golden Gem. Taking notes in the first few years after the planting of this orchard will give insight as to what cultivars are best suited for the property. 

Die back of new growth on apple trees from fire blight

Picture courtesy of Michigan State University

Unlike cedar apple rust, fire blight is a bacterial disease that is highly contagious and destructive to apples and pears specifically, but can infect many species in the Rose family. Fire blight (Erwinia amylovora) earned its common name because it leaves branches, leaves, and whole trees looking scorched. Trees can be infected with fire blight through open wounds. For instance, trees without fire blight are contaminated after violent storms with hail, strong winds, and rains. These storms can cause open wounds on the trees and rainwater or insects can carry the bacteria into the vascular system of the trees. Fire blight can also travel due to poor pruning techniques when the same tools are used on infected and uninfected trees. The bacteria then will overwinter in cankers, main branches, and mummified fruit. A wet, warm spring accelerates the growth and spread of fire blight. There are not any 100% effective treatments for fire blight. Culling and burning the infected stock is the best way to rid the property of the bacteria. The Ohio State University gives some guidance on using antibacterial treatments, growth inhibitors and pesticides, but none of these options will fully prevent or cure the trees. (4)

Prevention is the most effective management method. This includes picking resistant rootstock and scion wood, following proper pruning practices, and controling sucking insects that will create wounds on the trees. Fire blight is always a concern no matter the size of orchard, but it is currently not a problem at the arboretum. However, to prevent an outbreak the trees are carefully monitored for any signs of sudden decline in health. 

Skeletonized leaves on apple tree from larvae.

Pests

The most common pests are insects and animals. Of these, the most persistent pests are larvae or caterpillars, aphids, mice, rabbits, and deer. The best management practice for pest control is preventative maintenance. This includes pruning for correct form and air circulation, selecting cultivars that are tough and resilient, and managing the surrounding property to encourage beneficial insects. In large scale orchards various types of insect traps are used to monitor what insects are present. At the arboretum consistent checks help to inform what damage and pests are present. In 2025 a deer fence was installed that surrounds the entire property. This helps to keep deer from browsing on the young trees. Rabbits and mice are known to eat the bark off the bottom of the trees causing the tree to girdle itself or die from the open wound. Girdling is the result of the wound being so deep the cambium is severed and cuts off the vascular system from the rest of the tree, typically ending in failure of the plant. The best way to prevent browsing at the base of the tree is to use wraps during the winter when these animals are foraging for food. Diluted dish soap can also be sprayed on the foliage, which kills aphids and mites and works well in a small scale orchard. 

Orchard update

As of mid-July the orchard has done well for the first year, despite the cedar apple rust infecting over 85% of the trees there is still healthy new growth and no dieback. The apples have not shown any signs of stress from the hot, sunny weather but are still being watered bi-weekly by staff. The trees will be fertilized three times this year and as the season changes we will begin to prep them for winter with trunk wraps and more mulch. We look forward to seeing the trees grow and mature and look forward to the connection created with visitors, students and volunteers within the orchard.

Footnotes

1. https://extension.unh.edu/resource/growing-fruit-grafting-fruit-trees-home-orchard-fact-sheet
2. https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/general-information/staff-offices/office-chief-economist/office-pest-management-policy-opmp/integrated-pest-management
3. https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/gymnosporangium_juniperi-virginianae.shtml  
4. https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/plpath-fru-22-0

Mary May Binney Wakefield Arboretum | 617-333-0924

1465 Brush Hill Road, Milton, MA 02186 | www.wakefieldtrust.org