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No, not the cherries you’re accustomed to. Cornelian cherries, rather. The Japanese cornel, brightly colored in its spot above the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden, not only gives us these flirtatious blooms in early spring, but cheerful red fruits later in the year.
Cornus officinalis – Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Nearing spring, we find plenty to be excited about as we walk through The New York Botanical Garden’s outdoor collections. Not that there isn’t a faint sense of curiosity, too; as Sonia Uyterhoeven has explained before, the weather patterns this winter have tricked certain plants into breaking dormancy early, resulting in a few blooms that will end up missing their spring date. But regardless, we appreciate the beauty whenever it happens to come around. And many of these flowering plants are proving right on time.
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The other day in Manhattan I passed a man wearing a t-shirt. It has been unseasonably warm this year and this was the confirmation. Throughout the fall and winter, The New York Botanical Garden has been showing similar signs of seasonal displacement and confusion. I would like to spend the next few weeks reflecting on some of the oddities that we experienced in the Garden over the past few months.
When I was teaching in our newly-restored Forest last month, part of my tour included a flowering Carolina rhododendron (Rhododendron carolinianum). It wasn’t in full flower, however there were several open blossoms scattered throughout the plant.
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