Sargent’s Weeping Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis ‘Sargentii’) is named for Henry Winthrop Sargent, an 1800s horticultural pioneer and conifer collector. Although originally credited with the actual discovery of the tree, it’s come to light that the original tree was most likely discovered by Jefferson Horton, a farmer, on his own property (present day Hopewell Junction, NY) in the 1850s. H.W. Sargent acquired layers in the early 1860s, which he shared with other collectors, including his younger cousin Charles Singer Sargent, the first director of the Arnold Arboretum. Also, during the 1860s, local Queens nurserymen and brothers Sam and Robert Parsons obtained their own layers for propagation from H.W. Sargent’s personal specimen. They began selling the trees as early as 1874, and it is believed that our oldest weeping hemlocks came from the Parson brothers or, possibly, even C.S. Sargent himself.

As thousands of patrons visit the Arboretum each year, many of whom pass by or through the Manor House will notice, there is one large weeping hemlock (U-A2) on the back side of the house, closest to the parking lot. It’s not the largest specimen here but maybe the easiest to get to. Although when first propagated the weeping hemlock was believed to be a slow growing dwarf sport of the straight species, we can see it ultimately gets quite large! This specimen used to be shaded by a large oak tree that was removed several years ago, and since then it’s been marching rather swiftly straight towards the house, the probability of which our predecessors had miscalculated. Today, we find ourselves the referee of a land grab between an estimated 114-year-old tree and a 138-year-old house, and one must yield. So, we have the enormous responsibility of pruning this tree for the first time in its entire life!

Bayard is characterized largely by informal plantings and naturalistic forms, and we carry that mission through with any pruning we must undertake. Our goal in pruning this weeping hemlock is to maintain the natural shape of the tree while keeping it at a reasonable size for its location. As one of our arborists, Mike Voss, describes our pruning method, “We’re just revealing what’s already there, and not imposing an artificial structure on a tree.” The first step of our pruning process for this specimen was to remove as much dead wood as possible so we had a clear idea of its living shape and now we are working on reducing the newest growth to maintain its current size. To do that we will have to regularly prune this tree every few years to prevent it from getting too large in the future.

One aesthetic benefit of pruning this tree is a clearer view of the tree’s habit. The dome of the weeping hemlock is creating by gently sighing branches, inhaling upwards and then exhaling down towards the earth. Underneath, there is a network of muscular twisted trunks growing low to the ground and supporting the weight overhead. These two features are the defining characteristics between the Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) and its weeping form. Normally, hemlocks will put out all new growth for the season horizontally, without a clear leader and as time progresses it will throw up a leader by creating wood on the underside of the branch to push it vertically. The remaining lateral branches also create this wood to keep them from growing towards the ground, but not enough to make them vertical. In a weeping hemlock, the tree never chooses a single leader to push towards the sky. All new growth grows laterally, slightly upwards, but then eventually surrenders to gravity to become pendulous branches that sweep the ground. The wood that is present in the straight species hemlock that creates its vertical and hierarchal habit is lacking in the weeping form. Without this hierarchy of stems, the weeping hemlock forms a large circular tree with multiple trunks that continuously grow more outwards than it does upwards.

The more I learn about our individual specimen trees, the more I come to appreciate how truly special Bayard Cutting Arboretum is. Peter Del Tredici, botanist and researcher for the Arnold Arboretum, wrote the book on the history of this unique tree, and in an email to Kevin Wiecks, our current director, wrote, “Specimens like yours…are part of the original legacy of the cultivar.” We have 12 specimens of Sargent’s Weeping Hemlock at the Arboretum, the oldest ones being near the Manor House (U-A2), and in the Old Pinetum (U-OP144, U-OP39, U-OP40).

Jessica O'Callahan, Horticultural Coordinator

Hybrid Witchhazel (Hamamelis × intermedia) blooms in the Old Pinetum.

Upper Carriage House

In-person and live streamed. Recorded to watch again.

This year's full-day horticultural symposium will explore the importance of conifers and broadleaf evergreens in our landscape. Only a few in-person tickets remain! Registration and more details can be found here!

Join certified forest therapy guide, Linda Lombardo of Wild Heart Nature Connection, on a walk to reconnect with the natural world around us.

Fee: $40 per person.

Please wear comfortable, sturdy shoes and warm clothing for walking outdoors. Register here!

Upper Carriage House -- 1PM

All concerts begin at 1PM inside the Upper Carriage House. Free admission.

Due to ongoing construction, parking will be limited and on a first-come, first-served basis throughout the entirety of this concert series. Please arrive early and plan accordingly.

The Gift Shop and Hidden Oak Café are closed throughout February 2024. Both will reopen on March 2, 2024.

Manor House Tours will resume Saturday, March 2, 2024. Ground Tours continue to be offered on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10:30AM throughout winter. Call (631) 581-1002 for more details.

We welcome you and your children to explore our program. Tours are available on Tuesdays at 9:30 am. Reservations are required and payment must be made in advance. For more information, please contact Carolann Gaites, Volunteer Coordinator, at 631-581-1002, ext. 105.